Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

[Gettin' It Wet]

So I am waiting for my aerial assault tower, which has been on backorder..for about the last month...luckily it is giving me time to reaserch all the accessories for the tower. Obviously anyone that desires to put lights, speakers, etc. on their tower needs a wire harness. After spending all that money on the tower, the last thing I want to do is spend $80 for a wire harness

Sooooo I did some reaserch and if you go to this link

http://www.lowes.com/pd_31518-295-49273606_0_?productId=3128605&Ntt=sprinkler+wire&N tk=i_products&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=sprinkler wire

I believe it is a way cheaper alternative to an $80 wire harness. You can buy 100' of this stuff for under $30

 

[Gettin' It Wet]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

Looks pretty dang close to the expensive Aerial stuff if you ask me...

http://www.aerialwakeboarding.com/product-p/bt-wiringkit-20.htm

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

I don't know how much power you plan on running to speakers. That will work good for the lights probably but I have done a lot of Car Audio and 18g wire is really pushing it. It's fine if you are doing something like 40wrms to each channel (speaker) but anything more you really want something a little beefier. 16g was the smallest I have ever used in an audio application.

Also, I have never held either wire harnesses, so I have no first hand experience with those, but price does sometimes mean quality or application friendliness when it comes to electronics.
The Tower-specific harness may be more flexible. May be better wire. Who knows?
Typically home-specific wiring is not very flexible, whereas audio-specific is. Assuming that cartoon picture of the sprinkler stuff is what it looks like, it is solid strand which is not very flexible and breaks much easier, the Aerial stuff looks to be fine stranded and flexible.

 

[Gettin' It Wet]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

I believe that they have 16 and even the next higher (14 or 12) not sure which one for a few dollars more

I have not held the sprinkler wire either, so I am not sure as the quality of the wire, but thought it might be an interesting thing for someone to check out if they are looking for a wire harness

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

We always wanted to use Lowes or Homedepot for power wire, (4g to 1/0g) but always got disappointed, it truly isn't designed for it. Luckily, you can go up there and play with it and see how flexible it is and what it looks like...Have you thought about making your own? 100ft spool of 16g speaker wire and some Techflex?
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=082-472&FTR=&CFID=32552804&CFTOKEN=39707878

That site will have wire and techflex at some of the lowest prices. Or you could just use some heatshrink or rubber tubing.

 

[Gettin' It Wet]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

Thanks Shane..that looks like a better alternative than the sprinkler wire, I am not sure how many lights or speakers I am going to be running yet so Im holding off on the wire harness..but that link will definitly come in handy in the future..thanks!

Is it hard getting the wires through the sleeving?

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

Thanks Shane..that looks like a better alternative than the sprinkler wire, I am not sure how many lights or speakers I am going to be running yet so Im holding off on the wire harness..but that link will definitly come in handy in the future..thanks!

Is it hard getting the wires through the sleeving?

Um....it could be, I've never pulled more than 2 pairs thru before and in a car so clearly not 20ft worth.
Cut the sleeve to desired length, drop a string with a weight tied on it thru it. (like a small nut or washer). Tie/electrical tape on the speaker wire to the string, then pull thru. They make Techflex larger than 1" so I don't think you would have any trouble running it through there. The pull string method will probably work great.
As far as number of speakers or lights. You can always pull enough wire to expand your system in the future, just keep the ends of the extra runs terminated in a way they aren't going to interfere with any others. Don't just let the exposed wire bounce around in the tower or around the CD player or battery compartment.
I have two unused runs of speaker wire and a set of rca's in my car right now. Just in case .

Edit, the Techflex is like a Chinese Finger Trap, it expands when compressed end to end.

 

[Hansolo99]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

Won't work good. 18G is too small and it is a single strand not a multistrand wire. Just get some good speaker wire off eBay (you can get 25-100' cheap) and for powering the lights Home Depot or Lowes will be fine, just get good connectors for it.

 

[RAT Attack]

Re: Sprinkler Wire for Tower??

Won't work good. 18G is too small and it is a single strand not a multistrand wire. Just get some good speaker wire off eBay (you can get 25-100' cheap) and for powering the lights Home Depot or Lowes will be fine, just get good connectors for it.

That is pretty similar to what I did. It is a PITA, so don't get me wrong, but you can get through it. I bought Marine grade wire off EBAY ( 12 or 14 gage ), & then just bought some 16 gage wire ( i think ) from my local NAPA dealer for my light bar. I wrapped everything up & shrink wrapped all connectors. I used the corrugated plastic stuff & put them all in that. I decided to go with a seperate switch for the light bar ( front & back ), and a seperate switch for my speakers up top & amp that way I can still listen to my music without everyone else hearing it if I want.