Speaker Popper Tool

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=12899
Printed Date: May 15, 2024 at 4:56 PM

Topic: Speaker Popper Tool

Posted By: dfiddy
Subject: Speaker Popper Tool
Date Posted: April 28, 2003 at 10:41 PM

I know that you can use a battery to test which speaker is which but is there such a tool that will tell you which wire is what polarity? I am not too familiar with audio just thought such a tool would make life a little easier...Thanks in Advance for any info....

Replies:

Posted By: wvsquirrel
Date Posted: April 28, 2003 at 11:57 PM

Yup, its called a 9volt battery too posted_image

If you have the leads hooks up correctly (positive to positive and negative to negative) then the speaker will "Pop" outwards (away from the coil). If the speaker pulls inwards (towards the coil), then reverse the positive and negative leads for the correct polarity and phase.

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Squirrel
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Posted By: Thinkster
Date Posted: April 29, 2003 at 2:15 AM

dfiddy wrote:

is there such a tool that will tell you which wire is what polarity

Yup, it's called a multimeter. You use the two leads from it and you can easily tell on the display which lead is positive assuming your using a 9v battery at the opposite end.

Posted By: D148L0
Date Posted: May 19, 2003 at 10:03 PM

Man, the battery is great to do so, and easy to use (not to mention cheap!) The multimeter is even better b/c of all the things u can measure with it, but you need to know how to use it and read it... so I would go with the battery.( sometimes a 1.5V is enough)

Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: May 20, 2003 at 2:09 PM

If you have the ends of the wires coming from the amplification source (head unit or external amplifier) then you can determine the correct polarity by testing for voltage with the system turned on. Use the black test lead for what you believe to be the negative speaker wire, then the red test lead to what you think is the corresponding positive wire. If you get positive voltage with the system on, then the wire touching the red test lead is the positive speaker wire. IF you get negative voltage, the wire touching the black test lead is the positive speaker wire.

This method can also be used to determine the polarity of wires going directly to a speaker, IF you still have the factory wiring that you can match up to. You use the above method, and then just match up the factory wiring colors.

Just FYI david navone sells a polarity checker kit which is basically a special microphone that you put in front of the speaker, and it can tell the difference in the sound between a speaker in phase, and out of phase. But it's kinda pricey:-D

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Ethan
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"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
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