Taming bare stranded wire

[Boomzilla]

I wish to use some bare wire speaker wires that have a wire diameter closely approaching the inside diameter of the hole in the speaker's binding posts. The problem with this plan is that the stranded speaker wire won't stay together while being inserted in the post hole. Inevitably, 15 to 20 percent of the copper strands escape, bend, kink, or otherwise fail to go through the hole. Occasionally, the strands are long enough to potentially short themselves against the second speaker post.

I could use banana or spade terminals, but would prefer to use the bare copper wire for this specific application. How can one contain the tips of the wire strands while inserting the bundle into the speaker post hole?

Two options that I've seen proposed include:

1. Dip the wire tip (only) into a drop of solder on the tip of a soldering iron. Although the solder will flow up the wire, the small volume will limit the distance of the "wicking." This will hold the tip together while allowing the actual wire to post connection on bare copper. My experience with this is that the tip of the bundle is inevitably slightly larger in diameter than the gauge of the wire. Since I have no additional clearance to start with, this won't work for my purposes.

2. Use a stretchy plastic tube to hold the wire tip together. Once the tip is inserted, the post hole will slide the plastic tube toward the insulation where it can be expanded to stay out of the way. I haven't tried this yet.

Any other ideas?

Thanks - Boomzilla

[cgolf]

This might not be a preferred solution to the purists but when I've used bare wire and had this problem, I always just cut off a few strands of wire until I had a tight fit. Never had any issues.

[cd]

I just twist 'em by hand and insert into the speaker's hole. This doesn't work for you?

CD

[Canuck_fr]

Hello Boomer,

Don't do option 1. I have been there, done that. Doing this will make the speaker wire rigid and you will have difficulties tightening the wire.

Your option number 2 may be a good idea.

[Boomzilla]

Apr 29, 2014 6:10:38 GMT -5 cd said:

I just twist 'em by hand and insert into the speaker's hole. This doesn't work for you?

CD

Too much wire, too little hole.

[ocezam]

1st option: do your solder solution, file down the too large area by hand if needed. Won't affect the sound.
2nd option: use a small piece of shrink tube to have the same affect as the solder.

In both instances, make your bare copper area larger than you need and cut off the end when connected.

[KeithL]

I would be very careful of solder-tinning the wire. Any solder that's going to work well will have flux in it - and so you're going to have to clean the wire very carefully after you tin it. (Think about it; you're going to start with .9999 copper, or OFC, then get all that goo on it - and hope you can get it all cleaned off.) I would stick with carefully trimming and twisting the wire, then applying shrink tube.... or simply stick with wire that fits your speakers.

How about banana plugs? Most speakers accept banana plugs, and you can buy banana plugs that will accept wire of pretty much any size.

Apr 29, 2014 7:57:44 GMT -5 ocezam said:

1st option: do your solder solution, file down the too large area by hand if needed. Won't affect the sound.
2nd option: use a small piece of shrink tube to have the same affect as the solder.

In both instances, make your bare copper area larger than you need and cut off the end when connected.

[Darksky]

as Kent said. Strip a few inches. Twist it up tightly. Insert it and work any fliers through. Then keep pulling it until you get to clean, un disturbed wire, near the jacket. Tighten it down and then snip off the excess.

You might also be able to snip a few strands out of the last inch or so, making the very end's diameter smaller to get it to feed better. What about doing it that way and then dipping the pointed end in super glue. Let it harden to assist with feeding. Once it was through the post, you would clip the "treated" area off.

Glenn, I have extra GLS Audio locking banana plugs. Would you like to have a few sets of them to play with?

[Boomzilla]

Thank all of you generously for the kind offers and advice! I have determined the root cause of my problem - the OD of my wire exceeds the ID of my speakers' posts. I need smaller gauge wire. I'll donate the 8 gauge to the car stereo kids & get some 10 gauge, which should fit fine.

Cheers - Boomzilla

[clearear]

Too much wire, too little hole

That's what she said.

[klinemj]

I have dual 10 gauge stuffed into my binding posts...it's a very tight fit but it works. Surprised 8 gauge won't fit!

Mark

[cd]

You could, alternatively, use a drill bit to hog out the hole in the binding post. Not for the faint of heart or unsteady of hand, though...

CD

[LCSeminole]

Apr 29, 2014 16:48:15 GMT -5 klinemj said:

I have dual 10 gauge stuffed into my binding posts...it's a very tight fit but it works. Surprised 8 gauge won't fit!

Mark

10 gauge just barely fits into my binding posts so I can just see myself cussing up a storm working with 8 gauge!

[Gary Cook]

I just tin the tips, it takes practise to limit the spread, restrict the heating time and the amount of solder. The tinned tip should pass through the binding post so that the contact is with bare (untinned) copper wire. This ensures no added resistance from the solder (or its flux) plus it avoids the brittleness issue of tinned wire. As mentioned previously I use the Cardas quad eutectic solder, which shows zero resistance difference to bare wire at 2 decimal places (of ohms)


Cheers
Gary

[lsdeep]

Apr 29, 2014 16:57:33 GMT -5 cd said:

You could, alternatively, use a drill bit to hog out the hole in the binding post. Not for the faint of heart or unsteady of hand, though...

CD

was just going to suggest that, when i saw your post.

alternative also, change the binding posts for some with larger diameter hole.

cheers, L

[Boomzilla]

I'm not modifying the speakers or their posts - I change speakers too often.

Tinning the wire tips won't work - the bare wire bundle is larger than the holes in the posts.

To expand the holes in the speaker posts, I'd need to remove the posts from the speakers since the panels are recessed - See first sentence.

Least expensive alternative involving the least work = change wires to a smaller gauge.

Since I need to fabricate wires for my surrounds anyway, no reason not to make an extra set for the mains. I'd use my BlueJeans wires, but they're not quite long enough for where I want to put the speakers. Besides, the room may be topsy-turvy for awhile anyway as I try long-axis/short-axis experiments.

Cheers - Boom

[Gary Cook]

You could trim a few strands to get the wire diameter down such that it fits the hole. No loss compared to using smaller gauge wire.


Cheers
Gary

[Boomzilla]

Apr 29, 2014 19:50:46 GMT -5 Gary Cook said:

You could trim a few strands to get the wire diameter down such that it fits the hole. No loss compared to using smaller gauge wire. Cheers Gary

Thanks, Gary - You're absolutely correct. An 8-gauge wire "whittled down" to 10-gauge is just as good as a 10-gauge from the store. A dollop of liquid rubber around the end of the insulation seals the severed strands (both keeping them from going rogue and preventing oxidation from working up into the bundle). Should I lack any 10-gauge in my "bare wire bin," I'll just use the larger stuff.

I hadn't thought of this, but it's a money saver for sure. THANKS again!

Boom

[Deleted]

Also, maybe after twisting the wire as tightly as possible:

1) Use a bench grinder to taper the wire. It may fuse, and taper at the same time making it easier to pull through.
2) Additionally, applying BALLISTOL might help as well. It's an incredible lubricant for almost all known materials. It is non-electrical
conducting and leaves no residue.

[ocezam]

Apr 29, 2014 19:55:51 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

Apr 29, 2014 19:50:46 GMT -5 Gary Cook said:

You could trim a few strands to get the wire diameter down such that it fits the hole. No loss compared to using smaller gauge wire. Cheers Gary

Thanks, Gary - You're absolutely correct. An 8-gauge wire "whittled down" to 10-gauge is just as good as a 10-gauge from the store.Boom

I'd say it's still better than 10-gauge from the store. It would be equal, give or take, at the connection. But would still have less resistance per foot than the 10 gauge.