Odd wiring. How many ohms is this cab?

cyprus · #1 05-20-2011, 01:07 AM

I apologize in advance, not sure if this is the right forum or not.

A few days ago I went with my guitarists to pick up a used guitar cab with upgraded speakers. We plugged it in and everything sounded great. When asked how many ohms the cab was, the guy said he had no idea.

I figured I'd have to open it up later and check.

Fast forward to today, I open it up, and realized I had no idea how this thing works. I've got a basic understanding of series and parallel wiring, but this thing just dumbfounded me. I looked up a bunch schematics, and this didn't seem to fit any of the most common wiring options.

I know ohms questions are pretty common, and I've researched all day, I just haven't been able to find this configuration, it seems pretty odd to me.
All the speakers are 8 ohms, and seem to be wired in series. Speaker 1&2 are wired in series together, speaker 1&3 are in series, as are 2&4. Speaker 3&4 are not wired together at all.
If all 4 are in series, am I safe in assuming the total ohms are 32?

Here's a diagram to help.

cyprus · #2 05-20-2011, 01:08 AM

Again, I admit to not having the greatest grasp on all of this. I'm still pretty new to all of this and am still learning, so please don't be too harsh.

uhdinator · #3 05-20-2011, 01:18 AM

That's series so 4 x8 =32 ohm.

You could wire each pair in series and parallel the 2 pairs and make it 8 ohms total.

http://www.rocketroberts.com/techart/spk_wire.htm

Plstrns · #4 05-20-2011, 01:18 AM

Correct, that's series and it's 32 ohms if all speakers are 8 ohms. You could rewire it series/ parallel for 8 ohms.

Wow, I bet my post would be first if I didn't have to repair my wireless connection.

cyprus · #5 05-20-2011, 01:34 AM

Ooh... Awesome. Thanks so much for the replies.
I'm both happy and sad to know I was right. Happy because it means I am somewhat getting this

, and sad because I'm the one that has to take the time to rewire the cab.

Before actually opening it up, we thought it was 16 ohms, and were using it as such because that's what the previous owner was doing. Would continued use harm the head? It's an all tube Peavey that goes to 16 ohms. (I pretty much know the answer to this, but figured I'd ask.)

Plstrns · #6 05-20-2011, 01:44 AM

If the head still works, it wasn't a problem. Rewiring is a piece of cake, don't use it until it's been done.

Bassdirty · #7 05-20-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyprus

I looked up a bunch schematics, and this didn't seem to fit any of the most common wiring options.....

I've researched all day, I just haven't been able to find this configuration, it seems pretty odd to me....

Glad you got the answers..
But I gotta wonder..How could you NOT find this wiring after researching all day?

I'm just teasing... (But,Really it didn't take much of a search to find it.)