Attach Two Phone Wires to Make One
If you need a long phone cable in a pinch two shorter cables can be quickly spliced together until you can buy a real cable.
Contents
Steps
- Cut the wires . Cut one plastic connector (plug) off of each wire, you should used dykes or wire cutters, but if you don’t have those a knife or scissors will do. It is important that you cut opposite sides off otherwise the you stand a 50/50 chance of screwing up step three. If you look at the connectors with the hook down you should see four wires in this order Black, Red, Green, Yellow from left to right and the other connector will have them in reverse order. Cut the connector with the wires in BRGY off the first wire then the connector with the YGRB off the second wire. (See diagram)
- Viewed with hooks facing down on all connectors. Cut the connector with the wires in BRGY off the first wire then the connector with the YGRB off the second wire.
- Strip the insulation back . Using a sharp knife or razor blade remove an inch of the outer plastic covering from the end you just cut. This should reveal four wires, strip 1/2" off of each of these individual wires.
- Properly match the wires . If you cut the wires properly you should be able to match up the colors if you didn’t just make sure the wire that is on the far left of one connector is on the far right on the other side of the wire. (See diagram)
- Viewed with hooks facing down on all connectors. (TOP) If the wires were properly cut they can be spliced by matching up the colors. (BOTTOM) If they wires were not properly cut be sure the wires are in reverse order (from left to right) ie bottom wire remains on bottom.
- Connect the wires . Twist each wire with the wires you are connecting it to. If you have access to a soldering iron you should solder them together.
- Individually tape each connection . If you have electrical tape (black plastic tape) on hand use this, otherwise any tape can be used for a TEMPORARY fix. If you do not tape each wire individually the wires could short and your cable will be useless.
- Tape all the wires together . This will help prevent them from being pulled apart.
Tips
- Make sure that the metals from each wire are touching.
- Try cutting each wire to different lengths - with a short wire matching the corresponding long wire on the other cable. Staggering the joints like this makes a neater, easier and more reliable connection. (You will need to strip back more of the outer covering to do this)
- Consider using heat shrink insulation -available at Home Depot or other Building Supply stores.
- Adapters are available from Harvey Norman, Dick Smith or most electronic or electrical wholesalers. Joining these cables may contravene ACA standards in Australia.
Warnings
- Keep the wires unplugged while working.
