Introduction: Assemble an AUX Cord
This Instructable shows you the process of assembling an AUX cord from the Joy Signal kit. If you don't have a kit, further directions are at the bottom.
Step 1: Tools Needed
To make this AUX cord from a kit you need:
- Soldering iron
- Tweezers
- Work holding vise
- Heat gun
- Extra solder
- Multimeter or beep tester
Step 2: Parts
In your kit there are 5 parts:
- 3 feet of prepped Belkin audio cable
- 2 1/8th inch male audio jacks
- 2 pieces of heavy heat shrink tubing
These parts can be prepared yourself without using a kit. If you don't have a kit, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the additional instructions to prep your wires and connectors.
Step 3: Solder the Black Wire
Solder the black wire to the first contact on the audio jack as shown.
Be careful not to melt the surrounding plastic very much.
If you need to, you can add a small amount of extra solder.
Step 4: Solder the Red Wire
Solder the red wire to the second contact as shown. You may need to bend the tip of the red wire slightly to make it properly reach the solder ball on the contact.
- Be careful not to melt the surrounding plastic or the insulation of the black wire too much.
- If you need extra solder you can add a small amount.
- CAREFUL! Don't let any of the solder from this joint touch any of the other contacts or wires! This will make your AUX cable not work correctly.
Step 5: Solder the Ground
Solder the bare ground wire to the body of the connector as shown. Make sure the ground wire is running through the little groove in the connector.
- Solder the red wire to the second contact as shown.
- Be careful not to melt the surrounding plastic or the insulation of the black or red wires too much.
- Try not to add extra solder if you can help it, too much solder will prevent the heat shrink from fitting correctly.
- CAREFUL! Don't let any of the solder from this joint touch any of the other contacts or wires! This will make your AUX cable not work correctly.
Step 6: Add Heat Shrink
Slide the two pieces of heat shrink onto the cable. Don't shrink them yet!
Step 7: Solder Other End
Solder the other audio connector to the other end of the cable, using the same steps as the first one. Make sure the wire colors go to the same contacts as they did in the first one.
Step 8: Test!
Time to test your cable. In industry, every cable has to pass several tests like this before it gets sold.
Using the beep tester, touch one contact on one end of the cable and hold the probe there. On the other end of the cable, touch all three contacts. The tester should beep on the matching contact but not on the other two. Repeat this for all three contacts on the connector. This test shows that there is an electrical connection between the right contacts, and no electrical connection between the wrong contacts.
IF THE TESTER DOESN'T BEEP WHEN IT SHOULD: You have an open connection and you need to make sure all your wires are firmly soldered to their contacts.
IF THE TESTER BEEPS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T: You have a connection between wires or contacts that shouldn't be there. Go check if there is any solder or stray wire strands that are connecting neighboring contacts or wires to each other.
Step 9: Heat Shrink
Once your cable has passed testing, slide the heat shrink pieces up over the connectors as shown and shrink in place. Be careful not to use too much heat or it might burn the heat shrink.
Step 10: Finished!
Use your new cord to connect a device up to a speaker and listen to some music!
Step 11: If You Don't Have a Kit
This step will be updated with information by 11/17, after the educational event that this Instructable has been used for