So I've already spent 4 weekends in my new TT (every weekend since I bought it) and I am loving it. The A/V system is really nice (HDTV, powered sub w/ 6 speakers), but I think I'd like to add a couple outdoor speakers. Has anyone here installed their own? How tough was it to run the speaker wire through the ceiling/walls? I have no idea what the inside of those walls look like as compare to a home What kind of speakers did you use that can take the abuse of 24/7/365 exposure to the elements?
Thanks,
Dave
2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7L Ltd DC
2008 Fleetwood Prowler 260FQS
I've not attempted to run speaker wire, but I have attempted to run wire for additional lights, and ... it's not easy! Each RV is different. In order to hide the wires, you'll have to get behind the wall paneling somehow. That will involve destroying something. I wanted to add 2 lights over the couch for reading lights, but the only place I could tap into a wire was from under the top bunk in the back of the trailer. I fished the wire through the bunk, under a cabinet, along the wall. I hid it as much as I could, but it's run on the outside of the wall. I could not get behind the paneling without destroying something.
For outside speakers, you might be better to get a wireless speaker system, or plug into your amplifier and run a wire out a window or through one of the outside hatches.
We bought a very long wire with a plug to plug into the ear phone jacks on the radio system and run the wire under the back bunk (it opens from inside) and out the back hatch. Actually, we just leave the speakers in the hatch with the door open. For us it works.
Anyway, if you want to run new wires, you're in for a real challenge! Good luck!
DutchmenSport
2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo
Century Truck Cap Commercial /Toolboxes
Northeast Outfitters Canoe
Your best approach is to get out through the curb side wall near the place you will put your connections. If your camper A/V connections are already on the curb side you could run connections there.
I'd pull off any electrical fixture(s) you have on the outside and the inside of the right wall and see where the wiring goes. You can likely use those wires to pull through your speaker wires.
For example if you are lucky, the electrical connection goes from the inside of the stereo cabinet to the outside fixture. Mine is like this. You'd disconnect the wiring tie it off to a pulling string from the outside and pull your wire and string into the stereo cabinet. Then connect your speaker wires and the removed wire to the pulling string and bring the wiring back outside together. Now you have your wiring outside. Reinstall the electrity, cut in another box opening, install a weather proof speaker connection box and you have done it.
If your A/V stuff is inside or on the wrong side you might be able to go through the floor and underneath to the curb side. But if it is up high and connects through the ceiling you might have to get creative. Don't drill through the roof. I wouldn't risk the problems that could happen with a failed seal through there.
05 F150 FX4 Supercrew, 5.4, 3.73 LS, Jordan Ultima 2020 Brake Controller,
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I install low voltage wires for a living in homes and businesses but the thought of drilling a hole in our TT for outdoor speakers scares the bejesus out of me. I bought a small boom box!
Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane? Because the door was opened!
When camping at a campground we are always quiet because when people go camping they want to hear the birds and the coyotes and other sounds of nature, not the sound of someone else's music. However when we go to festivals or other events where music is welcome then we can break out the exterior speakers, plug them into the speaker posts and blast them. Our speakers are two home made cabs each with two 12 inch speakers and a tweeter.
The walls of an RV are not like the walls in your house. They are alot more like a styrofoam ice chest. You can't run wire in them. You can only run wire through them. You have to run the wire through the cabinets.
In our RV, I ran the output of the rear speakers to a two pole switch on the dash board next to the stereo where I can turn on the interior or exterior speakers, that way you can blast out the people outside without blasting out the people inside or vise versa. We can use the fade to turn down the front speakers.
Anyway, from the dashboard switch I ran 16 gauge lamp wire under the carpet to behind the passenger seat where it goes through a small hole which I drilled in the back of the cabinet which is under the dinning room seat. I could have used bigger wire but it was a compromise between cost and extra weight and need sop I decided that 16 was good enough. From the under seat cabinet the wire goes through a hole I drilled in the floor. The wire now gets wrapped in plastic automotive conduit to protect it and then it goes into the back of a plastic electrical box with a weather proof cover which is mounted to the bottom of the body. I also ran another set of shielded audio wires for input so we can plug in a laptop or walkman outside and play it through the system.
If you run wire to the roof you must go through the refrigerator vent cap or you will have roof leaks. That's how we run the wire for our solar panels.
Inside the electrical box I put one of those multimedia plates where you can snap in the individual connectors. I used two RCA input jacks for left/right in's, and 4 speaker posts for left and right out's and grounds.
I also used this technique for adding both AC and DC outlets to the exterior. I also have added exterior lights by running the wire inside the bottom of the upper cabinets and popping it out where the light is to go. On the inside of the cabinet I put a switch. Now we have everything we need outside because we can control the volume with the stereo remote and we can even see the TV through the side window.
I'd pull off any electrical fixture(s) you have on the outside and the inside of the right wall and see where the wiring goes. You can likely use those wires to pull through your speaker wires.
For example if you are lucky, the electrical connection goes from the inside of the stereo cabinet to the outside fixture. Mine is like this.
I hadn't thought of that. I've got a flood light on the front curbside and the normal "porch light" near the mid-coach door (obvious below). The switches for both are just aft of the door, on a high cabinet, and the stereo is just forward of the door, in a low cabinet. Theoreticallly, it shouldn't be too tough to run conduit around the edge of the door and then use existing conduit to pull speaker wire through, coming out next to each of them. I'd prefer to be centered at the edges of the awning rather than front and mid-coach, but it sounds like that might be too much effort. Alternately, I could punch through the wall forward of the cabinet and just run the wire through the bedroom and out through the wardrobe (where the wire likely runs out to the floodlight anyhow).
Thanks for the help folks. And yeah, I'd be courteous to fellow campers, but most of the time it's not a concern for me...I'm seasonally parked at an airport with few neighbors, all of whom are likely enjoying a few beers & tunes with me after a long day of skydiving.
I use marine/boat speakers to deal with the elements. good luck
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