Speaker Wire vs. Zip Cord

[Thomas M. Fazekas]

I found this on Ebay it's 1000' of 16 gauge speaker wire for $47.00. I thought this was a great deal for making short run, low wattage extension cords (50 feet or less). I ordered one but thought others here might take advantage if this if it is OK to use. I just got my 1000' 18 gauge Green zip wire from CDI, doesn't look much different than speaker wire and it was over a $100.00. Does anybody know if I will have any issues with doing this ? I have attached a pic of the item from Ebay. Thanks....

http://cgi.ebay.com/16-Ga-GAUGE-CAR-HOME-AUDIO-SPEAKER-WIRE-1000-ROLL_W0QQitemZ300312888082QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45ec0b0312


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[Guest wbottomley]

Uh... yes.

Unless it's rated for high voltage (>60) then you're cooking up a disaster.

[Dr. Jones]

You could potentially have an issue

The wire is not rated to carry line voltage(120v)the dielectric compounds in the insulation are different. The insulation between the wires could break down and lead to a fire.

[ErnieHorning]

This comes up several times each year and the usual answer is not to use it for 120 volts.

That said, if we're only talking about the clear stuff and the outside diameter measures at least .110" then it would be rated the same 300 volts as SPT-1 wire. I say "would" because speaker wire typically isn't UL rated because it's not marketed for power use. The insulation on both are PVC and clear is the natural color. It's probably not UV inhibited but neither is the indoor extension cords that most of us use.

I can't tell you that its OK to use speaker wire because the packaging is almost never referenced to a specific standard. I do know several people that do use it and one guy that runs a popular Christmas site has used it for several years. They all say that they don't have any issues. YMMV

If anyone has any specific concerns, I have access to a lot test equipment at work and I can run side by side comparisons between SPT and a specific speaker wire.

[GS]

Increase your insurance coverage and then go crazy on cost saving ideas.

There are better ways to save $ IMHO.

[Thomas M. Fazekas]

Not being an electrical engineer, I also know that a lot goes into the rating of electrical wire, for instance, gauge, solid vs stranded, dielectric strength, insulation type & thickness, length etc.. Like I said in my post, I was only going to use this wire in low power applications, like 1 string of 100 ct LED's at the most, or making a wiring harness for a dozen strobes, or small arches. My Heavy duty extension cords would do the majority of the power runs from the AC outlets to the LOR controllers and channels that require a lot of power. This wire would have only limited use.

Looking at the 18 gauge 1000' foot roll I just bought from CDI, It doesn't look high power either. I probably won't use this speaker wire in the end, better safe than sorry. I am going to do some more research on the web, plus ask some electricians/Electrical Engineers. For grins, I am going to test this in my basement to see what conclusions I have.

Thanks for the replies.......

[ErnieHorning]

18 AWG copper wire is 18 AWG copper wire. It's going to pass the same amount of current. It doesn't even matter whether its stranded or solid, the cross surface area is the same.

The different insulation will have different heat dissipation rates. Who's running at max current anyway.

The concern that I would have is with the insulation and whether it would have a lower abrasion level or cracking that would cause unwanted GFCI trips.

[scubado]

The insulation is not rated for outdoor use and ac power. The insulation will crack and peel with exposure to the sun. I would only use it for 12V DC for LED lights planned only for a single season use. I'm also new to this particular hobby, but have tinkered with LED's for a few years. After I get my controllers from the sale, I plan to use 18awg multi conductor sprinkler wire. It's rated for low power and burial.

[Dr. Jones]

Thomas

While i have used low voltage lighting cable in the past to power single strands of mini lights, I would highly advise not to use speaker wire or any other type of low voltage cable unless you are powering low voltage. The year i ran lv cable (because my local HD ran out of lamp cord), I experienced several failurs of the wire. The insulation did not break down nor did i have any fires but something in the wire actually failed.

now onto the legal stuff, FYI no one will ever tell you to use LV wire for line voltage. It becomes a liability. I don't know any electrician who will ever tell you to use LV cable. If you do so it would be at your own risk, i would guess, if you had a fire and an inspector found you to be using LV cable,your claim may be rejected. As for the use of lamp cord aka zip cord, technically you are using it not for its intended purpose, but its usage does fall under NEC code as a temporary wiring, not intended for use longer than (length of time can be state specific - here in CA it was 90 days the last time i looked). And it is supposed to be discarded after its use.

Hopefully this will help you understand more

if you watch skycraft surplus you might find a deal - also check with other forums, sometimes people in an area may do a group buy of wire