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Wiring outdoor speakers?


firedawg24

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I don't know if this is the right forum but I think it is.

My question is what is the best way to wire outdoor speakers? I have them hanging under the eaves and I have in wall speaker wire running directly to them via banana plugs. I dont want them to get too corroded seeing as how I live near the beach in S FL.

Thanks,

Dave C

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  • 2 weeks later...

About the only thing you could do, is make sure you have a clean, tight crimp on those bananas, and maybe clean them up once or twice a year with a di-oxidation spray of some sort.

If the bananas in question are of the reusable type, strip an inch or two of insulation off to expose bright wire every now and then, so an extra foot at installation would be enough for 6 to 12 years.[W]

I suppose you could also fit them with some heat-shrink tubbing.

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I'm not sure if this works, but you might try sealing the connections with an outdoor waterproof spray paint. Just make sure all your connections are solid and working first. A few generous doses to seal all the holes is all you need. When working at Audio Designs we did this with the Direct TV coax connections on the top of the roof.

And as always, make sure you've got way more cable than you need so if you do get corrosion you can just cut off the tips and make a new connection.

Doesn't tinning the leads also prevent oxidation?

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Use RTV Silicone grease and air cure silicone shrink tubing designed expressly for weather exposed RF connections. The shrink tubing comes in an individually lubricated sealed pack. I don't know of a more elegant way to state this, but it is sort of like a rectangular condom package.

You MAY be able to get some from your local cable technician.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been using the wiring you use for sprinklers for years. I left about a foot extra length of the wire so every spring I clip the ends off and just strip of a little more isulation. I also as mentioned above use silicon around the connector on the speakers. In the 5 years or so I have done this I have not had one problem. The great thing about using the spinkler wire is it is designed for the outdoor elements.

scooter

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