Running Serial/VGA/USB cables

**KyleYankan** · 04-25-2005, 10:06 PM

Hi everyone. I have a quick question.

Right now I have a minivan. Carputer is in the back. I have speaker wires running up the drivers side, and power wires running down the passenger side.

I am going to be running a serial cable in a few days, and would like to know where I should run it? W/ the speakers or the power. I also plan on running an USB cable, and a VGA cable in a month or two.

I was considering on of those little "ramps" they use i nfactories/workistes, that is like the weatherstrips on the bottom of a door. /--\ and the wires run in the hollow center. I'd run that right up the center, and secure it to the floor somehow. I'd rather not do that, so is It ok to run these cables with the power or speaker wires? thanks.

**wizardPC** · 04-25-2005, 10:07 PM

run them with your speaker wires

**jonny_5** · 04-25-2005, 11:02 PM

sorry to contradict but if we are talking about power wires carrying DC power, i would think the best option would be to run the serial, VGA and USB cables with the power wires.
This would avoid any interference from the speaker wires. serial cables have shielding (and so too i guess would VGA and USB cabling) but it would be the safer bet to run them with the power cables.

cheers

**KyleYankan** · 04-25-2005, 11:12 PM

But johnny don't forget, that the cables have AC ripple from the alternator - why you can't run the speaker wires with power wires w/o interference.

**wizardPC** · 04-25-2005, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by KyleYankan

But johnny don't forget, that the cables have AC ripple from the alternator - why you can't run the speaker wires with power wires w/o interference.

yep. I been doing this fer years johnny. Signal wires go down one side, power down the other.

**xdjxklusivex** · 04-25-2005, 11:24 PM

why dont u just run the wires over ur roof and tape it down with BRIGHT YELLOW duck tape lol naw im messin around :-P

dont run ur **** next to power!! keep it next to ur speaker wires and ull have fun! power wires and ull be thinkin WTF happend

**wizardPC** · 04-25-2005, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by xdjxklusivex

why dont u just run the wires over ur roof and tape it down with BRIGHT YELLOW duck tape ...

omg I just fell outta my chair

**xdjxklusivex** · 04-25-2005, 11:34 PM

lol u knoow theres gotta be someone out there who has done that haha

**jonny_5** · 04-26-2005, 12:43 AM

true, didn't think about the alternator ripple.

...even so, the ripple would be minimal compared to the variation in current in the speaker wires. less variation (with time) = less interference

but if it works, it works, huh?