Headphone repair question

[WavyDave]

Am trying to repair the (cat chewed) wires of my new titanium headphones,
and the usual splicing is not working. They are full size, the wire going to
a 1/8 jack. I can undo my repair and hear a low voltage from my supply
when applied to the wires. There are a common and either green or red wire
on each side, they do not seem to be insulated from one another (the common
and colored wire I mean). Any ideas as to what I am missing are
appreciated.

 

[paul s]

Am trying to repair the (cat chewed) wires of my new titanium headphones,
and the usual splicing is not working. They are full size, the wire going
to
a 1/8 jack. I can undo my repair and hear a low voltage from my supply
when applied to the wires. There are a common and either green or red wire
on each side, they do not seem to be insulated from one another (the
common
and colored wire I mean). Any ideas as to what I am missing are
appreciated.

Its called tinsel-wire. The stuff is made from thin strands of enamelled
copper wire mixed with cotton? strands. Quite difficult to solder, it's
meant to be crimped.

Cords which have to handle a lot of flexing are sometimes made using it,
usually curly telephone cords, and in your case headphone cords.

 

[crooksie]

Dave the wire in these cords are sometimes enamel coated for insulation,
they put different colour to enamel on to identify. this enamel coating is
very thin but tough to remove sometimes a bit of cooking with a soldering
iron necessary, sometimes burning off with a cig lighter then soldering, or
at extremes very fine sand paper before soldering or a combination of all
three. the wire is very thin and delicate, good luck. or get a replacement
cord from the manufacture. regards bob

 

[Ricardo Matos Abreu]

Hint for removing enamel:
- Heat it up with a match or cigarette lighter;
- When hot, quickly sink it in alcohol.
The enamel cracks. Just take it off with your fingers.

Ricardo

 

[crooksie]

have to remember that thanx

 

[WavyDave]

Thank you all, and to Ricardo, that worked perfectly and my head phones work
great now.

 

[AC/DCdude17]

X-No-Archive: Yes

Hint for removing enamel:
- Heat it up with a match or cigarette lighter;
- When hot, quickly sink it in alcohol.
The enamel cracks. Just take it off with your fingers.

Ricardo

By far, the most effective method for removing even the toughest enamel is
dipping the wire in molten sodium hydroxide. It is probably the only effective
way of removing enamel from a stranded wire made of enameled wires.