How to Solder Speaker Connectors

In car audio, the connections you make to your speakers are critical. Not only do you need good solid connections to ensure good sound quality, but the connections must be secure enough to hold up to the vibrations and temperature variations of the car. Since your speakers aren't usually easy to access, you don't want to have to spend time taking apart the door of your car to reconnect a speaker. Soldering speaker connectors to your speaker wires can a go a long way toward ensuring your speakers stay connected. Speaker connectors can be soldered to speaker wires for all types of speakers, not only car speakers.

Things You'll Need

• Quick slide connectors
• Soldering iron
• Rosin-core solder
• Wire cutters/strippers

Instructions

1. 

   Strip the insulation off of the ends of the wires you'll be soldering the connectors to. Remove enough insulation so that about 3/8 to 1/2 inch of bare wire is exposed.

2. 

   Choose the size of quick slide speaker terminal connectors you'll be using. Different models of speakers will have different size terminals, so test out the connectors you want to use by sliding them on to and off of the terminals of the speaker.

3. 

   Take the plastic portion of the quick slide connector off of the connector, and slide it onto your speaker wire. Now slide the end of your wire through the metal opening on the end of the quick slide connector. Place this part of the connector into a crimping tool and close tightly to crimp the wire into place.

4. Apply the heated soldering iron to the junction of wire and connector. After it has heated (about 30 seconds), touch the end of the solder onto the junction, and let a small amount of solder flow into the joint.

5. Let the joint cool, then slide the plastic cover over the soldered joint. Your connector is solidly soldered onto the speaker wire. Repeat as necessary to complete your wiring project.

References

• "Car Stereo Cookbook"; Mark Rumerich; 1999