How To Install Banana Plugs On Speaker Wire

Banana Plugs Home Depot
How To Install Banana Plugs On Speaker Wire
Speaker Wire With Banana Plugs Attached
How To Install Banana Plugs

Installing banana plugs on your speaker wire is a simple process that can go a long way toward making your speaker system cleaner and more user friendly when it comes to installations. Insert the wire in through the side of the banana plug, pressing the end of the copper wire against the front of the banana plug. With the wire in place, screw the back of the banana plug down. This will then secure the wire in place by pinching it between the screw and the side of the plug. Whether you’re using bare wire or banana plugs, these simple connection points will work with any 10-gauge speaker cable, allowing you to easily dictate the length of wire needed for your particular setup. How to Install Banana Plugs? Note: Switch the power off before you begin. Accumulate the banana plugs, the speaker wire, and the wire stripper. That’s all you need! Speakers usually come with very long speaker wires. You can cut the wire into the length that is feasible for you.

Many entry-level home stereo systems and home theater audio systems use RCA connections for their speaker wires. This practice eliminates the possibility of users reversing the wires when they set up the stereo, which impairs the sound and can lead to unhappy customers. If you want to upgrade the speakers at some point, you'll probably need to make custom speaker wires with RCA connections on them. Usually this process requires soldering, but retailers such as RadioShack offer inexpensive solderless connectors for those who lack the tools or experience with soldering.

Two-Strand Speaker Wire

Step 1

Remove the first pair of connectors from their packaging and set them on your workspace. The plastic outer shield on the connectors simply snaps together, and you can open them either by flexing the shield and popping it open with your fingers, or inserting the blade of a small, flat screwdriver and gently twisting to pop it open.

Step 2

Look at the terminals inside the connector. One consists of a small set screw in the middle of the connector, while the other is a longer flange with a slight curve and a pair of tabs at the end. The center terminal is for the positive side of your speaker wire.

Step 3

Place the wire flat on a cutting board or other work surface, and then separate the two strands of speaker wire by cutting between them carefully with a hobby knife or box cutter. Separate the strands for approximately three-quarters of an inch.

Step 4

Strip one-quarter inch of the outer insulation from your speaker wire, using a wire-stripping tool. Look closely at your two strands of speaker wire. If one is marked with plus signs, it's the positive side and should go to the center screw. If one is copper-colored and one is silver, use the copper side for the center screw. If one side is marked with a stripe or ridges, it's the negative side and should to to the longer terminal.

Step 5

Twist the strands of your positive wire to ensure there are no strays. Loosen the set screw using a jewelers screwdriver, and carefully wrap the positive wire around the screw. Tighten the screw gently but firmly, and check to ensure no part of the positive wire touches the longer terminal.

Step 6

Fold back the stripped end of the other wire, and insert it into the hole in the longer terminal if there is one. Otherwise, ensure it's long enough to reach all the way to the tabs at the end of the terminal. If not, strip it further until it is.

Crimp the tabs to the wire, using a pair of pliers. The crimped tabs will hold the wire in place, making the second connection. Snap the connector's plastic shield back together, completing the RCA plug. Repeat for each additional speaker wire.

Tips

Some versions of the solderless RCA connector have a plastic shield that simply slides off of the connector without coming apart. If you've purchased this type, slide the outer shell over your speaker wire before attaching the connector.
You might find it easier to make a small U-shaped loop in the end of the positive wire by wrapping it around the tip of a pair of needlenose pliers, then sliding the loop underneath the set screw. A small drop of superglue or clear nail polish will help hold it in place, and insulate the wire from making contact with the second terminal.
Some versions of the solderless RCA connector have a second set screw for the negative wire. Connect it as you did the first wire.
These connectors are made for relatively light, fine wires and low-power speaker installations. Use nothing heavier than 20-gauge speaker wire, and 22- or 24-gauge is easier to install. Alternatively, use a lightweight shielded cable. Connect the center wire to the center screw, and crimp the second terminal to the braided shield wire.
For high-power installations, car audio specialists sell heavy-duty solderless RCA connectors designed for coaxial cable. They normally require the purchase of a specialized crimping tool for the center pin.
As an alternative to making your own, you might prefer to simply purchase speaker wires with RCA connectors already installed. They're available from electronics retailers such as Radio Shack.

Warning

If your center wire makes contact with the second terminal, the resulting short circuit can damage your audio equipment.

Items you will need

Straight or right-angle solderless connectors
Small flat screwdriver (optional)
20-gauge or lighter speaker wire
Cutting board or other work surface
Hobby knife or box cutter
Wire-stripping tool
Jewelers screwdriver
Pliers

Video of the Day

Brought to you by Techwalla

References

Photo Credits

Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images

Banana plugs provide an easy and convenient way to plug your speakers directly into your home audio equipment using speaker wire and a simple plug. Some older or less expensive systems may not accept banana plugs or speaker wire directly. These systems often use RCA connectors that will require an additional adapter to connect with your banana plugs. A simple banana plug to RCA adapter will easily connect to this type of amplifier, stereo or home theater system.

Banana Plugs Home Depot

Step 1