Installing a potentiometer/volume control
 

I brought a speaker from home to add a dispatch radio speaker to my office. I took a volume control/potentiometer from an existing speaker in the firehouse and put it inline to the speaker brought from home. As a volume control, it does lower the volume, but it is still to loud. The speaker I added is from an old DVD surround system. I am not technically knowledgable in this area. Is there something I can do to get this volume lower? Thank you for your help!!

What you need to do this properly is an L-pad.

This page might help:
L-PADS

Thank you! I'll look into them!!

From what I'm reading, it seems that I could ruin the amplifier for this dispatch radio if I choose the wrong "L-Pad. Is a real concern? If so, how do I find out how many ohms or watts etc. for the correct L-Pad?
Thank you!

Sounds like a small speaker you have at home so you probably could use a small variable L-Pad like the ones in the link. I would think even the 15W would do. Hook it up as they show you and not as a simple variable resistor and you should be fine.

Does the pot you have from the other speaker have 2 connection tabs or 3? If it has 3, you already have an L-pad. Hook up is easy. I'll see if I can find a diagram. If you amp accepts a 4 ohm load and you have 8 ohms speakers in parallel you're fine, just get an 8 ohm L-Pad.

http://www.parts-express.com/wizards...AT&srchCat=196

Hook-up here:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=L-Pad...BMX4igKVv4DYCw

The Pot I am using has 3 connection tabs. Looking at the diagram, I can see what may be the problem. I am only using 2 of the connections, and I have it wired in line, like an on/off switch.
To make the wire run easier, I connected to an existing speaker on the same floor. Is there an easy way to tell which side is positive on the existing speaker? (Does it matter?) I don't recall seeing a plus sign on the strip I connected to. I just spliced onto the existing leads. Does this make a difference on the hookup to the L-Pad, since it is going back to the existing speaker and not the amp?
Thank you!!

No, the polarity shouldn't matter.

Keri is right, it doesn't matter if you have only one speaker. If you are curious, you can use a AA battery (or any 1.5V) and hook it up. Whichever terminal gives you outward cone motion when connected to the + on the battery, is the + on the speaker.

Thanks for the help guys!! I really appreciate it! I go back to work tomorrow, and I'll work on your advise.

Thanks guys!!! It works.