Niles Audio CM8SW manual Introduction, Running the Speaker Wire in New Construction

Installation Fundamentals

Introduction

If you have doubts about whether you are capable of installing a ceiling mount speak- er, consult a Niles dealer or professional installer. They have special tools, tech- niques, and experience to make the impos- sible possible. The installer can provide you with an estimate before any work is done.

Running the Speaker Wire in New Construction

Plan to schedule the speaker wiring after the electrical wiring is finished. That way you can avoid wire routes which could potentially induce hum over the speaker wire. The basic rules are:

•Never run speaker wire through the same hole as an electrical cable.

•Never run speaker wire into the same J-box as electrical cable.

•Avoid running the speaker wire beside the electrical cable. Keep it at least three or four feet away from any electrical power cable.

Side-by-side wiring is unavoidable in partic- ular spots in every house, just move the

Figure 10

speaker wire route away as soon as possible. If construction forces a side by side run for more than ten feet, install metal conduit or shielded speaker wire. Low-voltage wires such as doorbells, intercoms, telephone, security, or television cannot cause inter- ference or hum on your speaker wires, so you can safely run all of them at the same time, through the same holes, side-by-side.

Before you drill any holes, mount open backed J-boxes where the volume controls and stereo equipment will be. If you are using the optional hole saving brackets (CM8 Series New Construction Bracket kit-FG00656) attach the wings and install them (See figure 15 and 16).

Safety First!

Wear gloves, safety goggles and head pro- tection when drilling. Avoid nails, they ruin bits and they can create injury.

Drilling

Use a bit that is large enough for the wires you plan to run. An auger bit is the pre- ferred bit for rough-in wiring. It will actual- ly pull itself through the wood, so that the drill motor, not you, does most of the work. You will be drilling a lot of holes, so this is important.

Always drill the holes in the center of the stud. If you have to notch the stud or drill the hole closer than one inch from the edge of the stud, protect the wire with a nail plate (See Figure 10).

When drilling holes in ceiling joists drill in the center of the joists and try to locate the hole near the end of the joist. DO NOT drill through a “gluelam” or any load bear- ing beam without the direction of your contractor.

Try to line the holes up perfectly, because it makes pulling the wire much easier. A good technique is to snap a chalk line across the face of the studs or against the

Installation Fundamentals

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