wall plates, connectors and junction boxes (1 Viewer)

[Jim Ed]

I am trying to clean up my home theater area, for the wife.... I have 9 sets of 12 gauge home depot speaker wire coming out of a 2 gang box. I have look in the parts express catalog, but I do not see anything that would seem to take such a large gauge cable. Does anyone have any links? or suggestions...

Thanks

 

[MikeWh]

Here's some "partial help"--

Leviton makes a line of "QuickPort" connectors and modularized gang plates. (Similar systems, if not Leviton, can be found in Home Depot/Lowes). Their biggest dual gang that I saw accomodates SIX pairs of wires (they call it a "12-port". I don't know if you'll find something else that will work for 9 pairs....

I bought a modularized system (says "Pass & Seymour" on the back of the plate), after I ran into the same problem with binders on another type of plate not being big enough for my wire. Turns out the modularized ones weren't big enough either, so I just soldered my wires to the screw-type binding posts on the back of the banana-plug module.

I can't find specs on the wire gauge that the Leviton QuickPort posts will take. Here is a product catalog. http://www.leviton.com/pdfs/d-503/d-503s.pdf
See p. 3 of 62 for connectors.
See p. 8 of 62 for the plates.

According to the catalog, customer service is 800-722-2082. I'd call them to ask about gauge.

Here's another system that looks like it'll take EIGHT pairs (2x4 pairs for dual gang)
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=0&cc=01&avf=N

I'm thinking that your best bet is to add a post-construction single-gang box right next to your dual, and then pull a couple pairs over to it.

 

[Neil Hodge]

I have QuickPort hardware throughout my house. It's quite slick; very easy to use. I am going to get some more shortly to clean up my speaker wire.

Neil

 

[AaronJW]

i bought some of the leviton items mentioned above from smarthome.com and have been very pleased with them.

 

[Neil Hodge]

Most professional (read "contractor") electrical supply houses should carry this stuff too; that is where I get mine.

Neil

 

[Jesse P]

I used 12GA wire and found a nice plate with binding post that will handel it at Radio Shack, I'm not sure if they have a 2 gang box, The one I have has post for 4 pairs, I don't run my fronts or center channel through it.

On another note, for the termination at the speaker I just bought blank plates and drilled a hole in it, put a rubber strain relief on it and ran my wire staight to the speaker. That might be something to consider doing on the receiver end.

Good luck.

 

[Jim Ed]

wow...thanks for the quick replys....just got off of the phone with levitron, and they will accept up to 14 gauge... what a bummer... I am going to call crutchfield next.


thanks

 

[MikeWh]

yep... I think 14-gauge was the limit on my posts. Don't forget to check Radio Shack, like Jesse suggested! These look like a winner:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...Fid=278%2D2098

The backside posts look much bigger than the ones I have.

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

1. Parts Express has mounts for up to 4 pair of binding posts in one Decora insert, which would give you 8 pair in a double gang box. I have no idea what you'd do for more.

2. If the posts won't accept 12 gauge, you can always cut some strands. For the 1/4" of exposed wire, it won't make a difference.

 

[Rich Stone]

Mike,

The Radio Shack link looks EXACTLY like the Leviton Quickports I bought yesterday at Home Depot. It certainly looks like they should accept 12 gauge wire - my wire arrived today so when I get home I'll try the 12 gauge with the quickports.

BTW, the Radio Shack version is a couple of bucks cheaper that the Levitons. Not sure if there is a quality difference - might have to check it out.

Rich

 

[Alfonso_M]

I just terminated my surrounds wallplates using Leviton's Quick port jacks from HD, I used 12 AWG Recoton speaker cable without any problems.

 

[Rich Stone]

I'll confirm Alfonso's finding - the Leviton Quickports work with 12 gauge wire. I tried it out last night with Monster 2RCL 12 gauge in-wall wire and there was room to spare.

Rich

 

[Jim Ed]

Thanks again for all the suggestions.... I did a retro-fit last night. I put in a 4 gang box and hooked up the front sound stage. I went with the Niles Decora plate that holes up to 4 pair. Now I just need to find something to terminate my video, and the TV area will be done. I am going to use the levitron products for that area. I will post some pics, as soon as I finsh everything up this weekend.

Thanks

 

[Jim Ed]

The rear surrounds are done, leaving me the hardest part left to do. The rack. I am going to be building an elfa rack this weekend, and running all of the cabling hopefully before Easter.