How to extend the speaker wire (4 methods)

Content

Method 1: Cutting and Stripping
Method 2: twisting and taping
Method 3: Crimping the Connector
Method 4: soldering the wire
Summing up

You have your speakers and stereo set up and ready to connect, but you find that the speaker wire isn't long enough. Of course, a quick solution is to twist the wires and wrap them with tape. However, this is not the best option in the long run because the wires can break and disrupt your system. The good news is that there is a permanent solution for extending speaker wires.

In this post, we will look at four methods for extending speaker wire.

Let's check out these methods below!

You can extend the speaker wire using the following four methods.

Cut and undress
Roll and fasten
Crimp connector
Solder the wire

With these four easy steps, you can extend your speaker wires yourself without the help of an electrician..

Method 1: Cutting and Stripping

Step 1: Make sure the speaker is not connected. This is important as you could be seriously injured if the speaker is connected to a power source while you are working on it. First unplug the speaker from the power supply and disconnect the wire from the amplifier.

Step 2: Purchase a replacement speaker wire that is the same size as the existing wire. To extend the speaker wire and get the best signal output, use stranded wire of the same AWG gauge as the existing wire. To check the gauge size, check the side of the wire.

Gauge is printed on some speaker wires. If you don't have it printed, insert the wire into the hole of the wire cutters to see if the hole fits best. When you find the hole that fits best, check the printed number next to the hole.

This is the wire gauge number. Note that speaker wires range from 10 AWG to 20 AWG. However, 18 AEG is the most popular of all sizes and is often used for connections up to 7.6 meters.

Step 3: Using a tape measure, measure the speaker wire to determine the required wire length. Make sure you add at least one to two feet to your measurement.

This is because you will need some extra slack in the wire to keep it from being pulled too tight, as this could damage the speaker or amplifier connection. This can also cause the wire to not stretch. After measuring, use wire cutters to cut the wire to the measured length.

Step 4: The speaker cable should now look like two small tubes connected. Carefully separate them to make a "Y". Next, clamp the wire stripper about half way from the end of the wire and squeeze it firmly to lock it in place.

Do not hold it too hard, so as not to damage the wire. Then pull hard on the wire so that the insulation slides off. This will expose the bare wire. You must do this for the negative and positive sides of the extension wire.

Method 2: twisting and taping

Step 1: Locate the positive ends of the existing wire and extension cord, and use your fingers to carefully spread the strands to extend the speaker wires." contacts. Then weave both parts of the bare wire through each other to make a "V" at the base.

Now turn them clockwise until they are tightly connected. If you notice any colors on the sides of the wire, take note as they indicate negative and positive sides. If one side is gold and the other is silver, then gold is positive and silver is negative.

Step 2: The next step is to take the remaining two pieces of bare wire, which are minuses. Twist both together as you did for the positives, interlacing the strands to form a "V". Then twist the wires and wind them tightly together.

Step 3: Take the positive wires and continuously wrap the tape around the insulation to create a spiral shape. Make sure you cover all parts of the bare wire on the side of the swivel connector. Repeat the same step for the negative side.

Make sure that part of the exposed wire is not visible. If any part is exposed and the negative and positive sides touch, the speaker can fail and fail permanently. You can also get electrocuted if you mistakenly touch a bare wire while the speaker is running. Also make sure that the speaker wires are properly wrapped with electrical tape by pulling on them.

Step 4: Combine the taped negative and positive wires and let the tape wrap around the wire again. This is necessary in order to connect individual pieces of wire together so that you do not have weak points on the wire.

Make sure you squeeze the two sides of the wire together as you wrap more tape around them and turn them into one secure wire. Make sure you use enough tape to secure and stabilize the wire.

Also, keep an eye on the wire because it can loosen over time if you move it around a lot or push it too hard. If you notice that it is loosening, wrap it with tape again to secure it. A loose wire can cause a short circuit that can damage your speaker and stereo equipment. (1)

Method 3: Crimping the Connector

Step 1: Using your fingers, twist the negative and positive ends of the wires tightly together until they both merge into one wire strand.

Step 2: Look at the speaker wire to find the side with embossed, gold, red or lettering. If you see any of these colors or traits, know that it is a positive. Next, look for the negative end of the extension wire.

