Running speaker cable from kitchen to garden...

Scubadevils

Hi,

Sorry if such a topic already exists, couldn't see one though!

Anyway, I want to run speaker cable from my kitchen out to the garden - what's the best (and easiest!) way to do this taking the following factors into account...

I'll be adding a speaker switching unit to my current hifi so as to run a second set of garden speakers from the kitchen.

My existing speakers are on top of the kitchen presses and I want to position the speaker switching unit somewhere out of sight in one of the upper presses - this means I need to run the cables from the switching box ideally above the presses and out over towards the back wall in the kitchen and out into the garden. The garden speakers will be mounted to the wall outside just under the gutters as they suggest in the install manual placing somewhere that will shield somewhat from heavy rain etc.

Given that the cables will preferably run along the top of the presses, I would like to find a way to run them outside from the kitchen and then I can use the gutter to run to each speaker, all at roughly the same height and less visible.

I had thought maybe drill a hole through the top of the window frame but doesn't seem that practical really.

Any suggestions please?

Lurching

Is the house a bungalow or 2 storey? if its a bungalow, you could go straight up from the press into the attic, then push the cable out either between the render and the soffit or drill a hole in the fascia.

Scubadevils

It's two story but there is a sloped roof above the kitchen - I did actually knock a hole in the ceiling plaster to see if I could get access and feed the cable through but I'm just reaching the fibre glass, from outside I can see what I assume is a wooden frame under the roof tiles - sorry not very familiar with house structures etc!

ronan0

Have a look for existing wiring exits to exterior and either utilise same or drill alongside it (being careful not to catch anything).

Scubadevils

There is an outdoor light but that was installed when the house was being built - should I be able to access that if I drill inside roughly where it's located from the inside?

ronan0

Yeah, sounds good.

Turn off the mains first - have a good look. First, see if you can squeeze the new wiring alongside.

If not, carefully drill a new hole alongside to the existing one. Try keep the holes separate though close.

You will have to make the call yourself depending on what's there.

fred funk }{

If you're drilling through the wall, always look up and down for sockets, switches and radiators etc., the cables for these should be ran vertical.

Lurching

Scubadevils wrote: »

It's two story but there is a sloped roof above the kitchen - I did actually knock a hole in the ceiling plaster to see if I could get access and feed the cable through but I'm just reaching the fibre glass, from outside I can see what I assume is a wooden frame under the roof tiles - sorry not very familiar with house structures etc!

Can you get up into the attic space above the kitchen? you'll hit fibre glass when you break a hole in most ceilings, but if you could get into the attic space, you could run the cable to the soffit (that wooden frame under the roof tiles!) under the fibre glass.
Good way to do it is drill in to through the soffit from the outside and stick something like a long unravelled wire coathanger in. you should then be able to find this in the attic, which will aid in finding the hole.

looksee

Do you have neighbours? Do they know you are planning to put speakers in the garden :eek:

Scubadevils

ronan0 wrote: »

Yeah, sounds good.

Turn off the mains first - have a good look. First, see if you can squeeze the new wiring alongside.

If not, carefully drill a new hole alongside to the existing one. Try keep the holes separate though close.

You will have to make the call yourself depending on what's there.

I decided against this as the position of the outdoor light is on the other side of an internal wall that splits the kitchen and conservatory area, it'd be a nightmare I reckon to effectively get through two walls!

Lurching wrote: »

Can you get up into the attic space above the kitchen? you'll hit fibre glass when you break a hole in most ceilings, but if you could get into the attic space, you could run the cable to the soffit (that wooden frame under the roof tiles!) under the fibre glass.
Good way to do it is drill in to through the soffit from the outside and stick something like a long unravelled wire coathanger in. you should then be able to find this in the attic, which will aid in finding the hole.

Yeah might try drilling into the soffit (I now know what that bit is!) from the outside alright - can't access from the attic as there is a sloped separate roof above the kitchen area, like an extension - If I stand on a chair outside I can see just above the gutter (which is about a foot or so above the kitchen window) the soffit.

I just ran the cable for now over the top of the kitchen presses and out the top of the kitchen window, the cables are small enough to still close the window on them without damaging.

looksee wrote: »

Do you have neighbours? Do they know you are planning to put speakers in the garden :eek:

Yes I have neighbours on both sides and behind with noisy dogs! I don't have a dog so I plan to play heavy techno at full volume when their dogs bark :pac:

Thanks all for the help, gonna attempt again tomorrow.

massy086

have you pvc or wooden windows why not just drill the window frame nice and easy then once the wires are out put a small blob of silicone on the outside and it