Ritchie T

Need Help: Home Depot Wires

I recently went to check out the 12 ga speaker wires from Home Depot. To my luck, I got someone who didnt really know anything about the wires to help me out.

I saw 2 different 12 GA wires. One had a really thick coating while the other one had a thinner one. I was first thinking that the thinner coat was the correct one to get, until I read the plastic covering on the other spools of speaker wire.

The thinner coating 12 GA said that it was unshielded. Im not sure about the thicker wire if it was or not.

So which one is the one I should get?

Thanks

JayDaniel

The thicker wire was probably in-wall rated wire. My Home Depot in-wall wire has a grey outer covering.

Ritchie T

thanks Jay. Will I be needing shielded speaker wire?

Chu Gai

You'll need CL2/CL3 rated if you're running it inside the wall in order to meet building code. That's about it.

TylerZ

I just checked on the HomeDepot websight. If you're just going to run the wire behind furniture and not thru walls, like Chu Gai said, you want SKU# 551893, 12/2 speaker wire at .34/foot. And allow yourself a few extra feet per speaker. You'll be amazed when setting up the speakers how the placement can make a difference by shifting them to the left or right a few feet. It's better to have a few feet of
wire extra than be a few feet short for optimum placement of a speaker. I also 'tin' the ends of my wire. That is, once you strip off the insulation on the ends twist the strands together and apply a SMALL bit of solder along the bare wire. This will prevent and strands from fraying and touching something you don't want them too, like another wire, which could cause a short.

Ritchie T

Thanks Chu and Ty. But TY, that sku # doesnt work for me. Im guessing that sku #'s and inventory change by state. The closest one Im thinking is this descrip.

1' 12 GA Speaker Wire

Model C13643890

Hi-fi and stereo speaker wire
For lamps, radios, and juke boxes





Sell Pack Description:
Foot

Sell Pack Ship Weight:
1.12 oz.

Sell Pack Length:
12"

Sell Pack Width:
.23"

Sell Pack Height:
.469999"

Sell Pack Cubic Size:
1.297 in.³

Does Product Nest?
No

Sell Freight Class:
60


Wire Type:
Audio

Length:
1'

Type:
Speaker Wire

Gauge:
12

SKU #:
153986

Doesnt really matter any more though. I just got me 100ft 16 ga (rears) for $24.50 and 50ft 12 ga for 22.95 from partsexpress SoundKing brand. Paid a little more though, but I needed some cables from the site, so I might as well get more stuff to recoup the cost of shipping.

But I would still appreciate the help with the home depot wire and which one to chose. And to anyone else that has the home depot wire, how thick is the coat? The one I saw was unusually thicker than some other 12 ga wires I saw today.

Thanks

TylerZ

Sorry about the SKU mixup. I figured HD would use the same SKU for their products no matter where the store is.