Testing Speaker Polarity

[ehdwuld]

ok so I saw a video on testing the polarity of a speaker with a 9 volt battery

I tried that with some loose speakers I have around

I could hear static but the speaker cone did not pop or visibly move at all
not that I could tell

am I doing it wrong ?

is this normal?

my OCD is certainly not

 

[jeremy]

i always use a "dead" 9v, usually around 7v. i just did this the other day with a buddy. he has two 1x12 cabs and replaced the speaker in one. when on together, it didnt sound right, so we tested polarity.

short cable in the the cab jack, + to tip, - to sleeve. we could visibly see the cone move forward on one, and move back on the other. we flipped the wiring so they both played forward and now his rig sounds great. you should be able to see the cone move, it only happens on contact so you need to be watching at the exact moment you touch the battery. i always put the + to tip, then touch the - to sleeve as i watch the cone

 

[ehdwuld]

Yeah i got a mostly dead 9v
8.75v

Used a jumper alligator clips on either end

One to either terminal

Clipped one to the negative of the battery

Tapped it , drug it round ( that's where I heard the static)

Never saw the speaker move at all
Never not once
I may be blind
Or just the frame rate of my old eyes is to slow

 

[jeremy]

put a finger on the speaker when you make contact. itll move. once you break the battery circuit (remove one contact) it should move back to resting position.

 

[ehdwuld]

put a finger on the speaker when you make contact. itll move. once you break the battery circuit (remove one contact) it should move back to resting position.

oh different battery and yep thats how that works

first battery was too dead

used a lithium 9 volt obvious now

thanks

 

[hamerfan]

Glad you could work it out. This does not work with Xover network inbetween. Don‘t ask how i know.

 

[ehdwuld]

my 2x12 has some strangeness when I try to check the installed speakers with a cable

I can move either speaker individually with them in stereo config

but with both combined only the too one moves
and I get 21 ohms on a 16 ohm load

must be the board on the back

 

[jeremy]

that would be my guess

 

[Artie]

9 volts will try to draw a little over an amp from the battery. (With an 8 ohm speaker.) That's a pretty big hit on a 9-volt battery. I like to use a D cell. That will pull a bit less than 200 ma, and will last about forever.

 

[jeremy]

like i said, i usually use a 9v thats mostly dead, around 7v. never had an issue

 

[ehdwuld]

I tried a mostly dead 9volt and it died

I have some AA and AAA

Who has C And D any more?

I have some lithium 3.5 biguns

Fire starters

 

[Artie]

Who has C And D any more?

We still have one of the big ole D-cell Mag Lights. That thing is indestructible.

 

[ehdwuld]

I had a big 5 cell mag lite like the cops used to carry

You could point it at a street light and make it go out

 

[Artie]

I had a big 5 cell mag lite like the cops used to carry

You could point it at a street light and make it go out

You could probably make the cop go out with that too.

That was a joke. I love cops and 1st responders. Saved my butt more than once.

 

[JamesPaul]

my 2x12 has some strangeness when I try to check the installed speakers with a cable

I can move either speaker individually with them in stereo config

but with both combined only the too one moves
and I get 21 ohms on a 16 ohm load

must be the board on the back

I missed this earlier. I think something else, indeed maybe the board, is contributing to that 21 ohms. I am not saying they are not out there, but I have never measured an instrument speaker whose DCR was higher than its impedance rating. Always lower.

 

[ehdwuld]

The individual speakers read fine

Just when connect inside the cabinet

I do think it's just the board in side

 

[jeremy]

sounds like that might be the issue

 

[ehdwuld]

It seems to work just fine.

I should check it with a different meter