building a 12v trigger cable.

[mike c]

for the life of me, I don't understand why velodyne chose to use bare wire connections for it's sms-1 12v trigger - and then nixed the auto sense feature found in all it's subwoofers.

anyway, here I am trying to build a 12v trigger cable, 1/8" jack on one side, bare wire on the other.

here are my questions:
I think I mistakenly bought a 1/8" stereo jack. (or I might just be confused because there are three connectors inside)

Should I have bought a 1/8" MONO jack?
Can I use this stereo jack?

If I can:
there are three connectors inside, one long one for the body (kinda like for a coaxial cable) and two small ones I'm guessing for the ones where the black bars separate the tip.

to which do I connect the + and - wires?

I plan to connect the 1/8" jack to a 12v trigger output, and the bare wires directly to the sms-1. will I burn something out?

 

[mtrycrafts]

anyway, here I am trying to build a 12v trigger cable, 1/8" jack on one side, bare wire on the other.

here are my questions:
I think I mistakenly bought a 1/8" stereo jack. (or I might just be confused because there are three connectors inside)

Should I have bought a 1/8" MONO jack?
Can I use this stereo jack?

If I can:
there are three connectors inside, one long one for the body (kinda like for a coaxial cable) and two small ones I'm guessing for the ones where the black bars separate the tip.

to which do I connect the + and - wires?

I plan to connect the 1/8" jack to a 12v trigger output, and the bare wires directly to the sms-1. will I burn something out?

You need a 1/8" mono jack, one spacer on it, two wires. Not sure if that stereo will make proper contact. It might but then you'd have to use an instrument to see which one is making contact besides the ground. But I'd figure it is an inexpensive plug, so on your next trip out, get the right one.

If you have an Ohm meter, the - goes to the ground, the long shaft of the plug, not the tip which usually has its internal attachment in the center of the back and the ground on the outside.

Will you burn something out? By doing what, using the bare wire at the sms end? Not if you don't short the wires Use 18ga wire or 20ga. It still has some current in it.

 

[mike c]

thanks, mtrycrafts. yup it's cheap ... but I only go out on weekends.

a second option would be to use an AC to 12v DC adapter and strip the terminal - I just have to figure out which one of those is + and -

 

[adk highlander]

Mike,

You can also use the stereo jack. The trigger input is only using the contact for the mono (left side white wire) when it is connected. I stripped the end and twisted the red and white wire together (again it is only using the left but I did not want the wire unconnected) for the positive connection and the outer wrap wire is the ground. I did not use a meter to check it but it has been working without any problem.

 

[mike c]

thanks adk, I will try either that (tip for positive) or just strip one of my dc adapters ...