Plugs are limited commodities. They do not stay polished and conductive forever. Anyone who is a regular earphone shopper will tell you that every couple of years, give or take, earphones will need to be replaced. Below you will learn how to replace them properly. This will require some effort and technical know-how.
You are going to use a knife or a pair of scissors in conjunction with a burning match and a hot soldering iron. All possible safety precautions must be taken for both yourself and your surroundings. Choose a well-ventilated space to perform the soldering process.
The Tool List – Things You Will Need
· A replacement jack (earplug) for the broken earplug
· Either a wire cutter, penknife, or scissors
· Some matches and a gaslighter
· A vice grip device to ensure safety during soldering
· A soldering iron and wire.
If you do not have a clue how to solder, do not panic. Head over to this link – how to solder – to learn how to do it right, following all needed safety precautions.
Step 1 – Adding the New Earplug
· Pick one of the cutting tools from the above list and cut off the old plug head. This is entirely useless, even more so if it is a molded plug. Cut it off and throw it into recycling.
· Choose a new earplug and match it to the one you just cut – the same size and approximate dimensions. Example: A 3.5 mm stereo earplug is a generic choice that could fit the bill. A stereo plug and clamp will ensure a long life for your soon-to-be-new earplugs. This way, you will not need to opt for another replacement in a couple of months.
· Something has to give, so do not fret if the earplug you are going to use as an alternative is slightly bigger than the one you just removed. The molded company-made ones are just that, manufactured by machines with precise programming. All you have are your fingers, so do the best you can and keep to this guide.
Step 2 – Stripping the Cables
· Inside the wire linings for both the right and left earplugs, you will find a green (or yellow) and red wire. They serve the right-left channels in your earplugs and are both secured with copper wire on the outside.
· Twist the coppers together and spiral them up. You now have a slightly thicker string of three wires instead of the earlier two.
Step 3 – Soldering
Rely on the guidelines in the link provided above as you carry out the stages of soldering.
· Strike a match or a lighter and use the flame to heat the ends of the wires. You, therefore, successfully burn off the insulating covers. You can now remove the screws to the jack plug case and spot the three terminals those wires connect to.
· Thread the cable through the plastic part of the plug and conclude by soldering the wires onto there. Screw the case back afterward.
· Cover the bare wires with a thin layer, cover everything back up, and test the earphones to see if they work.
· Make extra sure that the red and green wires are not merged before you begin the soldering process. Take each wire to its respective terminal, screw the jack plug case back on. You now have new headphones without the need to spend all that money.
We hope that this article will be handy when you are planning to repair your headphones. For more tips, please read the article about how to choose the best gaming headphones.