Repairing a Blown Subwoofer Coil (8 Steps)
The subwoofer speaker is an important component of any audio system.
The subwoofer enhances the bass of any sound played on it. This is an expensive but worthwhile investment for your audio needs. Thus, it is especially frustrating when your subwoofer coil burns out.
Learn how to fix a blown subwoofer coil quickly and easily by reading my article below.
Things you need to get started
Here are the important tools you need to repair a blown subwoofer coil. You can easily find most of them at any local hardware store.
- Replacement coil
- multimeter
- Air compressor
- Screwdriver
- Putty knife
- Soldering iron
- Клей
When you have all these tools, you are ready to start repairing your burnt out subwoofer.
Steps to Repair a Burnt Subwoofer
Burnt out subwoofers are a common problem caused by power surges and improper wiring. Luckily, with the right instructions, fixing them is easy.
You can fix a blown subwoofer coil in just eight steps.
1. Assess the condition of the coil
First of all, you need to make sure that the burned out coil was the cause of the damage to your subwoofer.
An easy way to check this is with a multimeter. Connect the speaker terminals to a multimeter and check the readings. If there is no movement on the meter, the coil is most likely damaged. On the other hand, if the meter shows any resistance, the coil is still working.
Other components may be damaged if the multimeter shows resistance and the subwoofer is not working properly. Otherwise, proceed to the next step to repair the coil of a blown subwoofer.
2. Remove the speaker from the frame
Once you've confirmed that the subwoofer's coil is the problem, you can begin the repair process.
Separate the speaker from the frame by unscrewing the fixing screws. Carefully remove the speaker from the frame with all wires connected. Pay attention to the location and connection point of each wire. Then disconnect all connected wires from the speaker.
It may help to take a picture of the removed speaker with all the wires connected. This will make the reassembly process easier as you will have a rewiring guide.
3. Remove speaker environment
The speaker surround is a soft ring glued to the speaker cone.
Remove the speaker surround using a putty knife to cut through the adhesive that holds the surround to the cone. Carefully work the glue and remove the edging.
Be careful not to pierce the ring or chip the speaker to prevent further damage.
4. Remove the coil, speaker cone and cross.
The next step is to remove the coil and speaker cone from the subwoofer.
Use the same spatula as in the previous step to carefully separate the coil, speaker cone, and cross. You will notice that the terminal wires connect the components to the subwoofer. Cut the wires to separate the coil and speaker cone from the subwoofer.
Don't worry about cutting the wires, the new coil comes with new terminal wires to be attached at a later stage.
5. Clean the coil area
Debris such as dust and dirt in the coil area can cause the coil to wear faster.
Clean the coil area to remove any visible debris. Then use an air compressor to clean crevices and other hard-to-reach places.
This may seem unnecessary, but it's always better to prevent any future problems caused by garbage.
6. Replace coil and cross.
Finally it's time to replace the coil of your burned out subwoofer.
Take a new spool and attach it to the spool gap area. Place the new cross around the spool to make sure the new spool is fully supported. Apply glue to the cone, just enough to secure the cone to the spool, but not too much to avoid overflow, then carefully place it in the center of the new spool.
Allow the glue to dry for at least 24 hours before moving on to the next step.
7. Gather around the speaker
Start assembling the speaker cabinet once the glue on the coil is completely dry.
Apply glue to the edges of the edging where they will meet the speaker frame. Align the surround sound with the edges of the surround cone and speaker frame. Firmly press the surround onto the speaker frame. Before releasing, make sure both components are glued together. (1)
Once again, wait at least 24 hours for the glue to dry completely.
8. Assemble the remaining components
The last step is to reattach all other components removed in the previous steps.
Start with the wires removed in step 3. Connect the new coil terminal wires to the old ones. Then use a soldering iron to securely fasten the terminal wires.
If the new coil does not come with wires pre-attached, use smaller wires to connect to the terminal wires. Make small holes in the new cone. Push the wires through the holes, then use a soldering iron to secure the wires in place.
Check the speaker cone to make sure it is fully seated. If not, push the cone along its sides until the entire circumference is inside the subwoofer.
Finally, attach all other removed components back to their original positions. Insert the subwoofer into the frame. Secure it in place by tightening the mounting screws.
Summing up
A swollen subwoofer coil does not immediately mean you need to buy a new subwoofer.
In most cases, a blown subwoofer coil can still be salvaged. All you need is the right tools and the right steps to fix it. In addition, you will also learn important handicraft skills that you can apply to other projects. (2)
Save money by repairing instead of buying, and learn how to fix a blown subwoofer by checking out my easy-to-follow guide above.
Take a look at some of our articles below.
- How to connect 2 amps with one power wire
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Recommendations
(1) glue – https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/best-super-glue-4171748
(2) DIY Skills - https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/worth-the-effort-10-diy-skills-to-finally-master-this-year-214371
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