Can I use a voltmeter to determine polarity?
#1
Can I use a voltmeter to determine polarity?
Hey all!
I've had this long standing issue with not being sure if I had correctly installed all my speakers. I want to know the easiest way (or the best way) to determine the polarity of the speaker wires in my '97 Protege LX.
I thought of using a digital voltmeter to check the polarity, but I am not sure if that's possible. Someone suggested to me the idea, but never explained how it's done. What I did was this -- I take the positive lead of the DMM and hook it up to what I presume is the positive speaker wire, then I hook up the ground lead to the negative speaker wire and if the DMM shows a "+" in front of the voltage reading, then the polarity is correct. If it shows a "-", then I have to reverse the polarity. Does that make sense?
Well, apparently that doesn't work all the time. I tried using this method on my rear speakers and when I tested them, there was almost no bass. Having only one speaker ON gives a lot more bass than having the two of them. Then I reversed the polarity on one of them and the low freq's magically returned.
So, how can I determine the polarity of those damn speaker wires using a voltmeter (or anything else)?
Thanks a lot!
P.S. Where is the Car Audio section of the forum??
I've had this long standing issue with not being sure if I had correctly installed all my speakers. I want to know the easiest way (or the best way) to determine the polarity of the speaker wires in my '97 Protege LX.
I thought of using a digital voltmeter to check the polarity, but I am not sure if that's possible. Someone suggested to me the idea, but never explained how it's done. What I did was this -- I take the positive lead of the DMM and hook it up to what I presume is the positive speaker wire, then I hook up the ground lead to the negative speaker wire and if the DMM shows a "+" in front of the voltage reading, then the polarity is correct. If it shows a "-", then I have to reverse the polarity. Does that make sense?
Well, apparently that doesn't work all the time. I tried using this method on my rear speakers and when I tested them, there was almost no bass. Having only one speaker ON gives a lot more bass than having the two of them. Then I reversed the polarity on one of them and the low freq's magically returned.
So, how can I determine the polarity of those damn speaker wires using a voltmeter (or anything else)?
Thanks a lot!
P.S. Where is the Car Audio section of the forum??
#2
Can I use a voltmeter to determine polarity?
Apparently not...
I found this on another forum:
So, does anyone have the colors for those speaker wires?
Is there a way to test for polarity?
Apparently not...
I found this on another forum:
The voltmeter won't be of any use since Alternating Current has no POLARITY.. it only has PHASING. The voltmeter on the AC setting won't give you a + or - indication. AC is constantly changing between positive and negative.
You'd need an Oscilloscope to check the phasing.
You'd need an Oscilloscope to check the phasing.
Is there a way to test for polarity?
#3
Well, if anyone's interested, the speaker wires on the '97 Protege are these:
Front Door (Driver) - Violet (+); Blue/Brown (-)
Front Door (Passenger) - Yellow/Blue (+); Violet/White (-)
Rear Dash (Driver) - Orange(or Brown) (+); Yellow (-)
Rear Dash (Passenger) - Green/Black (+); Green/Brown (-)
Front Door (Driver) - Violet (+); Blue/Brown (-)
Front Door (Passenger) - Yellow/Blue (+); Violet/White (-)
Rear Dash (Driver) - Orange(or Brown) (+); Yellow (-)
Rear Dash (Passenger) - Green/Black (+); Green/Brown (-)
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
nathan rowe
1st Gen Protege/323/GLC
3
September-10th-2002 08:29 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)