Hello, I'm almost done with a project, a rechargable LED flashlight/nightlamp. I want it to be and look neat, so charging it with alligator clips each time doesn't looks good. My idea was using an earphone jack female connector salvaged from an old discman, and using some earphone male jack as the other side. The earphone has 2 plastic-covered wires, when I cut them each wire has 3 little wires: a solid copper wire, a colored (probably enameled), and something that looked like sewing thread, very thin and white.

When I was checking the connections with the jack connected, it appears that all connections arent working. I thought that it was because the enameled (which were connected via aligator clips) weren't working because its insulated.

If I'm correct, then how should I do to use the enameled wire, would soldering it melts the enamel and allows a good connection?

 

With some types of enamel you can heat it to remove it, but the best way is just to scrape it with a knife or something similar. As for the sewing thread, i think there should be another wire buried inside the bundle somewhere.

 

Note that some jacks short the 2 connections as the jack is put in place. This could short the power supply and may result in unfortunate consequences.

 

I use fire and then fine sandpaper on enamelled wire.
Perhaps both the enamelled wires are common (ground).
The white thread might be a stripping aid, I've seen similar in telephone cables, if you pull it to the side it cuts through the sheath.

 

I would not use that type of wire for a power connection. Shorts/broken wires,etc.. happen EASILY on that stuff. I would use typical barrel jack (center positive) connectors and associated wire.. Just cut one off an old wall wart.