Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

10

Time Required

                          5 - 10 minutes

Sections

1

  • Patch Cables With SP400 Plugs
  • 10 steps

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Introduction

Patch cables, even well-soldered ones, are susceptible to stress-breaks at their connections. This is usually caused by repeated plugging/unplugging with regular use. A simple resolder with fresh wire ends and solder balls should bring the cable back to life.

Before using this guide, double-check that it’s your patch cable that is faulty. It’s possible the source of the signal loss is elsewhere in the signal chain.

What you need

Step 1

              Patch Cables With SP400 Plugs
  • Verify that the cable is faulty (unresponsive yellow and green LED indicators).
  • Yellow LED indicator
  • Green LED indicator
  • If both the yellow and green LED indicators turn on, then the cable is not the source of any audio loss. Check the pedals, amp, guitar, or power supply for issues.
  • If the red LED turns on, then the cable is shorting and will also require a resolder.

Verify that the cable is faulty (unresponsive yellow and green LED indicators).

Yellow LED indicator

Green LED indicator

If both the yellow and green LED indicators turn on, then the cable is not the source of any audio loss. Check the pedals, amp, guitar, or power supply for issues.

If the red LED turns on, then the cable is shorting and will also require a resolder.

1024

Step 2

  • Unscrew the SP400 housing.

Unscrew the SP400 housing.

Step 3

  • Desolder the existing solder connections.
  • Wick the existing solder completely off of the plug connections.
  • Do not touch the plug or the wick directly while desoldering.
  • For more information on soldering, check out the How to Solder and Desolder Connections guide.

Desolder the existing solder connections.

Wick the existing solder completely off of the plug connections.

Do not touch the plug or the wick directly while desoldering.

For more information on soldering, check out the How to Solder and Desolder Connections guide.

Step 4

  • Cut the ends of the cable using a pair of wire cutters to expose fresh wires.

Cut the ends of the cable using a pair of wire cutters to expose fresh wires.

Step 5

  • Strip the outer insulating jacket by ~1 cm.
  • The Eclipse UTP Stripper works especially well for this step.
  • Braid the ground wires.

Strip the outer insulating jacket by ~1 cm.

The Eclipse UTP Stripper works especially well for this step.

Braid the ground wires.

Step 6

  • Strip the inner insulator by ~2mm.
  • The Eclipse UTP Stripper works especially well for this step.
  • Braid the signal wires.

Strip the inner insulator by ~2mm.

Braid the signal wires.

Step 7

  • Tin the soldering iron tip, ground wire, signal wire, and plug connections.
  • Do not touch the plug or the solder directly while tinning.

Tin the soldering iron tip, ground wire, signal wire, and plug connections.

Do not touch the plug or the solder directly while tinning.

Step 8

  • Solder the wires onto the plug connections:
  • Signal wire to the tip connection
  • Ground wire to the sleeve connection
  • The outer insulating jacket should slightly extend into the chamber of the plug to minimize cable movement.
  • Do not touch the plug directly while soldering.

Solder the wires onto the plug connections:

Signal wire to the tip connection

Ground wire to the sleeve connection

The outer insulating jacket should slightly extend into the chamber of the plug to minimize cable movement.

Do not touch the plug directly while soldering.

Step 9

  • Screw the SP400 housing.

Screw the SP400 housing.

Step 10

  • Verify that the cable is working (responsive yellow and green LED indicators).

Verify that the cable is working (responsive yellow and green LED indicators).

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                    Crystal Edwards

Member since: 09/21/2018

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                       University of North Texas, Team 1-3, Raign Spring 2022                        

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