DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx Express => Topic started by: memphislights on March 03, 2009,
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I am used to the LOR equipment and having strain relief.
I was at Lowes and priced out parts.
Aluminum angle stock
8' gets you 12x 8" pieces
2" , 1/16" thick for $18.97
1.5", 1/16" thick for 14.97 or 15.97?
# cords NM/SE Connector Size Single Unit Cost Bulk Cost/Quantity
16 SPT-2 1" $1.44 N/A
11 SPT-2 3/4" .87 $.46/50
6 SPT-2 3/8" .38 .26/100
8 18AWG 1" 1.44 N/A
4 18AWG 3/4" .87 .46/50
2 18AWG 1/2" .38 .26/100
2 16AWG 1/2" .38 .26/100
So, for SPT-2 output cords, and 2x 16AWG input cords
Aluminum Angle 2" $1.60
1" NM/SE 1.44
1/2" NM/SE .38
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Total 3.42
So, for 18AWG output cords, and 2x 16AWG input cords
Aluminum Angle 2" $1.60
1" NM/SE 2x 1.44
1/2" NM/SE .38
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Total 4.86
If anyone is interested, I'll try and post some pics after I get one cut and drilled.
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I have found that while not near as fancy, if you run the cords through the foam and then leaving 1 1/2 inch slack so the cords make a s turn a little to the pcb you can take the bundle of four cords coming out of a hole and tie wrap them using the really big tie wraps against the foam rubber. Now it is not going to keep you form pulling them out if you were wanting to but a little trip on the wires in the yard will not put the strain on the pcb. What you are doing is more secure. But they are tight enough in there with that to make me comfortable.
RJ
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I should have my cases tomorrow, but I'll ask now.
I am paranoid, so I like the extra protection.
If I do not go with the angle bracket, is the case pretty rigid at the bottom? If it is rigid enough, I would still want to use the NM/SE connector. I could probably us a piece of straight aluminum to reinforce the bottom though.
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I didn't use any reinforcement last year and had no issues.
Ron
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Last year I just used cable ties inside the case.
Between each exit hole there is a plastic finger inside the case. I just pulled a little slack in the wires entering the enclosure and using a pair of 4" ties (interlocking/intertwined them, one around the plastic finger the other around the group of wires entering a given hole) cinched them up to the finger nearest. On the left most side where I brought in the source power cords I drilled a convenient sized hole in the plastic fin (bigger than the fingers on the other side) to loop the tie through and tied the source cords in a similar fashion with interlocked 4" cable ties.
Clear as mud? Worked great for me and I plan on doing the same with my new LEs this year.
Greg
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The cases are rigid but not as much as aluminum as you might imagine. I'm curious,... I have used RJ's method in the past but not being used to LOR, perhaps a picture would help me to understand what kind of strain relief you're used to.
Thanks
Leon
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What the heck is LOR?
steve
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LOR is for people that dont want to do it yourself, the kits come prebuilt and are extremely expensive. But basically the same thing as what we are using accept it doesnt allow light normalization.
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What the heck is LOR?
steve
I think it stands for "Lights On Rich" or was it "Loaded Obviously Required"
Just Kidding
Its Lights O Rama
Basically a guy that design some boards at home and then was building and selling them from his home. Then later he created a company to sell them.
Well I think that is how it happened.
Rick R.
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On the left-hand side of the picture, you'll see the strain relief. It is pretty strong, and no chance of accidentally pulling a cord out . You have to be pretty deliberate. We usually carrying the enclosures by the cords.
http://store.lightorama.com/ctkitcpa.html (http://store.lightorama.com/ctkitcpa.html)
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Wow, I haven't noticed a need but you never can tell what can happen if someone were to trip. Here's a copy of a beta testing video for the Freestyle. It is the enclosure in question. You can see that with the foam insert it is weatherproof and although there is no strain relief such as in your picture, there is room enough to add what you desire. :)
Leon
http://media.putfile.com/Freestyle-Test-50
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I got my cases today, and I decided to put them together and use cable ties to "lock" the cords in place as others have suggested. It was alot sturdier that I thought it would be. So, for now, I have dropped the idea of needing the additional strain relief.
