Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Speaker wire has signal but speakers won't work

I used a tone and probe to locate speaker wires in a ceiling. The wires defininely have a signal (the probe actually transmitted FM radio throughout the line when connected to the receiver). However, when I connect the speakers, I get nothing. The speakers are functioning as I tested them at other locations in the house. Any suggestions on what I should do?

I don't understand how the probe transmitted an FM signal and you didn't say if these were main speakers or a surround system. Assuming it's the main speakers, leave them connected and attach your toner to the cable, do you hear anything? If so, then check to make sure you connected your speakers to the "A" connectors on you reciever and you have the speaker selector set to "A".

I will be more specific. Using the tone and probe I identified the wire in ceiling and was right on the money in locating the wire and pulled it through. I then connected the speakers to the wire and got nothing, I then reconnected the original speakers which sat on the floor and the the speakers played fine. Unaware, of what would happen, with the original speaker wire connected I pushed the on button from my probe and with the tuner still on from the receiver, the FM station was playing through the small speaker in the probe. So I thought I would try this with the ceiling speakers. I connected the speaker wire to the receiver and followed the wire with the probe and sure enough the FM signal transmitted through the probe speaker as I traced the wire through the wall to the end of the wire coming out of the ceiling. This gave me confidence that the wires were run properly (and this confimed what I had done wth the original use of the tone and probe to locate the wires). So I was surprised that with the speakers connected, I got nothing. I did confirm that the speakers were working fine. I have confirmed that everything is connected properly. I am baffled as to why the wire would transmit a tone, but then when connecting the speakers I get now sound. I hope this is clearer and that someone can help.

Is it just one pair of wires or does each speaker have its own pair at the receiver?

The wires enter the wall as 4 wires (red, black, green and white). The wires in the ceiling end as 1 pair of black and white each. I assumed that at some point in the wiring the 2 pairs were split off to go to their separate locations.

That sounds like phone wire at the receiver end. Are these wires real thin?

How do you know these are supposed to be for the rear speakers?

How long of a run to the rear speakers? Remember you are going up the wall and over, probably not in a straight line.

If its phone wire, that is too small a gauge for speakers.

Regardless, you will need to find where these wires terminate and look for yourself. 1. Its the only way you will know for sure that its all hooked up correctly, or that those wires do tie to the speaker wires. 2. You really need to have access to any wire junction.

red, green, black and white sounds like speaker wire.....well, at least those are the shield colors on the wires we use. ok....you have those 4 at the receiver end and black and white at the ceiling. first thing id do is check continuity ( if your toner has it that is) connect the 2 wires to the alligator clips on the toner then go to the other end and touch the wires together, you should get a light or a beep confirming continuity. then untouch the wires and the light should go out confirming no short in the run....sometimes youll get a false reading from a toner if there are more wires running from the same location, they are usually touching and the signal can transfer from one to the other enough where the toner will pick it up.

also, do you know where the red and green go to? do those work?