Odd-size plugs on back of center-rear satellite

[Retread]

Having done my "breadboard" configuration, I'm now relocating my receiver to its permanent destination. This necessitates rearranging the cables, which reminds me of a complaint I intended to make. That center-rear satellite has odd-size banana-like plugs. I can see that having four crowds things, but what in the world is that plug? Standard bananas don't fit, so I had to trim my #12 copper, tin it, and then thread it through pairs of holes. There's not enough room for that either.

Extremely inconvenient!

[Hogues92]

I have the same problem. It says to use jumper wires but I don't know how. I recieved no reply in the forum when I asked for help.


Mike

[Retread]

There were two tiny wires in my Ventriloquist package, one with black and one with red insultation, both stripped and tinned. They are what was probably meant by "jumper wires." The problem is one can put them between the posts, but then it's doubly hard to put speaker wires in the holes.

I stripped off about an inch and a half of the insulation of my 12-guage wires, cut back about a third of the copper, tinned them, and then used needle nose pliers to force them through both holes on the two polarities. Crude, time-consuming, and curse-producing, but it finally works.

There's a component called a "miniature banana plug," and I suspect that's what is needed, but I'd have to locate some and take the speaker to a store that has them to see if they'd fit.

It's not "playing nice" if the Hsu folks won't tell us what kind of plugs might work.


Originally posted by Hogues92
I have the same problem. It says to use jumper wires but I don't know how. I recieved no reply in the forum when I asked for help.


Mike

[Sasha_G]

Originally posted by Retread

I stripped off about an inch and a half of the insulation of my 12-guage wires, cut back about a third of the copper, tinned them, and then used needle nose pliers to force them through both holes on the two polarities. Crude, time-consuming, and curse-producing, but it finally works.

If you have a true 6 channel system, Retread's technique is a good way of doing this. Since the positive inputs are on the right, and the negative inputs are on the left, the wires line up and you don't need a jumper. A jumper simply connects the top and bottom inputs, so they both receive signal. Unfortunately, because there is not much room around the posts, it is still difficult and needle nose pliers are needed. The posts on those needs to be improved.

The problem is that even though the posts are the correct distance apart, they are too small to accept banana plugs in 5 channel systems, so you need to wire them with twisted wire or tinned wire. There are no spades that I know of that will work in that tight a space.

So, in summary, the jumper is used in true 6 channel systems when only one input is needed. The jumper will connect the top and bottom posts on each side of the rear center, allowing for it to read a single signal.

The jumper is not used in 5 channel systems, when the rear center is using the signals from the back rear channels.

[gjritter]

Forgive this newbie's ignorance - what is "tinning" a wire?

[Retread]

Sasha --

I'm going to have to do rewiring at least one more time when I have the wires put in the attic. Also, the two of us who have posted can't be the only Ventriloquist owners who are going to be upset by the awkwardness of wiring that back-center speaker.

The posts look like they are designed for some kind of plug. Definitely not standard banana, because the holes are too small. If I knew what plugs fit, I could do the jumpers between the plugs (jumpers between the posts probably would interfere with inserting plugs), but first I need to know what plugs fit.

So, what are they?

[Retread]

Originally posted by gjritter
Forgive this newbie's ignorance - what is "tinning" a wire?

Tin is major component of solder. When you stip the insulation off a stranded wire, the strands tend to become messy. So it's standard practice to twist the strands and then lightly solder them to make them like a single wire. This is called "tinning."

There are three kinds (at least) of solder. One kind has no core. Another kind has an acid core. The third kind has a rosin core. The cores are called the "flux," and facilitates the solder adhering to the material being soldered. Never, ever use an acid core solder on electronics; it will eat the wires. Don't use coreless solder; it won't stick. So, by default, use rosin core solder in electronics.

[haionlife]

Hey treads,

I have some twist on Radio Shack banana plugs, that have a center pindesigned to screw into the banana and fan it out locking it into the socket...the good thing is that they are small enough in their resting state to go into the holes! you'll need a couple inches clearance out the back though :(

Here, found it on the RS site
Banana Plug
$7.99
Brand: Tandy Elect Pkg-440068
Catalog #: 278-307

I've included a pic too.

Mark

[Retread]

A couple of inches I can live with.

[Sasha_G]

Wow, we thought it was a little too unstandard. These forums are great! :D

[Retread]

Originally posted by Sasha_G
Wow, we thought it was a little too unstandard. These forums are great! :D

It was clearly designed for something to plug in, and a company building lots of equipment using the product should have been in a position to ask the vendor and provide the information to its customers.

[Sasha_G]

Retread,

I did ask, and it was designed to be a "bannana", but a lot can happen between design and manufacturing. :(

[Retread]

Does Hsu make the connectors itself? I'd find that surprising. I'd imagined Hsu buys them from a vendor.

[gtstrength]

I'm not familiar with this product at all. Are there screw terminals on the back of the center channel and satellites or will they only allow the use of plugs? If there are screw terminals, it possible to get 12g wire under them?

[Retread]

.