Hatlesschimp Posted September 3, 2016 Posted September 3, 2016 10 AWG Speaker cable from Selby. Is this speaker cable ok to use in wall? Whats the regs and Australian standards for speaker cabling in walls. Does it have to be done by a professional? Ive asked 3 electricians, Two Selby stores and Middys. Ive also searched online and found nothing. I know in the USA its a different story with CL2 and CL3 cables used in walls etc.
Mikeyday Posted September 3, 2016 Posted September 3, 2016 I went through the same process before I did my room; I couldn't get a good answer in writing however the certified cabling guys at my work seemed to think that there was no legislative requirement to use in-wall rated speaker wire in Australia. They did tell me however, that it was a good idea to for a few reasons. The main thing that they recommended was to treat it like their data cable and use conduit where it came up out of the frame work and near any electrical cables also to keep it away from electrical cables as much as possible. They did say that speaker cable did not come under their certification; I took this to mean that it was not regulated but I guess that it could have been a disclaimer If anyone has a better answer, I would love to hear it as well. Please include some Australian reference.
bucket23 Posted September 3, 2016 Posted September 3, 2016 The regulation only pertains to cabling that is intended to connect to a communicaitons netwsork. IF the speaker cable is connected to a device than can connect to the internet (via wireless or wired) then those connections must be completed by a registered cabler, however that is a long bow to draw to the speaker cable itself. Easies way to get an answer is to contact the ACMA as they are the only ones that can give you an accurate answer, not me or any other forum poster.
Hatlesschimp Posted September 3, 2016 Author Posted September 3, 2016 Can a electrician sign off on it?
Hatlesschimp Posted September 4, 2016 Author Posted September 4, 2016 I followed the electrician advice. He wired up the house and the room as I was.Sent from my SM-N930F using Tapatalk
rapturedigital Posted September 4, 2016 Posted September 4, 2016 The main info that is important to Speaker cable is length required to each speaker. This determines the gauge required. It your case 10awg with give you 61m runs on an 8ohmn speaker. Possibly on overkill but OK except very thick to terminate at speaker wall plates & Amp. Usually 16 or 18AWG with a protective outer jacket is sufficient. Second is keeping them away from electrical cables. As with Coax cable speaker cable doesn't require a professional installer but as with coax cable it requires a separation from electrical cabling to meet AS. Doesn't apply to speaker cable but would be good practice.
bucket23 Posted September 4, 2016 Posted September 4, 2016 11 hours ago, Hatlesschimp said: Can a electrician sign off on it? No. Only a registered cabler with their structured endorsement. An electrician may have these certifications though.
Belmondo Posted September 17, 2016 Posted September 17, 2016 There is no need for anyone to sign off on speaker cabling - it doesn't carry 240v so no one is at risk. Separation from mains cable is important,ultra low (speaker) and low voltage (240v.) cant be run in the same enclosure/conduit/penetration, this also protects from interference. Sparkies usually do this stuff because they are good at getting cables where they need to be without damage.
pgdownload Posted September 17, 2016 Posted September 17, 2016 Insurance will be the death of us all. Speaker cable requires no special 'sign off'. If you're drilling through studs etc. then keep the holes around than 10mm and not too many in one beam/stud. Regards Peter Gillespie
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