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Drop Speaker Wire Through Header with Electrical


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I finally got the wife to let me use speaker stands for my side surrounds (RB-61) and I was planning on dropping the wires down today so all I have to do is plug in the speakers when the stands come in but I might have a problem for the right rear one.  This corner of the room has a window on one wall and an opening to the kitchen on the other wall.  From the corner I only have 9.5" to the window and 14.5" to the opening.  Both already have electrical wires running down for light switches and sockets so to get the speaker wire down to the floor, I really have no choice but to run it somewhat side-by-side with the electrical wires that are already there.  I would like to drill a new hole in the header just for the speaker wire because it will be easier to get it to the bottom but I'm not sure if I'll have the room to get the auger bit in there at the right angle because of the roof coming down, and there's only 14.5" to work with and already wires in the way so I don't want to risk damaging those.

 

I Googled this and found every answer under the sun from it'll be fine to it'll burn your house down and kill the Manatees.  My father-in-law in a building inspector for the next county over and he said it wasn't against code and didn't see what it could hurt since the NM electrical wire and in-wall speaker wire are both double insulated.  I understand it isn't ideal but I really don't see what other choice I have.

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The other alternative is to run it on the outside of the wall in decorative plastic flat 1.5" x 1/4" thick conduit which has all the necessary bends and 45 degree stuff to make it look nice. It can also be painted the same color as the wall. It's very unnoticeable when completed properly.

JJK

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2 hours ago, JJkizak said:

The other alternative is to run it on the outside of the wall in decorative plastic flat 1.5" x 1/4" thick conduit which has all the necessary bends and 45 degree stuff to make it look nice. It can also be painted the same color as the wall. It's very unnoticeable when completed properly.

JJK

That wouldn't be ideal for looks but could be done since my speaker wires already come out at the upper corners for the speakers I'm replacing (didn't know at the time that wasn't the right place to put them).  My plan was to install a banana plug wall plate on either side so it would look good and could be unplugged easily.  I just finished soldered extensions on so they reach the bottom and I'm going to end up doing whatever else I do next weekend since I'm out of time (which is fine, its supposed to be 10* cooler next weekend).

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1 hour ago, Ceptorman said:

Under the carpet? I'm running out of ideas!

Like JJ said, you might have to go the decorative channel route. Or maybe you could hide it behind a picture, acoustic panel, artistic paint, Klipsch posters. 

 

Nope.  Hardwood.

 

I can get the wire down into the wall from the attic, that isn't really the problem.  The problem is I don't know if I have the room to drill a separate hole just for the speaker wire and if I do have the room to do that, it will only be a few inches at most away from the power wires.  If I can't drill a separate hole then I can push it through one of the two existing holes that have power wires going through them.  I didn't think this was a problem for anything other than potential interference and that's what I was Googleing and found people acting like this was the worst thing ever and claiming it was a fire hazard (how I'm not sure since the NM wire and speaker wire are both double insulated and they won't be going into the same box), against code, etc.  Even if I ran the wire on the outside of the drywall, it still isn't that much further away from the wires inside the wall so I would imagine the interference potential wouldn't be much different.  That's more what I'm concerned with.  If this is really an issue then I guess the consideration would be the external conduit.

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I think a separate hole for the speaker wire would be the best route for your situation for coming through the wood framing. If a separate hole is too dangerous, too close to an exposed electrical wire (nicking an electrical Romex wire might be a fire hazard) then running the speaker wire through the same hole would be the next option. Getting the speaker wire from the upper plate, or attic area is where I assume you're talking about, to the proposed speaker connection box. Is the speaker box about 12" off the floor like an electrical outlet? Do you have any wall cavity to run it from the upper plate to the desired box? 

I really don't think interference would be a problem, even running the wires through the same hole. I doubt there would be any fire hazard with doing this either, as long as the electrical supply wire isn't damaged. The side and rear surround channels don't carry near the amount of info the front channels carry. 

I take it the room is finished, drywall, trim, paint?

