What to do with excess cable

[visionary]

I don't want to start another raging debate about cable lengths (but I guess it probably will

) but....

If one chooses to have equal length cables how is the best way to "lose" the excess?

Should it be neatly coiled up, with a potential inductance effect, or simply left in a (hidden) untidy heap? I want to have enough spare to allow for a room re-furnishing and we're probably talking 12m per length total

 

[professorhat]

I believe a figure of eight coil is the recommended practise as I remember (though happy to be corrected

).

 

[idc]

I have also seen it recommended to keep the coil lose and don't tidy it with cable ties etc, to avoid something electrical happening, but I can't remember what it is called!

 

[Anonymous]

I used to do theatre lighting and we were always recommended to loosely coil the spare 13A power cable, rather than neatly coil it in tight loops. The neat loops create electronic interference which can affect audio equipment. However this was more of an issue for the microphones.

Keep it in loose coils and it'll be fine. Speaker cable is not 240v at 13A so there is less current to worry about.

 

[Anonymous]

I usually concertina mine. You're looking to avoid loop upon loop in the same direction which may generate an induced electromagnetic field. The figure eight effects the same result by not repeating upon itself in the same direction.

 

[idc]

Will Harris:.... which may generate an induced electromagnetic field.......

Yes, one of them field thingys!

 

[visionary]

thanks for the responses, you've pretty much confirmed what I was thinking

 

[Anonymous]

Or sell it on Ebay.