[jmh547]

We are in the process of finishing the basement we are insulating thisweekend because the dry waller will be here next week. I bought a roll of 12awgspeaker wire from monoprice, ran both rear speakers (35' each) and the frontright (24'). Low and behold I am ~6' short for the left speaker run. I amhaving trouble finding 12 gauge stranded wire locally. I have read severalplaces where people said mixed gauge wire front to back is good and in somecases needed. Would it be a problem mixing left and right? The left run wouldbe no longer than 30' and i would be using 14awg.

Thanks

 

[Mike Garrett]

No advantage to mixing wire gauge. With a 30' run 14 gauge will be fine, but I would go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy 12 gauge lamp cord.

 

[jmh547]

I would go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy 12 gauge lamp cord.

Good tip! I am going to pickup the insulation tonight. I have been googling speaker wire at HD and Lowes and all i could fine was 14awg. I didn't even think about lamp cord.

 

[InstantYo]

Isn't a UL rated speaker wire needed for in-wall installations? Whatever you splice with I'd make sure it is also.

 

[Mike Garrett]

Good tip! I am going to pickup the insulation tonight. I have been googling speaker wire at HD and Lowes and all i could fine was 14awg. I didn't even think about lamp cord.

It went right over my head that this was in-wall. You should get in-wall rated wire. Lowes does sell it. Do not splice in the wall. Run a full run.

 

[jmh547]

I couldn't find it at my Lowes the last time I was there, but I was in ahurry I had one of the kids and it was nearing bed time LOL. I defiantly willnot splice it! Worst case scenario I could more from monoprice, I think I canmanage to pull the wires after the drywall is up if I put some string, beforedry wall is up, to assist in pulling it

 

[KidHorn]

If the construction requires inspection, don't count on being able to pull anything after the drywall is up. All wiring will need to be in place before inspection and most inspectors want everything snug and tight. I would get more wire from monoprice before doing the string thing. You can overnight it if needed.


As far as mixing gauge. It's fine as long as the length is within the recommended length for the wire. Any minor volume level difference will be leveled out by the room correction in your receiver.

 

[duc135]

Inspection and code requirements vary by municipality. Check with your particular city. In my city, they couldn't care less about what wires I run in wall for low voltage applications like speakers and network cabling in a residential buildings. They only care in commercial buildings. Having CL rated wiring is good, but may not be necessary.

 

[Mike Garrett]

If the construction requires inspection, don't count on being able to pull anything after the drywall is up. All wiring will need to be in place before inspection and most inspectors want everything snug and tight. I would get more wire from monoprice before doing the string thing. You can overnight it if needed.


As far as mixing gauge. It's fine as long as the length is within the recommended length for the wire. Any minor volume level difference will be leveled out by the room correction in your receiver.

The volume level difference would be so small that the AVR could not even measure a difference. It is about like sticking your finger in two different electrical outlets and measuring the difference in how long it takes you to get shocked.

 

[Gandu]

Inspection and code requirements vary by municipality. Check with your particular city. In my city, they couldn't care less about what wires I run in wall for low voltage applications like speakers and network cabling in a residential buildings. They only care in commercial buildings. Having CL rated wiring is good, but may not be necessary.

Besides passing the initial building inspection, there are a few other scenarios where using in-wall rated CL2 or CL3 cables may be advantageous.
An Insurance company claim for a house fire could possibly be denied, or at least complilcated by using non-rated cable.
Could be noted as an issue on a Home Inspection prior to a sale. May not kill the deal but, would be an unwanted hassle to prove it's within code.
The seathing on in-wall rated cable makes it easier to pull.
There is no real price advantage to using non rated cable over in-wall rated cable.

Understanding In-wall Speaker, Video and Audio Cable Ratings

 

[barfle]

How about conduit?

One thing you might try is running plastic conduit. Home Deep Owe carries it pretty cheap, and you can run high or low voltage wire in it (although not both at the same time) in most jurisdictions I know of. Then whatever you decide to pull will be pretty easy, and it will also be pretty easy to replace if that's ever necessary.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/JM-eagle-3-4-in-x-10-ft-PVC-Schedule-40-Conduit-67454/100129197

 

[They_call_me_Roto]

Further info on the conduit. Another option for conduit to snake cabling is "smurf tube" which is available at Home Depot (and I would imagine Lowes carries it as well) I was helping a friend do a basement remodel and we could not get smurf tube without ordering it, and the project could not wait for an unknown delivery date. So I purchased some PEX water tubing and used that.

 

[jmh547]

Well Lowe's did not have the in wall stuff by the foot only a 500 foot roll for $130. HD had the 14 gauge in wall "speaker wire" but it was only 5 strand so I just got regular 14 gauge, from the sounds of thing out local code inspectors couldn't care less abould low voltage wiring.

 

[darthray]

Besides passing the initial building inspection, there are a few other scenarios where using in-wall rated CL2 or CL3 cables may be advantageous.
An Insurance company claim for a house fire could possibly be denied, or at least complilcated by using non-rated cable.
Could be noted as an issue on a Home Inspection prior to a sale. May not kill the deal but, would be an unwanted hassle to prove it's within code.
The seathing on in-wall rated cable makes it easier to pull.
There is no real price advantage to using non rated cable over in-wall rated cable.

Understanding In-wall Speaker, Video and Audio Cable Ratings

+1
Insurances company will use any excuse to denies a claim!!!


Start here for nice descent 12awg cable that are in-wall rated
http://www.monoprice.com/Search/Index?keyword=12awg+speaker+wire+in+wall
It will be worth it in the long term since speaker wire is cheap compare to the rest since you are doing an in-wall installation, spend a little more now and do it once


Ray