chatterbox Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Hi, Have an install for a 100 volt line system, and am trying to locate (in Australia) some rodent resistant speaker cable. If it exists, it would be easier to install - and cheaper - than putting every cable in ducting/conduit...... Any suggestions??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Those rodents have sharp teeth... To be honest, unless it has steel wire armour around it, I doubt if any of the usual jackets will provide protection. Pyrotenax would work, but that's a pain to pull, fix and terminate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 Some of the old BT cables had a powder inside that supposedly put off the little blighters but I never noticed a huge difference. Squirrels used to eat some types of overhead wires in preference to others, those with thicker insulation, but there is no real rhyme or reason to rodents eating cable. If they are starving they will chew anything. Armoured cable helps and pyro is more expensive than trunking in most cases though they will even eat armoured insulation and damage cable inside. Trunking needs to be sealed otherwise it becomes a Mouse M4. Really I suppose there are two main answers; kill 'em or feed 'em. Bacon fat and warfarin cocktails has proved a good compromise though if we are talking squirrelly things a shotgun is the solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 I know the railways use a poison laced cable, or Canford Audio do a sheep resistant cable, but it is a signal level cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 The only real solution is to put the cables in metal conduit. Vermin, especially squirrels will eat PVC conduit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owain Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 MICC in steel conduit. Place conduit in trunking. Fill trunking with concrete mixed with metal shavings. Place cat or ferret next to trunking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GridGirl Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Squirrels used to eat some types of overhead wires in preference to others, those with thicker insulation, <snip> Bacon fat and warfarin cocktails has proved a good compromise though if we are talking squirrelly things a shotgun is the solution. Vermin, especially squirrels will eat PVC conduit. We don't have squirrels in Australia.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 We don't have squirrels in Australia.... No, you have nasty little critters like spiders and snakes that'll kill you as soon as look at you. mind you the damage possums do is probably quite severe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 That's why I finished off with "squirrely things". I appreciate that Oz is full of odd livestock but some of the animals are weird, too! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I would use SWA, it is not absolutely vermin proof but is a considerable deterent.SWA cant really be terminated in speakers, but will have to be terminated in in a suitable box with a SHORT length of flexible cord into the speaker, provided that this cord is in free air and not hidden away in a void then hopefully it wont get chewed. Cheap to replace if they do manage to eat it. Another option is any standard type of flexible cord enclosed within flexible STEEL conduit, this is a rather costly material but has the merit of being quick and easy to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 ...flexible STEEL conduit...Going this route it'd be trivial to arrange so that not a single bit of PVC cable was exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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