Speaker Wire for Home Electrical?

vader beat me to it. Wire is wire is wire is wire. Stranded, solid, Litz, varnished, cambric, THHN, lamp cord, speaker wire... Whatever. It all does exactly the same thing - EXACTLY. Conduct current from source to load. As vader says... Can it be done? Yes. SHOULD it be done? No. This being said, *IF* you find a spool of wire, that is labeled "speaker" wire, but it has a proper house insulation on it, (THHN, or similar) then it would be perfectly safe to use, that is *IF* it is insulated and installed correctly, per NEC rules. Also referring to soundnsecurity's answer - As long as the wire is rated for the load it is carrying, then there is ZERO difference, electrically speaking. The resistance of a 12G stranded wire is the same or possibly slightly lower than an equally sized solid wire. soundnsecurity, you are wrong, however about the "faster" or "more" heating of stranded versus solid wire. The stranded wire has more surface area per conductor gauge, allowing negligibly, but mathematically provably better cooling for a given gauge. Solid wire is less expensive, this is one of the major reasons for its use in construction. (I personally use stranded wire in everything I build, for this very reason. (Really, it's because I hate pulling solid wire...) I also install at least one gauge larger than is required, simply because overkill is a good place to start...) As far as the flexibility issue, it is also rigidly connected to the building structure, either via staples or within conduit, but wherever there is any chance of a continuous vibration or movement, (think "power tool" (commercial table saw or band saw) on a "whip" - a flex conduit) stranded will always be recommended. Back to the OP, though... The difference is in the insulation, and this is what the insurance company will take into account in any investigation. I wouldn't do it. I mean *I* would, for exceptionally temporary purposes, but I would most strenuously and very HIGHLY recommend you NOT do so.