Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Speaker connection issues

Just install ceiling speakers with 14-4 speaker wire. I have a kenwood vr-407 receiver. I hook up the right speaker (red/black connections) then I try to hook up the left speaker (green/black). When I try to connect the last wire I short out the receiver. Can someone please tell me what is going on? Oh yeah! I have this old sony portable radio with detachable speakers. When I hook up that to the ceiling speakers no short.

What do you mean you "short out the receiver?" It is possible the left channel on the receiver is no good. I would try hooking up the right speaker wire to the left channel on the receiver and see if that works. If the speaker works fine, my guess is there is a problem with the left channel on the receiver. Then try hooking up the left speaker to the right channel on the receiver. If that doesn't work it is definately a problem with the receiver. If the right speaker still doesn't work when connected to the left channel, there might be a problem with the speaker or the speaker wire. Try connecting the speaker with different wire. If it works with new wire, get rid of the original wire because there is probably a short between the positive and negative somewhere in the run.

-Mike
"We are oft to blame in this, - / 'Tis too much proved - that with devotion's visage/ And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself."