Need to lengthen the speaker cables

[M4verick]

Hi, I just bought the Pro Media 2.1 computer desktop speakers and they sound great so far.  The speaker cables for the satellite speakers are a bit too short and I was thinking of buying some speaker cables and splicing them together.  I know next to nothing about this kind of stuff so I have a few questions:

 

1) Is this OK to do?

2) I need to lengthen the speaker wires by ~10 feet. What is the longest I can "extend" these cables?

3) The technical specs on the website says 22 gauge (or maybe it said 18 gauge, I can't remember).  I assume that If I go through with this modification, I'll need to specifically look for 22 gauge speaker wires - correct?

4) What do I do after I splice them together?  Can I protect the exposed bare metal end tips with something?  I've got a little puppy in the house, I'd like to cover it with something.

 

Thanks for any advice.

Edited December 4, 2020 by M4verick

[Pondoro]

I would cut in the middle and add. You can use the same gauge or larger wire (remember smaller numbers = thicker wires, 16 is a lot larger than 22.) 

 

Separate the two conductors by peeling the twin wires apart. Then strip about 1/2" to 3/4" bare.

 

Do you know how to solder? Solder them. Remember to make the joint strong mechanically, don't rely on solder alone to be strong enough. Before you solder them slip some heat shrink tubing over each conductor and up out of the way of the bare part.

 

After you solder slide the heat shrink over the bare part and shrink the tube. No bare metal should be showing. Look close! If bare metal shows use electrical tape to cover it. 

 

Are your joints ugly? Are they visible? If both answers are "Yes" disguise the joints with colored electrical tape, you can buy it in a variety of colors. 

[jimjimbo]

Do not splice.  Get new appropriate length cables.  Use the same gauge as was supplied.  Train the puppy.  Have fun.  Enjoy, they are terrific computer speakers.

[Coytee]

As I recall, my early pair of PM's had a plug for the back of each speaker.  The pair currently sitting on my desk are hard wired into the speaker.

 

So depending on what he has, he might have to splice.

 

 

[Marvel]

It's 22 gauge... and you can just add on to one end. Are the wires on the satellites detachable? If not, splice on some more... the electrons won't care.

 

But, do your wires like my pic. That way, even if tape comes off, they won't short together. The wire should have a stripe or marking on one side, so you can get the polarity correct.

 

 

 

[M4verick]

33 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

Do not splice.  Get new appropriate length cables.  Use the same gauge as was supplied.  Train the puppy.  Have fun.  Enjoy, they are terrific computer speakers.

 

Do not splice? Why?  Again, I'm new to this stuff so I'd like to learn why it's not adivseable.

 

Also you recommend that I get appropriate length cables.  How in the world would I even remove the existing wires without damaging them?  The wires that are coming out of the satellite speakers are installed by the factory techniciians and they DO NOT seem like they can be removed by the end user in any shape or form.

 

The puppy is a wonderful little guy and already well on his way to being trained.  There are moments of mischief as all puppies will do from time to time.  It's really not about the puppy, it's about protecting the bare metal exposed wires.

[Coytee]

You're right.  Your wires are hard wired.  Leave them be and splice needed length as per Marvel's diagram and other commentary about making it a strong joint.

[M4verick]

Hi Marvel,

 

Thanks for the pic and the advice.  Is there a specific kind of tape that I should use to cover the bare metal exposed ends?

[Coytee]

Not aluminum....

 

You can buy a roll of electricians tape at a box store.....or, maybe some heat shrink then use the hair dryer that you normally use to obtain your John Travolta / Saturday Night Fever look, to shrink it to fit.  

 

Personally, I like the shrink fit.....  Saturday Night Fever look....not so much.

[Pondoro]

3 hours ago, Marvel said:

It's 22 gauge... and you can just add on to one end. Are the wires on the satellites detachable? If not, splice on some more... the electrons won't care.

 

But, do your wires like my pic. That way, even if tape comes off, they won't short together. The wire should have a stripe or marking on one side, so you can get the polarity correct.

 

 

 

(Borrowing Marvel's sketch) This method, slide the heat shrink tube fully on to the longer side (each longer side gets a piece of heat shrink). When the wired ate twisted and (I hope soldered) the heat shrink slides over the bare metal and gets "shrunk" with a hair drier or other hot object.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Pondoro

[Pondoro]

Thinking more. Slide a long, larger, piece of heat shrink over both wires, then off to the left or right in the picture above. Then slide a shorter piece of smaller heat shrink onto each longer stub. Connect the wires. Slide the shorter pieces of small heat shrink over the bare areas and shrink it. Then slide the longer piece of heat shrink over the entire joint and shrink it.

[Marvel]

If you buy heat shrink tubing, you can use a smaller diameter size for each connection and a longer piece to slide over the whole thing. IIRC, it's a polyolifen, with a reasonably low temp point to cause the shrinkage.

 

Electrical tape will work, but I find it tends to come loose as the adhesive ages, and is gooey. Since it doesn't carry much current, I have been known to use gaffers tape, which is a black fabric.

 

[Pondoro]

Here you have three steps - A, B, C, showing how to position the shrink wrap. Dashed lines are "not yet shrunk" and solid black is "shrunk."

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Pondoro

[jimjimbo]

3 hours ago, Coytee said:

You're right.  Your wires are hard wired.  Leave them be and splice needed length as per Marvel's diagram and other commentary about making it a strong joint.

Didn’t realize they were hardwired. Disregard all my other comments other than training the dog… LOL

[M4verick]

50 minutes ago, jimjimbo said:

Didn’t realize they were hardwired. Disregard all my other comments other than training the dog… LOL

 

Shish, you sound like a know it all person.  So toxic...  I see you're in the habit of doling out advice on products you don't even know about.

[M4verick]

1 hour ago, Marvel said:

If you buy heat shrink tubing, you can use a smaller diameter size for each connection and a longer piece to slide over the whole thing. IIRC, it's a polyolifen, with a reasonably low temp point to cause the shrinkage.

 

Electrical tape will work, but I find it tends to come loose as the adhesive ages, and is gooey. Since it doesn't carry much current, I have been known to use gaffers tape, which is a black fabric.

 

 

I'll try gaffers tape if I can find some.  I live in a small town and finding something like that might prove to be tricky.

 

As for going the whole route with the shrink wrap material... again, due to the small town I live in, I'm not sure I can find that kind of stuff readily.  I had thought about using regular electrical tape but that kind of stuff tends to get gooey after a while which is why i was hoping for a different solution.  I think the gaffers tape might be my best bet.  Thanks.

[Pondoro]

Menards has heat shrink tubing. I'll expect other big box lumber and appliance stores also stock it.

[MicroMara]

Cable connector should be the answer

 

 

should be available by amazon usa

https://www.amazon.de/Schnellverbinder-Lüsterklemme-Lüsterklemmen-Verbindungsklemmen-Verbindungsklemme/dp/B082RTCVKG/ref=asc_df_B082RTCVKG/?adgrpid=90034906954&hvadid=407099631966&hvadid=407099631966&hvdev=c&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1004611&hvlocphy=1004611&hvnetw=g&hvnetw=g&hvpone=&hvpone=&hvpos=&hvpos=&hvptwo=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvqmt=&hvrand=12182440573631358431&hvrand=12182440573631358431&hvtargid=pla-859376582608&hvtargid=pla-859376582608&language=en_GB&linkCode=df0&psc=1&psc=1&ref=&tag=&tag=googshopde-21&th=1

 

or butt connectors

 

https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B086P8RNRK/ref=sr_1_13?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&dchild=1&keywords=butt+connectors&qid=1607122500&sr=8-13

 

 

[Peter P.]

2 hours ago, Pondoro said:

Thinking more. Slide a long, larger, piece of heat shrink over both wires, then off to the left or right in the picture above. Then slide a shorter piece of smaller heat shrink onto each longer stub. Connect the wires. Slide the shorter pieces of small heat shrink over the bare areas and shrink it. Then slide the longer piece of heat shrink over the entire joint and shrink it.

THIS. The reason is, the staggered splices will make it easier to slide the larger piece of heat shrink tubing over both splices. The overall result is less like a snake that just swallowed an antelope.

[Travis In Austin]

6 hours ago, M4verick said:

1) Is this OK to do?

2) I need to lengthen the speaker wires by ~10 feet. What is the longest I can "extend" these cables?

3) The technical specs on the website says 22 gauge (or maybe it said 18 gauge, I can't remember).  I assume that If I go through with this modification, I'll need to specifically look for 22 gauge speaker wires - correct?

4) What do I do after I splice them together?  Can I protect the exposed bare metal end tips with something?  I've got a little puppy in the house, I'd like to cover it with something.

1. Yes, but not ideal, but sometimes you have to do what you need to do.

2. see below

3. When splicing it is usually better to go with same size, but it's not essential, however, as stated earlier by someone, you want to always go larger. From the charts below, if it is fact 22 gauge, adding 10' is going to put you over ideal length (12' total for 22 ga wire).  What are the speakers rated at, 8-ohm? If they are 8 ohm then up to 32' for 18 ga. wire and you are going to be fine. 

4. You can splice by twisting the bare wire together and then wrapping with electrical tape, This is not ideal, I was going to suggest to you the crimp method sugged to you by Micromara. You can get a kit with those fittings and the crimp tool and Home Depot, Lowes, etc. for about $10. The crimp fitting also allows you to crimp larger wire together with the smaller original wire.

 

To me, and everyone is going to have a preference on this, my way of splicing it would be (from most preferred to least preferred):

 

1. Twisted, soldered, and crimped

2. Crimped

3. Solder and wrap with electrical tape.

4. twisted together and wrap with tape. You wrap splice one with tape, then splice two with tape, and then wrap both wires together, You are trying to prevent separation if they get tugged on. You can get buy with with fine until you get a crimp tool and fittings if you decide on that route. 

 

By the way, I like that you are thinking about the welfare of the dog, but the current and voltage going through those wires is so small it would be less than you sticking your tongue to see if a 9V battery is good.