Recommendations for cable for outside speakers

[helminski]

What type of cable can I use to connect my speakers in my garden? Also speakers mounted on porch.

[mtrycraft]

What type of cable can I use to connect my speakers in my garden? Also speakers mounted on porch.

Home Depot has low voltage landscape wiring, even 12 ga for longer runs Not expensive at all.

[markw]

Somehow I get the feeling thatthat low voltage outdoor wiring might be a little more impervious to the conditions outside than the standard run of the mill 12/16 gauge stuff that I would normally recommend for indoor use.

[ciscokid1970]

the 12/14/16 ga wire for lawn lighting is not a good idea. especially if you are burying it.

I am not sure where you live but where I am that cheap wire oxidizes in no time flat and actually becomes brittle in no time.

So first of all...if you can avoid burying it do so, If you must bury it use a 12ga nickel plated copper wire (this will help prevent oxidation) and make sure it has a heavy jacket.

You can get a good 50ft spool of belden cable for about $30.

[FLZapped]

the 12/14/16 ga wire for lawn lighting is not a good idea. especially if you are burying it.

I am not sure where you live but where I am that cheap wire oxidizes in no time flat and actually becomes brittle in no time.

So first of all...if you can avoid burying it do so, If you must bury it use a 12ga nickel plated copper wire (this will help prevent oxidation) and make sure it has a heavy jacket.

You can get a good 50ft spool of belden cable for about $30.

You are completely incorrect. It is designed for outdoor usage, hence the name "Landscape Wiring"

-Bruce

[Swerd]

the 12/14/16 ga wire for lawn lighting is not a good idea. especially if you are burying it.

I am not sure where you live but where I am that cheap wire oxidizes in no time flat and actually becomes brittle in no time.

So first of all...if you can avoid burying it do so, If you must bury it use a 12ga nickel plated copper wire (this will help prevent oxidation) and make sure it has a heavy jacket.

You can get a good 50ft spool of belden cable for about $30.

This post may be misleading.

For outdoor use, the main difference is the insulation on the cable. Plastic insulation on wire rated for indoor use, but kept outside, degrades rapidly because of exposure to sunlight (UV light) and the effects of freezing and thawing water. This is easily seen by the appearance of brittle plastic with cracks in it.

There are wires rated for outdoor use. Usually the insulation is black or dark brown because chemicals have been added to the plastic that absorb the UV light and slow the degradation of the plastic. This type of plastic insulation is usually less flexibile. The wire inside is the same stranded copper found on indoor type cables. If the insulation holds up to the conditions, the wire inside will not oxidize.

The lawn lighting wire is probably rated for use outdoors. It is just what you are looking for.

[Thatch_Ear]

Because of the length of the runs I would spend a little more money and get something like Carol 2/12. Insulated wire inside insulation. Where you attach the speakers be sure and solder and after soldering apply a good amount of nail polish or some water proof laquer type product to prevent moisture from entering the insulation where it is terminated. It keeps the solder joint from oxidizing as well.

[ciscokid1970]

You are completely incorrect. It is designed for outdoor usage, hence the name "Landscape Wiring"

-Bruce

I would be happy to show you the remains of my outdoor lighting wire. It was a complete light, AC to DC power suppy and cable and put in about 3 years ago. I recently dug it up to replace it with better lights. I installed real lights the kind powered with AC, this is much stricter and reqired certified/tested cable and had to be inspected after I was done. It was Romex NMWU, which is direct burial rated cable.

MOST of the landscaping wire that is sold at home improvement is little more than lamp wire. Now I am a balanced guy; I do not believe cable is somthing you should spend your lifes savings on but I also do not belive that you can wire with the stuff you find laying around in your garage. Most of the bulk lamp, electrical wire is cheap 90% pure copper which is not so hot. Like I said do not get me wrong I have not seen a benifit of 99.999997% pure copper wire over 98% coppper wire. But there is a difference between 98% pure and 90% pure wire.

If you want REAL wire that will stay healty after years of burial you have to go to better wire...but chances are the guy who started this thread is only wiring some cheap rock speakers where you will not hear much advantage either way.

[hifitommy]

yup,MTRYs right.

i use malibu wire for my surround runs in the house. the insulation is heartier than most twin lead and i am quite sure it would work well when buried. it was designed with that in mind.