Speaker wire and wall insulation

[leeraym]

I'm currently routing speaker wire through my walls for my home theater, and I have a question about in-wall insulation (that Pink Panther stuff).

All of the advice I've read on how to fish speaker wire through the insulation say to keep the fishing tape between the drywall and the insulation. My problem is that I'm fishing the wire from my garage up to the floor above through a hole I've drilled in the floor, and I can't really get the fishing tape to go in between the insulation and the wall. However, by sheer luck, I was able to get the fishing tape through the middle of the insulation and grab it through the hole in the wall on the upper floor.

So my question is, is there any technical reason why everyone says to fish the wire between the insulation and the drywall, or is that just to make it easier? Are there any adverse effects that the insulation would have on the speaker wire?

Thanks,
Ray

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm currently routing speaker wire through my walls for my home theater, and I have a question about in-wall insulation (that Pink Panther stuff).

All of the advice I've read on how to fish speaker wire through the insulation say to keep the fishing tape between the drywall and the insulation. My problem is that I'm fishing the wire from my garage up to the floor above through a hole I've drilled in the floor, and I can't really get the fishing tape to go in between the insulation and the wall. However, by sheer luck, I was able to get the fishing tape through the middle of the insulation and grab it through the hole in the wall on the upper floor.

So my question is, is there any technical reason why everyone says to fish the wire between the insulation and the drywall, or is that just to make it easier? Are there any adverse effects that the insulation would have on the speaker wire?

Thanks,
Ray

From the sound of things you are fishing the wires only a few feet through the insulation. Not to worry. Even all the way to the top of the room and up the next floor would be fine.
The recommendation is for ease of fishing. You lucked out.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Just a repeat of the same answer. Usually it is difficult to fish through insulation and things get hung up rather badly... especially when you pull the fish tape back out. But, if you got it through alright and the cable is pulled then you are good to go. No reason at all why the insulation would cause you any issues.

 

[leeraym]

Cool, thanks. Yeah, I only had to fish the wire a few feet, and I really lucked out in running two wires this way. I just measured as accurately as I could on where to drill the holes in the ceiling from the floor below so that the fishing tape would come up at the wall plate holes. Thanks.