How to Fix a Short in a Home Stereo Speaker

Fixing a speaker short may be easier than you think.

It used to be that when a TV or stereo broke down, the owner would call a specialty repairman, who would head out to the home and fix it. In today's world, such repairmen are all but extinct, in part because most electronic products are made with the expectation that consumers will simply buy new ones when they've run their course. While that may be acceptable for some appliances, it wouldn't make much sense to throw away a perfectly good stereo just because one of its speakers has a short in the wire. Replacing a shorted speaker wire is something you can do yourself with minimal effort.

Things You'll Need

• RCA jack speaker cable or open-ended speaker wire
• Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench
• Wire stripper or wire cutter
• Soldering iron
• Solder

Instructions

RCA Jack Cable

1. Plug in the soldering iron.

2. Disconnect the shorted speaker from the stereo system and place it face down on your workspace.

3. 

   Use a Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench to remove the back from the speaker enclosure.

   Remove the screws from the back of the speaker cabinet with a Phillips screwdriver or an Allen wrench, depending on how the speaker is assembled.

4. Lift the back off the speaker cabinet and slide it over the speaker wire that threads through the opening on the lower end.

5. Follow the speaker wire to its connection points on the speaker magnet. Note that two wires protrude from the insulated casing and connect to the positive and negative terminals on the speaker.

6. Touch the tip of the soldering iron to either of the wire connections and hold it until the solder softens. Pull the wire free and repeat with the other connection.

7. Pull the old speaker wire through the hole in the cabinet back. Thread the bare ends of the new RCA-jack speaker cable through the hole in the cabinet back.

8. 

   Touch a piece of fresh solder to the connection and melt it with the soldering iron.

   Twist the positive side of the wire around the positive connection on the speaker. Hold a piece of fresh solder against the connection point and touch it with the tip of the soldering iron until a bead of hot solder forms. Pull away the soldering iron.

9. Repeat Step 8 to solder the other speaker wire. Unplug the soldering iron.

10. Reposition the back of the speaker cabinet, aligning it with the screw holes, and secure it in place using a Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench.

11. 

    Insert the RCA plugs into the appropriate jacks on your stereo.

    Plug the RCA plug into your stereo.

Spring Clip Connection

1. Plug in the soldering iron.

2. Disconnect the speaker cabinet from the stereo system and place it face down on your workspace.

3. 

   Use an Allen wrench or a Phillips screwdriver to remove the back of the speaker cabinet.

   Remove the screws from the back of the speaker cabinet using a Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench, depending on how the speaker is assembled.

4. Lift off the back of the speaker cabinet and flip it over. It will remain connected to the speaker via two wires that lead to the backs of the connection clips.

5. Touch the tip of the soldering iron to the wire connection on the back of either clip, holding it in place until the solder softens. Pull the wire free and repeat on the other end of the wire.

6. 

   Use a wire stripper or a wire cutter to strip away the insulation.

   Cut a piece of new wire to match the one you removed. Strip about 1/4-inch of the insulation off both ends of the wire using a wire stripper.

7. Twist one end of the stripped wire around the connection on the speaker and the other around the clip connection. Hold a piece of fresh solder over the connection point behind the clip and touch it with the tip of the soldering iron until a bead of hot solder forms. Pull away the soldering iron. Repeat on the end that connects to the speaker.

8. Repeat Steps 5 through 7 to replace the other speaker wire.

9. Close the back of the speaker cabinet and secure it using the Phillips screwdriver or Allen wrench.

10. Reconnect the speaker to the stereo.

Tips & Warnings

• The soldering iron will be hot, so set it in a place where you won't accidentally touch it and it won't come into contact with furniture. Make sure it has completely cooled down before you put it away.

References

• Crutchfield: Speaker Wire -- Choosing and Installing
• Roger Russell: Speaker Wire -- A History

Resources

• PhysLink.com: What is a Short Circuit?