Any wiring project must meet certain criteria for safety as well as proper performance and longevity. A lamp cord or "zip cord" from the box store is not the correct wire for many situations, as many people apparently think. 

Any wiring used inside your home walls/attic must be CL2/CL3 rated for the correct voltage carrying capacity along with a jacket construction which will not cause toxic smoke/fumes in the event of a fire. 

Outside wiring installed above ground needs to have a jacket construction which will prevent it from becoming brittle or degrading due to exposure to the sun and rain. 

Outside wiring to be buried underground for speakers or landscape lighting needs to have a "direct burial" rating so it can withstand contact with water and soil without shorting out between conductors, degrading, or becoming brittle. Direct Burial wire can be buried in conduit or directly in the dirt/trench.

Another very crucial factor is the American Wire Gauge (AWG). The smaller the number, the larger the copper conductor. For most short to average speaker runs, we suggest and use 16 gauge. For longer speaker runs, we step up to 14 gauge, and for landscape lighting and landscape speakers/subwoofers, we generally use 12 gauge. The larger copper conductor carries more electricity (in our case, generally more light or more/better sound).

Voltage drop is the loss of electric current due to the increased length of the wire run. For a longer run, step up in gauge (down in number) to ensure all of the sound or lighting you paid for makes it to its final destination!

So, what happens if you install the wrong wire? Well, take a look a the pictures. Notice the copper is missing? That is corrosion.

And that's what happens if you install the wrong wire or cheap wire.



Do you have a wiring project on the horizon? If so, tell us about it. Call 727-804-2277, so we can educate you about your options.

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