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Electrical lines near Speaker Cable

post #1 of 4
11/30/08 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
I have one area in my basement that I am going to have to run electrical cable literally right on top of speaker cable for 6 to 7 feet on two lengths of speaker cable. I have read many different things on here about whether I will encounter problems or not because I will not have a chance to test any of this before it is totally final. These electrical cables are just powering 2 5" recessed lighting cans so there should not be too much draw on the lines. My speaker cable is the Monster XP cable because that is all I had access to at the time. If anyone has an idea on how to protect the speaker cable from interference I would appreciated it. Also, would it make a difference whether I use electric cable with the metal shielding around it or the cable with just the plastic coating on the outside. Thanks in advanced.
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post #2 of 4
11/30/08 at 6:19pm
You should be fine. Speaker cables carry a high-level signal to low-impedance loads, so they aren't very susceptible to interference. Since the speaker-wire pair carries opposing current, they naturally tend to reject "common mode" interference (nearly the same voltage induced in one conductor will be induced in the other, so the net effect almost perfectly cancels out).

Similarly, the two current-carrying conductors in a properly-wired and properly-functioning AC circuit will carry equal opposing currents, so the residual electromagnetic effect is strongly diminished.

One question, though... are the speaker cables rated for in-wall installation? There are various safety rules about what can be run inside walls that have been developed for good reason through the years.

Oh... welcome to AVS Forum! Great information available here.
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post #3 of 4
11/30/08 at 8:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rasterfarian View Post

You should be fine. Speaker cables carry a high-level signal to low-impedance loads, so they aren't very susceptible to interference. Since the speaker-wire pair carries opposing current, they naturally tend to reject "common mode" interference (nearly the same voltage induced in one conductor will be induced in the other, so the net effect almost perfectly cancels out).

Similarly, the two current-carrying conductors in a properly-wired and properly-functioning AC circuit will carry equal opposing currents, so the residual electromagnetic effect is strongly diminished.

One question, though... are the speaker cables rated for in-wall installation? There are various safety rules about what can be run inside walls that have been developed for good reason through the years.

Oh... welcome to AVS Forum! Great information available here.

I do not think those cables are rated for in wall installation but that is all I could get at the time I needed it and they are already going behind drywall and wood in the wall and there is no way they can be replaced. Thank you for your welcome. I have been using this forum to find answers to questions for years but now I have decided its time to give knowledge as well.
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post #4 of 4
12/2/08 at 3:01pm
As already stated, very unlikely to be a problem at all. However, it does sound like what you are doing is most likely illegal/against code. doesn't sound like in-wall rated wire, and you can't run high and low voltage together.
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