Turn off the power to the home stereo receiver and disconnect the power cords.
Unplug and examine all speaker wires, then set them aside for later use.
Any that appear damaged or in poor condition should be thrown out.
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Now you’re free to move speakers to their new locations.
With the proper techniques, wires can be put safely and aesthetically out of sight.
Use the measuring tape and tally the distances.
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When finished, measure the speaker wire you set aside earlier and compare it to your notes.
There’s a chance that some of those wires will be the right length.
Also, double-check that the wires are the proper gauge.
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Cross those speakers off your notes so that you know they’ve been accounted for.
Choose any remaining wire and assign it to a speaker with a label.
Calculate the difference between the length of wire you have versus what the speaker needs.
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This is how much you’ll cut from the spool ofspeaker wire.
Give yourself an extra inch or so and make the cut using the wire strippers.
Label the pairs of wires, set them aside, and cross the speaker off your notes.
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Repeat this process with any remaining speakers on the list.
You want the wires to be in-phase.
If you’re unsure,test the speaker wires with a battery.
Take both negative ends of bare wire and insert them into opposite sides of a crimp connector.
(Double-check that it matches the gauge.)
Do this once more for the other bare wire.
Gently tug on the speaker wires to ensure that they hold fast.
If you want to double-check the electrical connection, use a battery for a quick test.
Repeat this process with the positive ends of the bare wire with another crimp connector.
Slowly rotate thewires/connectorsso that you get around all sides.
The crimp casings will shrink snug against the speaker wire, creating a protective and waterproof seal.
Continue stripping speaker wires and attaching/shrinking crimp connectors until all lengths have been spliced and extended.
This is the best time to do it because you have the tools and wires right there.
Speaker wire connectors make plugging into spring clips or binding posts a breeze.
Once you’re done, test the stereo system to check that that the speakers work properly.
Double-check the speaker/receiver connections on any that are not.
There are a couple of ways to splice speaker wires.
One way is to twist speaker wires together and use electrical tape.
However, tape wears out over time, and the smallest tug on the wires can separate the connection.
The better option is an in-line electrical crimp connector (also known as a “butt” connector).
Crimp connectors are durable, easy to use, and effective.
Plus, most provide a weatherproof seal, which is desirable wheninstalling outdoor speakers.
Still, crimp connectors are meant for stranded speaker wirenot solid core wire.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
