Removing broken cable core from speaker socket (img within!)

[rpguk]

So a heavy painting fell down and on it's way down pulled the aux cables from the back of the stereo. In the process it's sheared off the centre of the terminator and left it within the socket. The fit is tight and I'm struggling to think of a way to get it out without damaging the stereo?

To help explain, the holes normally look a bit like this



And the plug looks like this



It's the 'pin' bit which has come off.

Edited by rpguk on Monday 14th March 18:45

[Toilet Duck]

Is the "pin" hollow? If so could you thread a screw inside it until it bites, then pull the screw out extacting the pin with it?

[Toilet Duck]

Another idea; if the "pin" is hollow, shove some cable into it and solder it on, maybe that would then be strong enough to pull it out?

[TallMark]

My immediate instinct is: there's a screw right there, I wonder what happens if I undo that...

NB: no liability accepted for potentially damaging your expensive stereo kit

[AndyQuattro]

unplug from mains! and have a look inside, a lot of the time these connectors are hollow and you may be able to push the out from the inside.
Have fun.

[Jazoli]

TallMark said:

My immediate instinct is: there's a screw right there, I wonder what happens if I undo that...

NB: no liability accepted for potentially damaging your expensive stereo kit

All the screw is doing is holding the board with the plugs in it onto the speaker case

[rpguk]

Pin isn't hollow unfortunately - I think it's just coated at the end.

The board covers the whole back of the system - a good thought and if all else fails I could try and replace the socket - but I'd prefer not to right now.

[Meeja]

Undoing that screw would do you no favours.

Is there anything that a pair of needle-nose pliers can grip onto?

If not, a tiny drill bit, followed by a small self-tapper, and then extract with a pair of pliers.

Apart from that, you need to crack the speaker casing open - which with many domestic speaker systems is easier said than done.

(I speak from experience, having just changed the crappy spring connectors on eight sets of LG home theatre speakers to 1/4 inch jacks!)

[Simpo Two]

Someone installed that panel of phono sockets, so it must be possible to get in and fix a new one/s. Rapid, Maplin etc.

[Meeja]

Hang on - from another look at the photo, that of course isn't the speaker

It is the Hi-Fi unit.

usually great fun to take apart, and less fun to put back together!

Unplug from mains - try and remove the cover

Find the socket on the inside, and use a poke-ometer to push the plug back out.

Patience will be your friend!

[Globs]

Otherwise a small explosive charge inside the case may force the pins back out again, just keep the amounts small.

[tdm34ds]

You could alway take off and nuke it from orbit, just to be sure.......

[singlecoil]

That will be solder in the pin, if you have a soldering iron then get a piece of copper wire (earth wire from TW&E is good) heat the pin with the solder gun, insert the wire when it melts, when it sets, pull it out and the pin will come with it.

No solder gun, try something long and sharp, and red hot, might well work

[Simpo Two]

Meeja said:

Unplug from mains - try and remove the cover

Find the socket on the inside, and use a poke-ometer to push the plug back out.

And if there are any large capacitors, don't touch them.

singlecoil said:

if you have a soldering iron then get a piece of copper wire (earth wire from TW&E is good) heat the pin with the solder gun, insert the wire when it melts, when it sets, pull it out and the pin will come with it.

Clever!

[Mr Pointy]

Simpo Two said:

Meeja said:

Unplug from mains - try and remove the cover

Find the socket on the inside, and use a poke-ometer to push the plug back out.

And if there are any large capacitors, don't touch them.

singlecoil said:

if you have a soldering iron then get a piece of copper wire (earth wire from TW&E is good) heat the pin with the solder gun, insert the wire when it melts, when it sets, pull it out and the pin will come with it.

Clever!

Yeah, right up until the point where the solder flows out & permanently seals the pin into the socket or the wire falls off the connector inside.

The very fine drill followed by self tapper is the best idea so far if you can't take the lid off the unit to get at the inside.

[Globs]

rpguk said:

This reminds me, I have an old Aux player I need to get going again!

[mrsxllifts]

Hmm, thinking suction? Could you get a solder sucker on it? How about fine tweezers, eyebrow or model type? Cotton bud with 'fluff' removed, they're hollow, so you may be able to get it round in? If that's solder on the end, get a very fine tip on a soldering iron, touch till it flows, don't add more solder, keep tip on pin, turn off iron, wait til it all solidifiys then pull it out. Is the end flatish? Tiny, tiny amout of super glue on rigid flat ended item (1.5mm wire?) Touched on til it goes off? Just a few ideas?

[MOTORVATOR]

RCA Phono Socket. You might be lucky if you open it up to be able to poke it through from the other side but normaly the centre cable will be soldered dead centre and you can't get past.

Desolder the centre cable and you will. If you're worried that you might damage it then don't as you can buy a new one for a quid.

[singlecoil]

Mr Pointy said:

Simpo Two said:

Meeja said:

Unplug from mains - try and remove the cover

Find the socket on the inside, and use a poke-ometer to push the plug back out.

And if there are any large capacitors, don't touch them.

singlecoil said:

if you have a soldering iron then get a piece of copper wire (earth wire from TW&E is good) heat the pin with the solder gun, insert the wire when it melts, when it sets, pull it out and the pin will come with it.

Clever!

Yeah, right up until the point where the solder flows out & permanently seals the pin into the socket or the wire falls off the connector inside.

Solder isn't that runny, if he has the copper wire ready the idea has as good a chaance of working as any of the others that have been suggested, espcially as self tapping screws at that diameter are not easy to come by.

[Mr Pointy]

singlecoil said:

Mr Pointy said:

Simpo Two said:

Meeja said:

Unplug from mains - try and remove the cover

Find the socket on the inside, and use a poke-ometer to push the plug back out.

And if there are any large capacitors, don't touch them.

singlecoil said:

if you have a soldering iron then get a piece of copper wire (earth wire from TW&E is good) heat the pin with the solder gun, insert the wire when it melts, when it sets, pull it out and the pin will come with it.

Clever!

Yeah, right up until the point where the solder flows out & permanently seals the pin into the socket or the wire falls off the connector inside.

Solder isn't that runny, if he has the copper wire ready the idea has as good a chaance of working as any of the others that have been suggested, espcially as self tapping screws at that diameter are not easy to come by.

It might not be that runny in a lump but it moves very quickly by capillary action between two surfaces in contact. it's true that the surfaces of the pin & socket may not be particularly clean but it's a real risk. You've no idea if the pin is solid or if there is a gap which would allow solder to flow out of the bucket it's in.

Going any where near this with a soldering iron should be a last resort in the knowledge that if it goes wrong the pin will in there permanently.