I should know the answer to this........

[mjchawks11]

Decided this year to update some of my wiring and was making LOR bought SPT cables on the fly and am having issues with some of my props not lighting.

Using SPT2 wire with SPT2 plugs. 

Shouldn't the action of putting the wire in and sliding the top on make the connections or did I miss a step that I did not know about???

Do I need go through and check every connection?

Thanks in advance!

[Mr. P]

Double check the teeth in the plugs. Sometimes they bend when sliding on the caps and not pierce the wire. I have gotten in the habit of firmly pressing the wire down on the teeth before sliding the caps on.

[mjchawks11]

Thanks Mr. P, 

I guess tomorrow I get to retrace all 32 channels. 

Good thing the Chicago Bears are not so good this year!  :)

[TheDucks]

When you make up the ends.

1) slit between wires about 1/8"

The rib should be on the side with the wide blades barb. (this is a grounded polarity safety thing and will not stop it from working)

2) insert that end into the well at the closed end of the body.  Press in firmly, there is a wedge at the bottom that the slit should fit. Now fold onto the contacts and slide the cover on. 

The rib should be on the side with the wide blades barb. (this is a grounded polarity safety thing and will not stop it from working)

[Orville]

3 hours ago, Mr. P said:

Double check the teeth in the plugs. Sometimes they bend when sliding on the caps and not pierce the wire. I have gotten in the habit of firmly pressing the wire down on the teeth before sliding the caps on.

Absolutely agree with Mr. P on this.  I had the same issues the OP is having with props not lighting, bent teeth or wire didn't get pierced far enough in to make good contact.

So now I do the same as Mr. P and make sure I press the wire down onto the teeth.  If a cap is really difficult to get on, usually means I did not get the wire seated properly. 

Found that if the wire is properly seated, the cap will slide on a bit smoother, but should still have a little friction as it slides on.  But you shouldn't need to have to use a hammer or tool to get it together.  At least I don't, but I did in the past before I learned to do this trick.

Edited November 19, 2023 by Orville

[Steven]

This is for others reading this thread: Don't mix SPT-1 with SPT-2. A SPT-2 plug may initially work with SPT-1 cable, but it will become intermittent. Before you buy anything, decide if you want to go 100% SPT-1 or 100% SPT-2 and stick with your decision.

SPT-2 has thicker insulation than SPT-1. There is no difference in the size of the copper wire. SPT-2 is slightly more durable, bulky, and less flexible.