In wall conduit/smurf tube diamter

[normgr00]

I am building my house and want to install low voltage conduit tube, sometimes called smurf tube of flexiable courigated tubeing wire loom. These tubes come in a varity of diameters. Does anyone have a suggestion on what diameter works best? I want some conduits for speaker wires.

Also any recommendations or hints for installing audio conduits?

 

[AudiOhm]

The plastic corrugated wire loom will do nothing to protect the wiring inside a wall.

Even if you ran metal conduit such as EMT, a drywall screw will go right through.

You have to ask, what would be the advantage for the extra raceway encapsulating the speaker cable?

Ohms

 

[alex-z]

You have to ask, what would be the advantage for the extra raceway encapsulating the speaker cable?

The advantage is being able to pull new wiring after drywall has gone up. For example, running XLR for active speakers, an HDMI cable for an input device, or even plain 12V for some RGB lights. When doing a consultation on any new construction, I tell people to use conduit because it makes future upgrades faster and cheaper.

As for what size of conduit to use, I recommend 1" for most applications, 1.5" for a projector or TV install. Some HDMI cable heads cannot be fished through a bent 1" conduit.

 

[Boris Badinov]

Any penetrations thru the studs can be covered with a "stud plate or protecter" to help prevent drywall screw and nail penetrations. You can drive a screw or nail thru them, but you'll have to try harder. I used these to protect my copper water lines and PVC waste lines in stud walls.

 

[sam_adams]

You need to know the wire type, wire diameter, and number of wires that you plan to pull through the conduit. Generally you want to limit the fill to thirty percent or less to prevent jams when pulling cable. Use one of the conduit fill calculators below:

Calculator 1.

Calculator 2.

Calculator 3.

When pulling cables through conduit, remember to pull some extra pull strings/ropes for future expansion or repair work.

 

[kevin1969]

I am building my house and want to install low voltage conduit tube, sometimes called smurf tube of flexiable courigated tubeing wire loom. These tubes come in a varity of diameters. Does anyone have a suggestion on what diameter works best? I want some conduits for speaker wires.

Also any recommendations or hints for installing audio conduits?

Install 1 inch. It's not much more expensive than 3/4 and you'll be able to pull larger diameter wiring through it much easier. Also always use wire lube. It makes it so much easier.

 

[robwpdx]

There is a lot of mechanical resistance pulling wire through conduit. The rougher the inside surface, the more resistance.

Speaker wire can be tough, but signal wires are not designed for a lot of stress pulling.

I would try to make straight runs to wall boxes from the basement or attic. I had to run some 14 gauge wires for lighting and wall switches through aluminum flex. I had to pull the wire in the flex while it was straight, then bend it into the boxes. There was too much resistance to pull it through with bends.

The other approach is to have removable baseboards with a wire channel, then make straight behind the wall runs up to boxes.

I have used "Carlon Low-Voltage Non-Metallic Mounting Bracket for Old Work" for low voltage.

 

[kevin1969]

Fake ceiling or wall vents for access to junction boxes is another good idea.

 

[AudiOhm]

I am building my house and want to install low voltage conduit tube, sometimes called smurf tube of flexiable courigated tubeing wire loom. These tubes come in a varity of diameters. Does anyone have a suggestion on what diameter works best? I want some conduits for speaker wires.

Also any recommendations or hints for installing audio conduits?

After my first comment, I came back and re-read your post.

The maximum diameter will based on the local building code for the size of hole you can drill through an exterior, supporting, or interior wall.

Ohms

 

[restorer-john]

When pulling cables through conduit, remember to pull some extra pull strings/ropes for future expansion or repair work.

Been watching some hapless cable guys near us for the last 3 weeks trying to get extra fibre through below ground telco pits. Hilarious. Three guys pulling on one pull line fell over at once as the rope snapped this morning. I was driving past at the time.