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That's exactly what my though process was.  I definitely don't want to nick the electrical wires trying to drill another hole if there isn't enough room there and I won't know until I go back up there and look and see if I can even get the auger bit in there where it'll be drilling the hole perpendicular and not at an angle (which will be key to this whole thing).  Yes, the wire is already in the attic area coming out of the ceiling in corner where I had the old speaker mounted.  I've already soldered about 10' more wire to that and I was going to go up there and pull that up and then push it down through the header and then cut a hole for another wall box (the speaker wire will not be in the same box as an electrical outlet) and add the banana plug plate.  Yes, approx. same height as all the electrical outlets.  My house has been finished a while.  I'm doing this now because I'm upgrading the speakers from my old Polks and trying to get them in more of a proper position (with the wife kicking and screaming the whole way!!).

 

Here's a picture of the area I'm working in.  I took this picture of another house in my neighborhood that's the same floor plan when I was trying to figure out how to do the wiring for my old speakers.  The electrical wiring wasn't installed yet in this picture but there are two holes there in my house, one hole as the wiring for the dining room and outside lights and the other hole has wiring for an electrical outlet.  I circled the area this is in.  Looking at this picture, I don't see that its going to be possible to get the auger bit in there and not risk damage to those wires already there.

 

FullSizeRender - Copy.jpg

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I see, that photo helps. It is definitely a tight spot, especially since it's already finished. It might be impossible to use the same hole as the electrical wire is using. Around here, and I think it's a national code, those holes in the wood structure have to be filled with a fireproof caulk, and it turns hard like cement, no way a wire will pull through the hole later, so a new hole has to be installed.

I take it you just need to get the wire through the wood structure into the wall cavity, then fish it down to the speaker box? 

I see a few choices...

-From the attic, inspect the electrical and hopefully find a spot where you don't think the electrical wire is and drill a hole for your speaker wire. 

-Use Tasdom's idea and router out the drywall where the wood is and embed the wire in drywall mud, then let the wire enter the wall cavity.

-Cut out a section of drywall to get a better view of what's going on, you could just slightly notch the wood deep enough to accept the wire (1/4") or just expose the wire over the wood and drywall over it

-Attack it from the outside? If it's not masonry, maybe remove a couple courses of siding and then route your wire.

 

I'm thinking the best route would be to use a drywall hand saw, cut a notch in the drywall, only where the wood header is (12") centered in the cavity (because the electrical wire should be stapled to the suds, leaving the center open) pull the wire through tightly, then use drywall compound to seal it back up. I'm not crazy about drilling a new hole through the header, unless you're positive about electric wire placement.

 

Maybe someone else has a better idea?

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There is fireproof expanding foam of some type in the holes but I was able to push an NM wire through it when I added two floodlights outside a while ago so it isn't as hard as concrete, that's for sure (adding those flood lights is why I vaguely know what's up there).  I was thinking I could cut up a wire hanger and tape a straight piece of it to the speaker wire to give it rigidity (and shouldn't hurt any of the surrounding wires) and maybe some weight to help it go all the way down when pushing it from the top.  A fish tape will get caught up, I think.

 

Drywall modification would be a last resort I think, it makes such a blooming mess.

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22 minutes ago, Peter P. said:

Cut a hole in the sheetrock at the wall/corner junction and drill UP from there. Be generous with that hole. Then patch over. The finished appearance will be seamless.

 

 

I heard someone say fireplace & speakers so my antenna started to vibrate and I found this thread.

 

My opinion, Peter nailed it.

 

Get whatever you need (utility knife, roto-zip, drywall saw) and simply cut the drywall out.  If you can pull the (hopefully) screws verses nails out, you can likely replace the same piece back and just patch it up.

 

Basically, take the problem away from the studs, work the studs then replace the problem (drywall)

 

Wife wanted a TV installed on the wall in spare bedroom.  Bought hardware and I cut about 6' "slot" out of the drywall.  The studs weren't spaced properly to attach the mounting bracket.  Pulled the drywall off, mounted some extra studs in there, put drywall back.  Patched it up and today, I'd slap $20 down on the table for you to go upstairs and show me which TV was mounted like this or mounted with virgin construction.

 

(you'd get the $20 since we only have one TV on the wall!)

 

If your space is limited and you need to drill, a right angle drill might let you get in closer.

 

If nothing else, it's a good excuse to buy a new tool!!

 

My next choice would be making a channel like Tasdom said.  We did that downstairs when we had to add wiring after several other issues were taken care of.  Cut a strip out, layed the wire in it and covered it up.  It was only about 24" in our case and goes to a rarely used light but I can at least use the light now.

 

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