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Drilling holes in your tower

 
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Chad52
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PostPosted: Apr 11, 2005 6:42 am    Post subject: Drilling holes in your tower Reply with quote

Does anybody else have a problem drilling holes in your tower for running speaker wire or power to lights? I've already drilled some small holes to run speaker wire through, but if I run power for lights, I either have to re-run the speaker wire so I can open up the holes to a larger dia., or drill an additional hole. At this point, I am thinking about running the wire externally and just trying to put a braid or something nice on the outside of the wire. Any opinions?

Chad
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joedirt00
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PostPosted: Apr 11, 2005 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

IMO, run the peakers down one leg and your power down the other. Running them both in the same bundle runs the risk of electrical interference in your speakers.
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MobiusMan
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PostPosted: Apr 11, 2005 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good call joedirt00.
I ran speaker wires down one side and power wires down the other side. I would not recommend running wires along the outside. It just does not give your tower a "clean" look to your installation. If the holes you have already drilled are full, its totally fine to drill another hole for additional wires. Just try to drill the extra hole in line with the other holes so your tower does not look like swiss cheese!! Good Luck.
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OUwakeboarder
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PostPosted: Apr 11, 2005 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

use wiring that is double coated, or just make sure you run the wires in only two units, wires just for speakers and the others just for lights. It will make it easier, because its like you are only running two wires through the tower when there could actually be 4,6, or 8 total wires. just splice at the ends. Just a suggestion though.
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Cyclonecj
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PostPosted: Apr 11, 2005 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used CL4 14 ga. 4 conductor speaker wire for my speakers and my lights. It worked really well and is small enough in dia to go through a 7/16 hole. multiconductor wire helps a lot, it's not as bulky as 2 cond speaker wire.
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wakessories
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PostPosted: Apr 12, 2005 12:41 pm    Post subject: reply Reply with quote

This is the type of cable I used, it works perfect. I ran everything down one side of the tower leg. I used a total of three wire runs down one leg.

What the wire is connected too!
( 8 ) 5-1/4" speakers controlled by two zones
( 5 ) Tower fog lights control by two zones

http://www.monstercable.com/custom_install/productPageCI.asp?pin=1335&LastPage=Speaker%20Cables
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AndyDeeJay
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PostPosted: Apr 13, 2005 3:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dont worry about electrical interferance - it simply wont happen between speaker wires and power cables.

However, there would be a problem if you are trying to run signal cable to an amp along with power cable. Under load, the power cable radiates an electrical field which can pierce through the screen on certain poor quality signal cables, causing noise and hum. This is then amplified and can be heard throught the speakers.

I would be concerned about drilling too many or large holes in the tower. While the alloy is many times over spec. this would cause a compromise on its integrity.

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gobeer net
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PostPosted: May 25, 2005 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

push the wires into the tower, drill a bigger hole, fish them back out....thats what I did.

I'm agreeing with Andy, something as high signal strength as Speaker wire wont have any problem with interferance from power wire.

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kcox
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PostPosted: Jul 09, 2005 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been a marine electrician for years, granted I usually work on fishing vessels, but the concept remains the same if you can avoid running the power next to the comm cable or speaker then avoid it. Otherwise use quality cable that is shielded. Run the power on the other side, do yourself a favor. Don't run it on the outside. on top of just looking like hell you run the risk of damage from everything. Imagine some buckethead getting careless with their board and slicing into the wire, yea they will feel bad but you still have to make the repair. good luck!
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karkid
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PostPosted: Jul 10, 2005 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes dont do it, i'm an MECP certified car audio installer. you never want to run power wires with signal wires.
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gobeer net
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PostPosted: Jul 10, 2005 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

signal wire or speaker wire. sure in theory there is a chance of inductance causing noise when running power beside a signal wire. But in reality its a slim chance when running a low amperage wire next to a speaker wire.

I"m on the lazier side, so i'd do it without thinking twice.

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southshoresledder
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PostPosted: Aug 21, 2005 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

give it a clean look and just drill another hole for the light wiring... you know you dont want the wireing externally with it dangling around, zip ties every were and it just getting beat but the sun and water...
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