preventing wire corrosion near ocean air

yeryer

Each year I lose an inch of wire to my polk atriums. I've tried gold coatings, complete waterproofing with liquid electrical tape, gold connectors, everything I can find on these forums. It doesn't matter, the cheap cable corrodes into dust where it connects to the speakers, or now the spliced in speaker cable. The gold connectors turn black as well.

The wire coming out of the soffit with the temporary wire nuts is almost to short to strip any more and it would be extremely difficult to run a new cable.

Is there any sort of sacrificial anode that might save the last usable inch of my speaker cable?

Emlyn

The only way I'm aware of to solve the problem long term is to get some marine grade speaker cables that are tinned and have a suitable jacket material for exposure to salt water. The type of speaker cable in the photo is intended for indoor use and even then it'll turn green over time since the copper strands are not tinned and the jacket material will let air and moisture into it over time. Chances are the cable inside the soffit is corroded too. An electrician should be able to figure out how to replace enough of it from inside the house.

Something like this would work...

https://www.amazon.com/GearIT-Marine-Speaker-Conductor-Electrical/dp/B08QV4L55P/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=marine+speaker+wire&qid=1619982397&sr=8-13

If it's expensive to do the rewire a new set of wireless outdoor speakers may be a better solution although they'd need power run to them.

Good luck!

msg

I wonder whether di-electric grease would help preserve the connectors a bit. Shoot some in the back of the connector as well, and/or cover with heatshrink or RTV tape.

Other than that, for the wire, maybe another extension run, but use solder and adhesive lined heatshrink tubing at the joint?

It would probably be fine even just twisting the ends at the joint, but the adhesive lined heatshrink would provide a weather barrier.

pitdogg2

I'd think adhesive lined shrink tubing would help.
@Emlyn is correct that the cable in use is not doing you any favors. Belden also has outdoor wire that had two jackets one for exposure and both wires are jacketed. I have no experience in a saltwater environment with it though.

mhardy6647

I would humbly suggest considering a change to wire using tinned copper conductors and, by all means (!!) avoid clear PVC insulation.

EDIT: If you wish, you can "tin" the fresh copper condutors yourself with solder. This is very easy to do if you're comfortable with soldering (or know someone who is -- you can buy 'em a beer or something for helping you out... but, of course, only after they do the soldering!)

tratliff

I would start looking in the marine industry. I have used a number of wires, adhesive heat shrink and heat shrink adhesive connectors within my boat environment. The heat shrink adhesive connectors have worked very well. Crimp, apply heat and the wire is 100% sealed.

yeryer

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll try these out. I've also learned that the interior cable wasn't even copper, it's copper-clad aluminum so that's why it rots out so quickly.

pitdogg2

yeryer wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll try these out. I've also learned that the interior cable wasn't even copper, it's copper-clad aluminum so that's why it rots out so quickly.

ditch that ASAP!!

One other question.
how are you using those banana plugs? Are you unscrewing the nut and tightening the nut back down? OR have you taken out the plug on the end of the post and inserting the banana plug into the binding post?

F1nut

yeryer wrote: »

Each year I lose an inch of wire to my polk atriums. I've tried gold coatings, complete waterproofing with liquid electrical tape, gold connectors, everything I can find on these forums. It doesn't matter, the cheap cable corrodes into dust where it connects to the speakers, or now the spliced in speaker cable. The gold connectors turn black as well.

The wire coming out of the soffit with the temporary wire nuts is almost to short to strip any more and it would be extremely difficult to run a new cable.

Is there any sort of sacrificial anode that might save the last usable inch of my speaker cable?

https://www.corrosionx.com/products/corrosionx

machone

https://www.pacergroup.net

Good marine wire.

DaveHo

Those look like the popular inexpensive Monoprice bananas. I don't live anywhere remotely close to the ocean, & mine are corroded too. Albeit, not to that extent. Have you tried coating everything with a liberal coating of Caig Gold?

pitdogg2

Spiceagent11 reported

DaveHo

Month and a half to spam us. Patient little **** he is!

alfred0809

I would start looking in the marine industry. I have used a number of wires, adhesive heat shrink and heat shrink adhesive connectors within my boat environment. The heat shrink adhesive connectors have worked very well. Crimp, apply heat and the wire is 100% sealed.

haha that happened to me aswell..

pitdogg2

Yeppers adhesive shrink wrap is the shiznit.