Seven and a half centimetres can sometimes be enough to turn an image that spills beyond the screen into one that fits neatly within it. This short aluminium column sits between the ceiling plate and the projector mount, lowering the device by that amount without changing the rest of the installation. It is part of Chief’s modular Speed-Connect system, where each component screws into the next like a plumbing fitting.
Chief divides its ceiling mounts into separate components: a plate fixed to the ceiling, one or more columns, then the interface that holds the projector. The CMS003 is the shortest fixed column in the CMS series. It is an aluminium tube threaded at both ends to the 1.5-inch NPT standard. This tapered thread of American origin tightens as it is screwed in, and Chief uses it on all its plates, couplers and projector mounts. Assembly involves screwing the column into the plate, then the mount into the column, with no intermediate part. Aluminium reduces the overall weight without compromising strength: Chief specifies a load capacity of 226.8 kg. The column is TÜV-certified and UL-listed.
A column this short is useful when the projector’s position needs to be corrected by a few centimetres. This can happen with a ceiling that is higher than expected, a beam obstructing the light path, or a screen whose top edge sits slightly below the lens. On a projector without optical lens shift, or with a limited shift range, physically lowering the device avoids the need for digital keystone correction, which reduces image resolution.
The stated 7.6 cm corresponds to the total length of the tube, including the threads. Part of each end disappears into the plate and the mount, so the actual drop is slightly less than this measurement. For a larger gap, the CMS series offers longer fixed columns, and Chief also offers adjustable telescopic columns for cases where the exact height is only known at the time of installation.
The inside of the column is clear. The cables serving the projector, usually the power cord and the HDMI cable, can therefore run down from the ceiling to the device without remaining visible along the mount. The plugs must be fed through before tightening the column, and you need to check that the largest connector fits inside the tube, which depends on the cable chosen.
The 226.8 kg capacity applies to the column alone. In a ceiling installation, the allowable load depends on the weakest component: the plate, the projector mount and, above all, the ceiling anchorage, which must be appropriate for the material (concrete, timber joist, suspended ceiling with attachment to the structure).
No. The 1.5-inch (3.81 cm) value is a nominal thread designation derived from piping standards. It does not correspond to any dimension measurable with calipers. The actual outside diameter of a 1.5-inch NPT pipe is approximately 48 mm. Keep this figure in mind when estimating space requirements or drilling a hole in a suspended ceiling.
Mechanically, yes, if the mount also uses a 1.5-inch NPT thread. This standard is mainly used in North America. In Europe, BSP pipe threads of a similar size are common but are not compatible: the thread angle and pitch are different, and the fitting would bind without ever locking properly.
Both ends have male threads. To connect two columns, you therefore need a female-to-female NPT coupler from the Chief range. Each additional connection adds potential play and another point to check. For the same height, a single longer CMS series column is preferable to a stack of short sections.
The tapered thread locks itself at the end of tightening, and no product is needed. To prevent rotation, follow the instructions for the plate and mount used with the column, which specify the locking method for each part.
Yes. Chief pairs it with both projectors and ceiling mounts for flat-panel displays, provided they use the same 1.5-inch NPT interface. The load and anchoring are checked in the same way as for a projector, with generally greater weight and greater exposure to wind or impacts.
Norbert
Excellent quality product.
Very well finished and robust.
Comment from 23 October 2023 — Experience from 12 October 2023
Matthieu
Used with my Chief Elite to shorten the Ceiling mount! Perfect for my VW590es.
Comment from 17 November 2021 — Experience from 8 August 2021
Jean-Yves
Nothing to complain about, it gets the job done.
Comment from 22 July 2021 — Experience from 13 June 2021
