Extend Speaker Wires: You’ve tracked down the ideal spot for your speakers and sound system gear, and presently you’re prepared to attach everything — except your speaker wire isn’t sufficiently long to associate it to the amp. For a convenient solution, you can contort the wires together and tape them. This is definitely not an extraordinary long haul choice however, on the grounds that the wires can pull separated and short out your system. For a more long-lasting arrangement, use pleat connectors or weld the wires together.
Extend Speaker Wires: Cutting and Stripping
Double-check that your speaker is disconnected before you start. Unplug the power to the speaker and disconnect the speaker wire from your amp. If there’s any power running to the speaker, you could be seriously hurt when you start working with the wires.
Related Article: How to Clean iPhone Speakers
Match the size of your replacement and existing wire. For the best sound results, use stranded (not solid) speaker wire that’s the same gauge (AWG) as your existing wire. Some wires will have the gauge printed down the side of the wire. If yours doesn’t, place the wire in the holes of your wire cutter until you find the hole it fits in most closely. The number that’s printed beside that hole is the wire gauge.
- You can also cut a small piece of the wire and take it with you to a store that sells audio supplies so they can tell you.
- Speaker wire ranges from 10AWG (which is very thick) to 20AWG (which is very thin). 18 gauge (AWG) is the most popular size, and it’s usually used for distances of up to 25 ft (7.6 m). 16 gauge is also common, especially for distances up to 50 ft (15 m).
- You can splice 2 differently-sized wires together, as long as they’re close in gauge (like 18AWG and 16AWG).
- If the extension of the wire is beyond 100 feet, consider replacing the wire with a thicker size.
Measure and cut your extra speaker wire. Use a tape measure to find how much extra length you need on your wire. However, add at least 1–2 ft (0.30–0.61 m) to that measurement. You’ll need a little extra slack in the wire, since too much tension could damage the connection on your speakers or amp or cause the wire to pull free. Then, use wire cutters to cut the extra speaker wire to that length.
- Many wire strippers also act as wire cutters, so you may not need two separate tools for this.
- Consider off-setting the cuts on the negative and positive wire instead of cutting them straight across. For instance, you might make the positive end of the existing wire 2 in (5.1 cm) longer than the negative. Then, on the extension wire, you’d cut the positive side 2 in (5.1 cm) shorter than the negative. This off-set will make the finished wire less bulky, and there’s no chance the positive and negatives will touch.
Strip the ends of both pieces of wire. Your speaker wire should look like 2 small tubes attached together. Carefully pull these apart, so the wire forms a Y shape.Then, clamp a wire stripper about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) from the end of the wire—squeeze just firmly enough to hold the wire in place, but not so tightly that you damage the wire beneath. Pull the wire firmly with your free hand. The insulation should slide off, exposing the bare wire without damaging it.
- Do this for both the positive and negative sides on the extension wire.
- If the bare wires are already exposed on your existing speaker cord, you may not need to strip them again. If the wires look frayed, though, it’s a good idea to cut them shorter and strip them so you have a fresh piece of wire to work with. Cut the wire as close to the frayed pieces as possible.