Waterproof Speakers – Top Installation Tips
Author: James
Water resistant speakers tend to be cheaper than fully waterproof speakers but they should not be used where there is a any chance of direct contact with liquid or in corrosive environments – like seawater. They should be properly be called moisture resistant. In very humid conditions where heat and moisture combine to render the resultant atmosphere almost liquid – use waterproof!
For the moment the discussion will concentrate on waterproof speakers. There are many types of fully waterproof speakers and they can vary from types where the working mechanisms, besides being fully waterproof are to a large extent protected from the elements – horn type, rock speakers and inverted dome types. The others an much more common for domestic uses are cabinet and in wall or in ceiling speakers
Before deciding on the speakers of choice, have a long hard and detailed look at the mounting mechanism, the external speaker material and the grille material. Wherever there is moisture corrosion is not far behind and corrosion of metal can be very unsightly – brown rust on white speaker brackets, white aluminum oxide on black speaker grilles. Plan for the worst and using white speakers will hide the inevitable corrosion of aluminum. (Incidentally, unlike rust, the aluminum oxide actually prevents the further attack by the elements so forming a protective skin – if you remove it the underlying aluminum will again be subject to attack)
As far as possible position the speakers way from direct liquid access and sunlight. The effect of sun light on plastics can be detrimental despite being UV resistant which should be mentioned in the specifications. From a conventional cabinet type speaker, sound performs very much like light in its spread and direction. If you are installing external speakers in your home position them so that there is minimum overflow of sound into your neighbors’ properties.
You will find that for most domestic installations a position underneath the eaves satisfies most of the requirements – they are protected from the worst weather, sunlight and their direction can be pointed downwards to eliminate overflow. It will also be easier to hide the cable installation or combine it with existing cable runs.
On the subject of cable, always use screened and resilient cable. External installation should involve cable specifically designed for weather resistance and possible mechanical damage. Underground installations should always use reinforced cable to prevent inadvertent cutting.
Position your switches such that they both minimize unnecessary cable runs and minimize the requirement to put yet more holes in the property walls.
