waterproof but removable outdoor speaker connections
krick
Posts: 4
What is the best/preferred way to connect outdoor speakers (at the speaker)?
I'd like something that is reasonably weather-proof, but still be disconnected at the end of the season so that I can store the speakers indoors over the winter. I want to keep water out of the wire jacket, so assume the solution will involve some kind of banana plugs and silicone caulk, but I want to hear what the experts have to say.
Basically, given a pair of Polk Atrium 4 speakers and bare speaker wire, what else do I need in order to get the job done so that it meets my needs?
I'd like something that is reasonably weather-proof, but still be disconnected at the end of the season so that I can store the speakers indoors over the winter. I want to keep water out of the wire jacket, so assume the solution will involve some kind of banana plugs and silicone caulk, but I want to hear what the experts have to say.
Basically, given a pair of Polk Atrium 4 speakers and bare speaker wire, what else do I need in order to get the job done so that it meets my needs?
Post edited by krick on
Comments
-
What is the best/preferred way to connect outdoor speakers (at the speaker)?
I'd like something that is reasonably weather-proof, but still be disconnected at the end of the season so that I can store the speakers indoors over the winter. I want to keep water out of the wire jacket, so assume the solution will involve some kind of banana plugs and silicone caulk, but I want to hear what the experts have to say.
Basically, given a pair of Polk Atrium 4 speakers and bare speaker wire, what else do I need in order to get the job done so that it meets my needs?
forget silicone caulk.....Shrink tubing is your friend. I find a size that is the same size as my banana plugs and then stretch with needle nose pliers(by opening pliers) to fit over the plug. i then slide over the wire before i attach the plug then shrink after plug attached. If you want you can leave extra length of tubing at end of plug it will collapse after you push plug into binding post. -
How do you seal it when you have two wires coming out of the jacket going to separate banana plugs? Does each plug get shrink tubed, then another piece of shrink tubing where the wires exit the cable jacket? Somehow, I doubt that would be very waterproof. Should there be some kind of waterproof grease or petroleum jelly used?
-
How do you seal it when you have two wires coming out of the jacket going to separate banana plugs? Does each plug get shrink tubed, then another piece of shrink tubing where the wires exit the cable jacket? Somehow, I doubt that would be very waterproof. Should there be some kind of waterproof grease or petroleum jelly used?
cable pants
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=082-782
why would you strip all insulation and expose more bare wire than needed? If the only bare wire is in the banana plug you are WAY OVER THINKING THIS.....
I have used this method for years on all my satellite and antenna cables with 100% results WORKS GREAT ....by the way i have NEVER used cable pants -
Does each plug get shrink tubed, then another piece of shrink tubing where the wires exit the cable jacket?
yes each plug gets shrink tubed....and yes -
I was never implying exposing more bare wire than needed. I'm not sure how you got that impression. I just want to keep water out of the jacket even though the wires inside are still insulated.
What type of banana connectors do you recommend? I've seen several types. Some have a set-screw design the crimps the wire from the side, some have a set-screw design where the wire comes in from the side and you tighten the screw from the bottom, and the last kind has a two-piece design where the wire threads through from the bottom and folds over, which is then held in place and crimped when the top half screws on.
I think that the ones where the wire enters from the side are probably out immediately due to the difficulty when heat-shrink tubing over them. -
Not sure how to edit an existing message, so I'm posting a followup...
Here's an example of the first type of banana connectors with the set screw...
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-1165
Here's an example of the second type of banana connectors where the wire goes in from the side, though these also allow you to insert the wire from the bottom as well...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BKW2K2/?tag=3feetunder-20
Here's an example of the third type of banana connectors where the wire is folded over...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006U3O566/?tag=3feetunder-20
I also found a type that is crimp-on...
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_119MTRB/Monster-crimp-on-banana-connectors.html -
I doubt that would be very waterproof.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=080-674
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=080-676
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-354
along with the cable pants these will work period as i have stated you are WAY over thinking this....if everything over laps each other water should not get into anything.
easy peasy simple as pie....
