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-   -   Tower wiring - installing speaker jacks in tower (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=221331)

mikeski 04-05-2005 11:56 PM

Tower wiring - installing speaker jacks in tower
 
Here is a photo tutorial for installing banana jacks into your tower, I just did this tonight it worked great. <BR> <BR>First using a dual banana jack layout and mark the location for the holes <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221332.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221333.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>Next, drill the holes and grind the sharp edges off <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221334.jpg" alt=""> <BR>

mikeski 04-05-2005 11:59 PM

Now you will need to pull some string to each hole. <BR> <BR>You will need one of these (not necessarily one this big) <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221339.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>Tape some string to the end and push it up to the hole. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221340.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>Hook the string and pull it out of each hole. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221341.jpg" alt="">

mikeski 04-06-2005 12:02 AM

Once you have the four strings hanging out hook the wire to the other side and carefully pull it up and out of the holes. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221346.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221347.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>Now just solder the jacks on the wire and insulate with shrink wrap. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221348.jpg" alt="">

mikeski 04-06-2005 12:10 AM

If you drilled the correct size hole and did not grind it too much it should be a press fit. I added some silicone II to make sure they don't come out. <BR> <BR>Here is the finished product, no hanging wires when my speakers are removed! <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221353.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>Here it is with the speaker lead connected: <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221354.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>The fancy gold plated dual binding posts provide a little too much leverage against the binding posts, I will probably end up using individual lower profile banana jacks.

mikeski 04-06-2005 12:14 AM

Here are the lower profile single banana plugs: <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221357.jpg" alt="">

bob 04-06-2005 5:33 AM

Great how to Mike but GO GOLD like your dual set-up in the wet environment for the best contact

polkaking27 04-06-2005 9:24 AM

where did you pick up all you connectors. and for how much???

mikeski 04-06-2005 10:08 AM

I bought a bag of stuff from Mouser electronics looking for the lowest profile jacks I could find but they were all the wrong size. The jacks ended up coming from the local Radio Shack, the gold dual banana jacks came from <a href="http://www.partsexpress.com" target="_blank">www.partsexpress.com</a>. <BR> <BR>The problem with all of the gold connecters is that they are all fairly high profile. There are lots of nice high quality metal jacks out on the market but I needed the plastic for insulation. <BR> <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/221420.jpg" alt=""> <BR>These would be nice but they would need to be insulated from the tower. It just seems like more trouble then it's worth so I went with the Radio Shack cheapies, they seem to work best. <BR> <BR>By the way I believe these are rated for 20 amps, they will never see current anywhere close to that. A thin coating of anti-oxidant wiring joint compound (Noalox) should eliminate all corrosion issues for the plugs.

monstertower 04-06-2005 8:59 PM

That's an awesome idea! You must have run each wire by itself unless I'm missing something? Did you tap the holes or press the jacks into the hole?

whitechocolate 04-06-2005 9:07 PM

OMG im going to retire, Someone else is actually providing how to's with photo's. <BR> <BR>"Nice Mike" <BR> <BR>

mikeski 04-06-2005 11:18 PM

I actually pulled all four wires at the same time. More accurately I pushed them while keeping a little tension on the four strings so they kept heading toward the correct holes. <BR> <BR>The jacks take a 5/16 hole I used a 9/32 drill pit and make a little oblong. They pushed in pretty tight but I noticed one of the reds was moving a little so I pulled them out a little, added some silicone II around the holes, then pushed them back in. I also rotated the red one a 1/4 turn and that tightened it right up. <BR> <BR>I was going to oblong and tap the holes but the threads are very fine and my tap kit didn't have the correct thread, I don't think tapping is necessary.

sculpter 04-07-2005 11:38 PM

Nice, clean, how to, Mike!!

superair 04-08-2005 3:21 PM

looks great mike!!!

cmawsr 04-09-2005 4:23 PM

Mike, I going to do this, just went and picked up the parts. But it seems that when pulling the plugs to remove the speakers it would pull the whole thing out. the bannana clips are a tight fit in the jacks. are yours holding up well. I'm trying to figure the best way to hold it in before I start on this thing.

mikeski 04-10-2005 12:46 AM

See my post up 3...

jacob5 08-07-2012 8:57 AM

Great to see high quality pictures and detail. Awesome work you done


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