Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable...

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Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing

Transcript of Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable...

Page 1: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Connectors and Cables

Types of connectors and cables

Wiring standards

Soldering principles

Cable testing

Page 2: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Connectors Microphones

Professional quality will always use either XLR or RTS XLR is the most common

Locking connector for greater reliability

3 pin XLR

Page 3: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Connectors Microphones

Pin out Term which defines

which conductors land on which pins

There are standards for different devices

The standards change in different parts of the world

Pin 1 – Ground

Pin 2 – Signal Hot

Pin 3 – Signal Return

Page 4: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Connectors

Tip – Ring – Sleeve Used for balanced mic

signals More often used

unbalanced for multiple channel connections

Balanced

Pin 1 – Shield

Pin 2 – Signal Hot (+)

Pin 3 – Signal Return (-)

Unbalanced

Pin 1 – Signal Return (-)

Pin 2 – Signal 1 Hot (+)

Pin 3 – Signal 2 Hot (+)

Page 5: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Connectors

RCA plugs Sometimes called phono

plug Not to be confused with

¼” phone plugs Always unbalanced

Pin 1 – Signal Hot (+)

Pin 2 – Signal Return (-)

Page 6: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cables

Wire One individual conductor

Cable Two or more conductors combined together in a

flexible jacket

Page 7: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cables Cables in theatrical applications receive very rough

treatment Stepped on, genie lifts and forklifts roll over, twisting and

pulling… Even the best audio equipment in the world will not

work with damaged cables! Coiling

The over the forearm method is about the worst thing you can do to any cable

The wires inside the cable have a natural “lay”. They will coil nicely if they are allowed to

Forcing the wires to bend will weaken and eventually break the wire causing shorts or intermittent connections.

Coiling a cable video

Page 8: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cables

Cables should always be run “cleanly” Use the shortest lengths you can. Avoid large coils when possible

This allows for an easy concentration of induced noise Never bend cables over sharp edges or right angles

Dropping a cable over and I-beam for example Always tie up or tape down under carpets or mats or use

industrial cable covers. Avoid using “gaff tape” directly on cable jackets.

Tape will often leave behind a residue of stickiness If two adhesive sides come together it is very difficult to remove.

Page 9: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cables

Snakes A cable with multiple

pairs of conductors, each with it’s own screen protected by an overall insulating jacket

“Tails” “Break out” box

Page 10: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cables

Loudspeaker cable Carries much higher electrical power than mic or line level

cables Need to be much larger gauge with heavy duty

connectors on each end or bare wires Wire has it’s own internal resistance which will degrade

the signal before it reaches the speaker 12 gauge 0.159 Ω / 100 feet 16 gauge 0.402 Ω / 100 feet 24 gauge 2.567 Ω / 100 feet

Page 11: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cable Testing Tools of the trade

Multi-meter Device which can measure

AC & DC voltage Remember AC voltage changes with time Most meters take and average, NOT RMS value RMS = root-mean-square, which is a more accurate means of

measuring voltage AC & DC current Resistance

Continuity Some meters will measure other things as well

Battery checker Diode checker

Page 12: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Cable Testing Oscilloscope

A device which draws a graph of a changing electrical signal in real-time

Allows you to view exactly what the sine wave looks like Usually a large bench test piece of equipment not usually

used in simple sound equipment testing Line tracer

“Fox and Hound” The “fox” puts an AC signal on a wire and the “hound” picks

it up at the other end The “hound” looks for the changing magnetic field that the

“fox” produces Can be measured through insulation

Page 13: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

Soldering Here's a summary of how to make the perfect solder joint.

All parts must be clean and free from dirt and grease. Try to secure the work firmly. "Tin" the iron tip with a small amount of solder. Do this immediately, with new tips

being used for the first time. Clean the tip of the hot soldering iron on a damp sponge. Many people then add a tiny amount of fresh solder to the cleansed tip. Heat all parts of the joint with the iron for under a second or so. Continue heating, then apply sufficient solder only, to form an adequate joint. Remove and return the iron safely to its stand. It only takes two or three seconds at most, to solder the average joint. Do not move parts until the solder has cooled.

Troubleshooting Guide Solder won't "take" - grease or dirt present – de-solder and clean up the parts. Joint is crystalline or grainy-looking - has been moved before being allowed to cool, or

joint was not heated adequately - too small an iron/ too large a joint. Solder joint forms a "spike" - probably overheated, burning away the flux.

Page 14: Connectors and Cables Types of connectors and cables Wiring standards Soldering principles Cable testing.

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