Using 14/4 speaker cable

radioranger

I am pulling 14/4 cable to connect some outdoor speakers. What is the best way to split each pair of conductors out of the cable jacket to run to each speaker? Thanks...

ben62670

Welcome to Club Polk. The best way would be to have the positives, and negatives opposing each other. What gage is the wire, and how long is the run.
Ben

radioranger

As I understand it, 14/4 cable is: 4 conductors of 14 guage wire enclosed in one jacket. I am running about 150'. My question is as you run the cable up to the first speaker, you have to separate out a pair of conductors, say for the right speaker. Then the cable run continues on to the left speaker. Somehow I have to get the first wire pair out of the jacket. And after you get those wires out, how do you weather proof them, and weather proof the now cut or split cable jacket?

ben62670

Sorry. I know better(14/4). 150 feet is really pushing it for that gage. When you get to your first speaker you can carefully slit the jacket, and pull out the wires. Cut the 2 that you need, and then put the other two back in the sheathing. There are many different color electrical tapes out there that would work just fine to wrap the sheathing. For the connectors I would get some crimp on spades, or bananas. After crimping the connectors I would apply liquid tape to them.

WilliamM2

Are you using outdoor wiring? Most wiring is not weatherproof, the sun, heat, and cold will eventually crack the insulation. For runs that long I would use a larger gauge as well.

ben62670

Bill is absolutely right. I am glad he caught that. Interior wire's sheathing will dry up, and crack. Another solution would be to run the 14/4 to a junction box, and run 2 pairs from there to the outside speakers. Much cleaner.
Ben

radioranger

Thanks for the help! The cable I will use is rated CL3 for outdoor use. I have never used 14/4 before and wasn't sure if it's difficult to pull individual wire out of the sheath, etc... but I'll give it a try. I guess I should have ordered 12/4 wire. Is 14g wire going to affect the sound or volume from the speakers?

ben62670

It'll be a little muffled, and the bass is going to be less, and probably kinda muddy.

WilliamM2

The highs from 10khz up that will start to roll off from the added capacitance and inductance from such a long run. That will happen no matter what gauge you use.

You will also add quite a bit of resistance, and that will cost you some power. 10 gauge would be the proper size for that length.

obieone

Just a suggestion, but, could you provide a little more info.? I.E. equipt. list, locations etc.
I'm thinking it might be easier to run an rca signal cable to an amp that's closer to the outdoor spakers?

mantis

14/4 will work just fine for that length.

Questions:
1) Are you using a outdoor volume control? If not I suggest you invest in one. It's so much better to be outside and be able to turn the volume up and down. No remotes needed outside Rf or not.

2) I see you said it's cl3 rated, thats a rating for inwall use. Outdoor wiring has to be direct burial rated. It's usually black in color. Make sure of this.

3) What you do with a 4 conductor wire is "loop" the speakers. Inside the wire is red black for right side and white green for the left side. using the white for positive and green for negitive.

Steps for looping
1) Run from the volume control or amp to closest first speaker. leave a 4 foot loop.Continue wire run to other speaker and leave at least 4 feet for play.
Go back to first speaker. Slip jacket open and pull out proper wires. red black if it's right and white green if it's left.
2)Make sure you check signal flow. The wire is coming from the amp/volume control you use that side of the loop. Cut off the conductors to this speaker that will go to the other speaker leaving the other speaker wire uncut.

3) use electrical tape to seal up exposed wiring. Wrap it tight. Use bananas or spades for speaker connection and shrink wrap tight so no bare wire is exposed.

4) Add clear silicon to binding posts after wire connection to keep out moisture.

5) run wire to other speaker which will be the end of wire. Open up unused conductors and terminate. Also shrink wrap end and silicon binding posts.

Dan