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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: currygoat11 on November 09, 2004, 06:23:52 pm

Title: Power cord / grommet question
Post by: currygoat11 on November 09, 2004, 06:23:52 pm
well, I drilled a 3/8" hole in the back of my cab and that's where the AC power cord is exiting...picture:

http://home.comcast.net/~currygoat55/cab/IMG_4668s.jpg

question is:

is there anything I can do to make it look more professional? Like some type of grommet or washer or something? Lowes didn't have anything thick enough for the wood. What about a metal plate with a hole in the middle to make it look nice?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, it's not a huge big deal, but just something I wanted to ask about...!
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: Minwah on November 09, 2004, 06:33:14 pm
What I did was use a mains 'chassis socket', and then a separate power lead (just a PC/PC monitor one).

You can just about see mine here:
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: solfood on November 09, 2004, 06:33:59 pm
I just bought a cable grommet from Staples.  They're available from here:

http://www.cableorganizer.com/desk-grommet/

It looks pretty cool.
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: JustMichael on November 09, 2004, 06:43:00 pm
You can put a blank metal face plate (like the ones on light switches but with no hole) on there and drill a hole for the strain relief device and the cord OR you might want to get a flat square piece of metal (such as from one of Radio Shack project boxes (http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F002%5F012%5F000&Page=1) and flush mount it (chisel a little wood out so that the metal sits even with the wood's surface).  You can paint either one whatever color you like (screws too!) or use a woodgrain vinyl over them.  If you do either one, drill the hole in the wood large enough that the strain relief device and cord fit through the wood easily.  The hole in the metal will need to be smaller of course.
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: currygoat11 on November 09, 2004, 08:39:04 pm
What do you guys think of this??

http://www.trianglecables.com/pcpowtoacdua.html

I could drill out a small rectangle, and install it from the inside of the cab, and secure it by running a piece of plastic or something along the inside crevice of the adapter itself to the inside wall of the cabinet to prevent the adapter from being pushed inside the cab...

As long as the cable I connect to it is sufficient enough to handle the current of 3 components (computer,monitor,subwoofer) it should work?
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: danny_galaga on November 09, 2004, 11:34:48 pm
What I did was use a mains 'chassis socket', and then a separate power lead (just a PC/PC monitor one).

You can just about see mine here:

same here. nice n tidy, and you can take the cord off when youre moving the cab around
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: currygoat11 on November 10, 2004, 12:15:28 am
Can I pick up one of these chassis sockets at a Lowes or Home Depot?  
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: SteveJ34 on November 10, 2004, 12:30:10 am
Similar to the connector you posted, I stole/hacked the extra AC male adaptor off the back of an old AT power supply, fashioned a mounting hole using drlll and dremel, and mounted that to back of cab.
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: somunny on November 10, 2004, 02:29:52 am
currygoat,

Try Grainger or McMaster-Carr for the socket.  At the moment, I can't remember which one I ordered mine from.

(http://uploads.bestupload.com/redir/2871.jpg)

Coop
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: Minwah on November 10, 2004, 07:13:03 am
Similar to the connector you posted, I stole/hacked the extra AC male adaptor off the back of an old AT power supply, fashioned a mounting hole using drlll and dremel, and mounted that to back of cab.

That's basically what I did...but used the socket from a new Zalman PSU which I didn't need the socket on (I added a line socket & short length of cable to it).
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: currygoat11 on November 10, 2004, 10:52:51 am
Thanks for the great replies!!; I visted both Grainger and McMaster-Carr websites and I cannot locate this part!  Any ideas on what search text to type?  Argh =)

Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: Minwah on November 10, 2004, 10:55:27 am
Thanks for the great replies!!; I visted both Grainger and McMaster-Carr websites and I cannot locate this part!  Any ideas on what search text to type?  Argh =)

How about Radio Shack?  I would think it is just called a 'mains socket'.  Usually (in the UK at least) 'chassis' just refers to a type of connector designed to be mounted on/in something, as opposed to on the end of a cable.
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: crashwg on November 10, 2004, 11:08:21 am
I got the same exact thing as Somunny at mouser.

Here's a link to their catalog http://www.mouser.com/catalog/620/706.pdf (http://www.mouser.com/catalog/620/706.pdf)
That's not the page the thing I got was on but it's arround there somewhere and a great starting place.
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: currygoat11 on November 10, 2004, 05:18:55 pm
I believe I found it at:

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/620/712.pdf

Item "D"

!!!
Title: Re:Power cord / grommet question
Post by: somunny on November 10, 2004, 09:18:46 pm
Looks like a winner!