How Do You Make A Patch Cable?
Due to so many people asking how to make a patch cable, this article has been added to wikiHow! • Skin the cable jacket back about an inch, possibly more. • Un-twist each pair, and straighten each wire between the fingers. There are two common wiring standards. Before this step be sure which type you need. • Recheck the wiring sequence. • Make a mark on the wires at 1/2″ from the end of the cable jacket, This step is OPTIONAL. • Hold the grouped (and sorted) wires together tightly, between the thumb, and the forefinger. • Cut all of the wires at a perfect 90 degree angle from the cable at 1/2″ from the end of the cable jacket. If the wires are not cut straight, they may not all make contact. • Insert the wires into the connector (pins facing up). • Place the connector into a crimp tool, and squeeze hard so that the handle reaches it’s full swing. • Repeat the process on the other end. For a straight through cable, use the same wiring. Use a cable tester to test for proper continuity.
Audio patch cables come in many varieties and costs from the RCS cables included with your CD player to the high dollar boutique cable. Despite what many would have you believe, it’s difficult to see or hear a difference between cables in the average home audio system. Save yourself a few bucks and make your own cables and with the right materials, you can even build boutique quality cable. Step 1 Choose the wire you want to use while considering the quality you desire. Standard coax cable is inexpensive, easy to use and makes quality patch cables. Silver cable is available in solid core and multi-strand cable and offers superior results, although many systems cannot benefit from the more costly interconnects due to inferior internal circuitry. Step 2 Use a gauge of wire that is required for the length of your cables. Many consider 16 gauge wire the absolute minimum wire size with 12 gauge needed for lengths over 25 feet. Coax wire is a standard gauge and is good for any length cable r
