Can you run speaker cables next to mains cable? - AV installations

[@TheChipmunk2008]

I don't worry too much about the insulation thing, as T&E has a sheath that protects against direct contact with the primary insulation. However, as a matter of good practice, if they MUST cross, i do so at right angles. if they must run parallel... keep em a few inches apart. To be honest speaker leads aren't likely to pick up hum from mains unless it's a set of meter tails and run parallel for a significant distance... lower level AV like line level signals, baseband video, or cctv etc... or data/phone/alarm... i'd keep further apart as they're likely to be more susceptible to 'undocumented behaviour' (short for 'repeated callouts to your install.) As a telecomms guy... one of the worst culprits are switching power supplies and/or smart meters, and ADSL/VDSL. Keep that stuff WAY apart. other side of a brick wall with one or the other in earthed metal conduit if they have to run parallel.

[@timbo19]

Sorry to go against the flow here but there are a few uninformed comments regarding interference. However, I contend that this is a non-issue. You only need to look to the pro-audio world to get an answer from years of practical experience running various cables next to each other for temporary events. Speaker cables run next to mains cables will not be an issue in terms of interference. You need to remember the principle of balanced lines and common mode rejection. Firstly, look at it from the POV of the speaker cable. This is a 2-core cable (in domestic often like the fig-8 shown but in pro-audio typically a double insulated cable like 2 core flex). Any external EM interference will affect both wires reasonably similarly thus resulting in a differential voltage of close to zero i.e. no effect. Secondly, from the POV of the mains cable. Conversely, having the live and neutral (and earth) wires contained within the same cables means that the electromagnetic field is effectively cancelled out. For the sparkies here, this is why putting a clamp meter around a cable will give you zero amps and you need to separate out the cores to get a reading. Where you could have an issue is if you have done the install in singles and there are portions of wiring that don't have the live and corresponding neutral contained in the same cable. This is uncommon in domestic situations but can arise in commercial settings with conduit wiring systems. The main area of concern would be running mains adjacent to low-level unbalanced signal cables i.e. interconnections between audio sources. To cover any safety/regulatory concerns then you can use mains rated cable for speaker wiring - this will not affect the audio quality (don't believe the audiophools) - the main consideration is having adequate CSA to avoid power losses in the cable.

[@adcuz]

The intro/outro sounds like you ran the cables too close :D

[@efixx]

Very good ! 👍

[@dreadlysmellybum]

Seriously though guys, I have a big subwoofer and it sounds like king kong farting when I play your channel.

[@brianwood5220]

Nice and clear for all now Joe. Thanks

[@jim9290]

How would you compare insulations? What specs on the cables does one have to look at?

[@cypeman8037]

The work around I find is to ignore the regs. Simple.

[@CallumAtwal]

In car audio, the practice is to run the power cable and RCA/Speaker cables in opposite sides of the vehicle for the reason of interference

[@efixx]

Great advice - and goes part of the way to explaining the problems I had with a Mini Metro in the 1990’s - *Gordon

[@CallumAtwal]

@@efixx haha, one of many I'm guessing! If I'm not mistaken, wouldn't the field generated by a power cable in a car (running at 12v) be greater than a similar power output of a mains cable in a house because of ohm's law? Guess that's why it's more of an issue in cars rather than AV setups

[@stokiesparky2790]

In the days of owning a amp and boom box in my car I was always told to run speaker cables and power cables separately up both sides of the car.

[@peterwilson6503]

Hi Joe I would not have any speakers cables near the main cables because it may cause infier with the speakers

[@philipkhung1458]

That is definitely a no. Due to interference and distortion. The speaker cable needs to be segregated.