Make sure you follow the positive and negative side. This is to ensure that you do not connect the negative wire to the positive wire, as this can cause permanent damage to the speakers.

Step 3: Then place the positive end of the existing wire into the first crimp connector. Release the wire as far as the bare wire can go. Then insert the positive end of the extension wire into the other end of the crimp connector.

Now place the negative ends of the speaker wires into the second connector as you did the first time. Make sure that no part of the bare wire is visible from both sides. If you notice them, pull out the end of the wire where it is visible and cut off the bare end to make it shorter.

Also, make sure you select the correct crimp connectors for the type of wire you are using. Crimp connectors are often color coded. Red for 18-22 AWG, blue for 14-16 AWG, and yellow for 10-12 AWG.

Another thing you might want to pay attention to is the names of the crimp connectors. They may sometimes be referred to as butt joints or butt connectors. If you see any of these names, know that they refer to the same thing.

Step 4: For this fourth step, you will need a crimping tool. The crimping tool looks like a wrench, but with gaps between the jaws to accommodate the wires. Now place one end of the crimp connector in the space between the tabs and press firmly to crimp the connector onto the wire.

Repeat the process for the other side of the crimp connector. When you crimp a connector, the process locks it onto the wire, which creates a permanent connection. You should not use pliers or other wire crimping tools as they will not securely hold the connector in place.

Step 5: Now that you have the wire in the crimping tool, gently pull on the wire to make sure it is secure. If it is loose then it is not secured properly and you will have to start over with a new set of connectors. If the wires are secure, wrap the connectors with electrical tape. This will give it extra stability.

Step 6A: If you don't have a crimp connector, you can use a wire nut as a quick alternative. Wire nuts function like crimp connectors but are not as reliable. To use a wire nut, insert the positive ends of the speaker wires next to each other into the wire nut and turn the nut clockwise to interlace them. Repeat the process for the negative ends.

Method 4: soldering the wire

Step 1: Find the positive ends of the wires first. The positive wires are identified by a label stamped or printed on them. The positive side can be red and the negative side black, or it can be gold and the negative side silver.

Carefully place the bare ends of each positive on top of each other to create an "X". Then move one side of the wire towards you and the other away from you and twist both wires. Continue twisting until both wires are securely connected.

Now carefully thread the ends of the wire and make sure they don't stick out. They can pierce the tape you will use at the end if they stick out.

Step 2: Disconnect the wires from the work surface with clips. You must ensure that the wires are not placed directly on a surface that could be damaged, such as a wooden table. This is because solder often releases and uses heat, which can burn wood or melt plastic.

Clamps are hand held devices that can be used to lift wires. If you don't have that, you can always improvise. Using two crocodile clips; Gently clamp the wire and place the clamps on the end. Try not to bump into the wire or clips while you work, because the alligator clips will not hold the wires tightly, and hitting the clips can cause them to come off.

Step 3: Then place the tip of a hot soldering iron on the twisted bare wire and slide the solder stick over the wire. Wait until the iron heats up the solder well. The solder will melt when it gets very hot and you will see it flow into the speaker wire. Cover the wire completely from one end to the other with solder.

Step 4: Now open the wire and carefully flip it over to expose the bottom. Then melt the solder again and place it on that side until you completely cover the bare speaker wire. If you have enough room to maneuver the wire, just take a soldering iron and solder the bottom of the wire and wait for it to melt.

When you finish soldering the wire, wait for it to cool down, about ten minutes before handling it. Do this for the negative sides to connect the wire.

Step 5A: Even though there is solder on the wire, it should still be insulated. This is because the solder is conductive and if the negative and positive sides of the wire touch, a short circuit will occur. Therefore, use electrical tape to wrap the joint from one end to the other until the insulation is secured in place.

Repeat the process for both the negative and positive side of the speaker wire. You can connect the negative and positive sides together and wrap them with duct tape again to create a neat look. An alternative is to use heat shrink tubing to insulate the speaker wires.

To do this, slide the tube over the wires before splicing the ends. However, make sure you keep the wires away from the heat of the soldering iron. When the solder has cooled, put the tube on the joint. Then use a hair dryer or heat gun to shrink it over the bare wire. (2)

Summing up

There you have four different solutions to the question of how to extend the speaker wire. With the help of this detailed guide, you will be able to extend the speaker wires yourself at home.

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