10Pcs Brass Insulated Safety Shrouded 4mm Female Banana Plug Jack Socket Solder Cable Connector

I wish I could give it 4.5 Stars because it is almost perfect. As others have said there is no mechanical connection to hold the wire in place so you HAVE to solder the connection. But i disagree with the review that said it would not be a strong connection. I tried to pull off the plug after soldering it and without breaking the wire there is no way it is going to come loose if you did the solder job right. The only issue I had is getting the jackets to completely cover the plug, half of the time there was a ⅛ of an inch that wouldn't be covered completely and it did not seem to matter which color cover, both have this fit issue. I was using them to extend some existing in-wall speaker wire that had factory banana plugs I wanted to keep. I used some shrink tube on each to hold secure the connection so the tiny exposed cover didn't matter in my case. This fits standard audio banana plugs, see photos. I used a Hakko FX-888D at 750 with Kester Leaded Solder 60/40 .031" wire.

I used some of these connectors to rig up a low current draw PC fan to slowly drain NiCad (Nickel-Cadmium) and NiMH (Nickel Metal-Hydride) batteries that I run in some of my hobby grade RC cars and trucks. Said batteries have a few different types of connectors between them all (i.e. Tamiya, Deans, and Traxxas connectors), so directly soldering a battery connector to the fan wasn't an option, since I would have had to fabricate a bunch of adapter leads. However, I do have a battery charger that uses leads to connect the batteries to the charger. One end of the leads has the battery connector, the other end has male banana plugs. I had some male banana plugs but no female ones, and I don't have a crimping tool for banana plugs, so I needed some that I could solder. These fit the bill, so I soldered the fan's lead wires to two of these female banana plugs. This allows me to connect leads I already have to the PC fan, thereby allowing me to connect any one of my NiCad or NiMH batteries. This may not be the most electrically efficient set up, but it saved me a lot of time, and again, the purpose of the PC fan is to slowly drain the batteries. This is more cost effective than having my battery charger turned on to drain the batteries, since the charger runs on AC power. I've connected and disconnected several of my leads to these female plug jacks, and have had no issues, mechanically or electrically with them.

Easy to attach wires: strip approx. 1/2 in, feed the bare end through the back of jack, then solder. You do need to "support" the jack and wire while soldering to maintain "alignment". Like the description instructions, ensure you slip the shroud on the wire BEFORE you solder the wire to the jack! I gave 4 stars because it takes a bit of effort to "seat" the jack in the shroud. Using a "banana plug" WILL NOT help with seating the jack - I had to use a small screwdriver to push the jack into the shroud 1/4" until it locked (you will feel it "lock"). After that, it's VERY SECURE in the shroud. I like the finished assembly as the end of the jack is recessed 1/4" from the shroud end for safety. Banana plugs are easily inserted and are SECURELY HELD by the jack and the outer sleeve of "shrouded" plugs fit nicely over the insulated jack end, ensuring NO POSSIBILITY of "accidental shorts, etc." I DO RECOMMEND these for anyone who wants to make "extension" test leads (jack-to-jack, plug-to-jack).

Good Value...

Works quite well along with their male counterparts. Strong grip, solid connection. Easy to connect and disconnect.

Works great. Would've been nice to know they are not crimp fittings, shattered the first one. But with some flux, solder and a torch lighter you easily have a solid connection. No additional heat shrink required

The fit of the interior metal piece into the plastic housing is WAY to loose. Manufacture the plastic with a much tighter fit. As they are, when you go to pull the male plug from the female in question, the interior pulls right out, you have to hold the wire one the female side to remove the male plug. I really like the idea, just poor engineering.

They're very colorful, good value and quality.

Gauge of material is too light for what was expected