Banana Plugs and Test Leads: Reliable Connections

What Is a Banana Plug?

A banana plug (often called a 4 mm plug) is a single-wire connector with a
spring-loaded contact that expands inside a matching socket. This gives you a snug,
low-resistance electrical connection that’s easy to plug in and unplug as needed.

Because they simply push into a socket, banana plugs are ideal anywhere wiring
needs to be flexible and reconfigurable – for example:

• Connecting power supplies to experiment boards and circuit kits
• Linking multimeters and other test instruments to circuits under test
• Running safe, low-voltage classroom experiments
• Wiring speakers and audio amplifiers with neat, reliable terminations

Featured Banana Plug Test Leads & Accessories

Here are some of the key banana-plug products available from Wiltronics, and how
they fit into your lab or workshop.

Don’t Forget the Sockets

To complete the system, you can mount 4 mm banana sockets directly on
panels, project boxes or lab equipment. For example, insulated safety styles
are ideal for school power supplies and front-panel connections where exposed
metal needs to be minimised.

4 mm Banana Socket – Insulated Safety Type with 6.3 mm Spade

for secure, colour-coded panel mounting.

Banana Socket 4 mm Panel Mount

for general-purpose equipment, test jigs and custom enclosures.

Where Banana Plugs Are Used

STEM Classrooms & School Labs

Banana plug test leads are a staple in physics and electronics labs. They let
students quickly and safely connect power supplies, meters, resistors, lamps
and other components while focusing on the underlying science – not on fiddly
wiring. Colour-coded leads also help teachers explain polarity and circuit
layout at a glance.

Electronics Workbenches & Service Benches

Technicians and hobbyists rely on banana plug leads when prototyping circuits,
checking power rails, or measuring voltage and current. Stackable plugs make
it easy to add instruments into a circuit without rewiring, while premium
leads handle regular flexing and movement around the bench.

Audio & Speaker Wiring

For speakers and amplifiers with 4 mm binding posts, banana plugs provide
a neat, reliable way to connect speaker cable. Gold-plated plugs help maintain
good contact over time, and the red/black colour coding keeps channel wiring
clear and consistent.

Safety Tips & Best Practice

• Use shrouded and insulated banana plug
  test leads in school labs or whenever you’re working with higher voltages.
• Always match plug and socket ratings (voltage and current) to your
  application, especially in teaching laboratories and industrial environments.
• Keep leads untangled and inspect them regularly for damage to insulation or
  connectors. Replace worn leads promptly.
• For clearer troubleshooting, use consistent colour coding (for example:
  red = positive, black = negative, other colours for signal lines).

Explore the Full Banana Plug Range at Wiltronics

Whether you’re equipping a new STEM lab, refreshing worn test leads on the
bench, or wiring up an audio system, Wiltronics has a banana plug solution to
suit. From everyday stackable leads to safety-shrouded designs, right-angle
plugs, sockets and gold-plated audio connectors, you’ll find everything you
need in one place.

Browse the complete range of banana plugs, sockets and test leads here:

www.wiltronics.com.au/product-category/banana-plugs-sockets/