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You guys dont have that much extension cord for someone to trip over do you? ::)
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Like alot of things, I changed my mind.
I went on and drilled a case for 2x 1" NM/SE connectors. I just drilled the bottom of the case, and I think that it is rigid enough for what I need. I just wanted to post a couple of pictures of it. I am planning to use 16x of the iofast female cords instead of the SPT-2 extension cords for the cases that I am building.
The picture doesn't show a 1/2" NM/SE connector that I will be adding for the 2x 16AWG power cords.
The only thing that I am going to change for the rest of the cases is that I am going to drill the 1" holes more towards the left/right sides of the cases and drill the input 1/2" hole in the middle.
Right now the case is empty, but I swung it around by the cords a few times, and it felt nice and strong.
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Like alot of things, I changed my mind.
I went on and drilled a case for 2x 1" NM/SE connectors. I just drilled the bottom of the case, and I think that it is rigid enough for what I need. I just wanted to post a couple of pictures of it. I am planning to use 16x of the iofast female cords instead of the SPT-2 extension cords for the cases that I am building.
The picture doesn't show a 1/2" NM/SE connector that I will be adding for the 2x 16AWG power cords.
The only thing that I am going to change for the rest of the cases is that I am going to drill the 1" holes more towards the left/right sides of the cases and drill the input 1/2" hole in the middle.
Right now the case is empty, but I swung it around by the cords a few times, and it felt nice and strong.
The connectors look good. Should be good and strong! I went with the wire tie as a strain relief route.
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Here is a pic of a completed 3 wire female outs, with a common ground.
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Very professional looking. You sure this is your 1st time? LOL ;D
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Not if you count the 3 or 4 LOR PC units that I just connected cords for.
I am still figuring out the process. It is still taking a long time to get it right.
Here is the short list of steps.
Stripping back and extra 2 inches of insulation on the cords. (done ahead of time)
Twisting and snipping extra wire on the 3 leads.
Crimping the ring connector for the ground.
Cutting and then grinding the "fingers" so that the clamps will be able to screw in tight.
Getting the 3 holes drilled for the clamps.
Drilling and mounting the ground post.
Squeezing 8 fat 16 gauge cords into a 1" hole twice. Baby powder works wonders here.
Screwing down the wires seems to take the longest for me since I get paranoid about the wire not coming out. The connector does not seem to hold the wire tight unless I feel like I am overtightening it. That is the other reason that I felt that I needed the strain relief.
My first LE that I added the strain relief to is a ugly, but I made it work since I don't really want to redo it. The picture was my second attempt.
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memphislights,
I liked the way you set up your LE's cords.
Attached is an image of my LE.
Thanks,
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Pretty :)
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memphislights,
I liked the way you set up your LE's cords.
Attached is an image of my LE.
Thanks,
Nice
Bill
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memphislights,
I liked the way you set up your LE's cords.
Attached is an image of my LE.
Thanks,
It looks like the upper or right (depending on how you look at it) incoming neutral wire was nicked when you stripped the outer jacket off. It looks like I can see copper amongst the white on that wire. The black might be the same way, but I can't tell for sure. It probably would not be a big deal, but I would put some electrical tape on it none-the-less just for thoroughness. Could be the picture, but thought I would bring it up. Can't be too careful.
Looks super nice by the way.
-Keith
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Very nice!
Can I ask what the purpose of hooking all the safetys together is for?
Normal if it was a metal case and they were all tied to it I could see it.
RJ
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I connected all of my grounds together for 3 reasons.
1. just in case.
2. it shouldn't hurt anything.
3. didn't want to cut and heat shrink 216 cords (this was a wash since I crimped 216 cords)