Smart String Hub - Case

[tng5737]

nice work!   how did you make the mounting brackets for the XBee and transformer?

[bcstuff]

I didn't make the enclosures on pics 4 and 5.
Yeah, I wanted mine to look like the 4th pic, but it failed because I didn't think it through enough and just jumped right into it.
The cool encolsures shown in pic 4 & 5, that was XmasInGalt on DIYC.

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I believe he took cut sections of the vinyl fence post and made them.

P.S. vinyl fence post makes a mess when you cut it.

[taybrynn]

Just brainstorming / prototyping at this point.  I like the $5.xx price and easily availability of this box (HD).

It is a 3gal Rubbermaid Roughneck.

It seems to fit either PS + the SS HUB with room to spare.  I think there would be room to
mount a small board under each, to add strength to each interior mounting platform. 

My worry is how to ventilate and pass wires in/out without compromising too much.

Attached are pictures:  some with my 400W antec PS, some with the 750W corsair ... and comparison of them.

[taybrynn]

Comparison of supplies and their sizes.  Suprisingly, the corsair is very slim for its power.  ANd of course it comes with carry case ... for those who like a nice case for their PS ... lol !!

Looking at all the extra wires included with these power supplies, it makes you wonder if they would make cheap 3 or 4 wire connectors for something, like internally mounted RGB modules in a coroflake or similar.

[bcstuff]

From last year, I just turned mine upside down and ran the wires out the open bottom (actually the top, except its upside down). It didn't sit perfectly flat but the controller was up inside.

I have 2 of those Rubbermaid small containers and it didn't have enough space for me to get stuff mounted and have it far enough away from the ground. Not to mention, are you gonna have enough airflow in there? I liked the quality of those grey containers but small was too small and medium was to big.

I ended up with the cheaper walmart bins, if the sun is going to get to it, I will just replace it. They grey ones i used last years season had no problems and it was in the sun all season.

I wonder how hot my PSU will get under load in a 2 cu ft area?

[mnarel]

Still in prototyping as well, but a thought on venting to add to the general discussion:

I'm looking at building a 3/4"  PVC frame (two rectangles with a straight section between them to create a skeleton that will hold a rubbermaid box off the ground by about 3 inches when inverted over it.  I can then either mount the ATX and Hub to the sides of the rubbermaid as done elsewhere or build on a small raised stand.  Either way, the frame goes on the ground outside, the box inverted over it with the ATX and Hub inside.  The three inch gap allows for free flow of air in and out as well as a path for cables.  Working on system during the season is as simple as flipping over the rubbbermaid.   At the end of the year you can disassemble the PVC frame and store it in the box with the hub, supply, and cat 5 cables, put the lid back on, and stack in the basement.

The three inch gap is too small to allow rain to penetrate to the equipment, or for snow to build up under it.  It's large enough to allow air circulation assisted by the ATX fan.   I think the airflow will be important, as a sealed container that repeatedly heats up and cools down will result in condensation forming  inside.  Without airflow, even if heat build up isn't a problem, you could get damaging humidity levels.   I'll post pics of the test shortly.

Another thought was to build a vertical wood frame (mini hat stand) and attach the ATX to one side of the vertical pole and the hub to the other, then just drop the rubbermaid on the whole thing like a hat.  You'd need to weight down the rubbermaid though or it could blow off.  I'd be a bit worried about water leaching up the wood in this arrangement, but you could still the get the 'hooded' effect of having the rubbermaid off the ground a few inches, and it would require absolutely no holes drilled in the container.  It also benefits from full and easy access to the hub simply by pulling offf the container.

Not totally happy with the concept, but figured I'd add it to the discussion.  Any refinement ideas would be welcome.  I figure if enough people post ideas and pictures a 'best' solution will present itself eventually.

[hbomb341]

Not totally happy with the concept, but figured I'd add it to the discussion.  Any refinement ideas would be welcome.  I figure if enough people post ideas and pictures a 'best' solution will present itself eventually.

I agree - this is the one con for smart string - against normal RJ design process start with a case and work forwards.  Had a solid design but no case.  I am sure there will the "case" for this before to long.

Harrison

[smartcontrols]

For the last few years, For the LE’s on my mega tree, I have used a similar system to what mnarel described in his second choice above. It has worked very well for me with no problems and I think could easily be adapted to the PSU and hub.

I take 2 clip boards and mount an LE on each one with the normal nylon stand offs. I then drill a hole thru 2 PVC ½ inch caps. At both top corners I run a small bolt thru the clip board – the PVC cap – then the other clip board. This makes the clip boards have about a 1-inch gap between them.

I take 2 sections of rebar about 24 inches long and pound them partly into the ground. I slide the clip boards over them and have the top of the rebar go into the PVC cap to hold the clip boards a few inches off the ground.

I than use a clear plastic tub I get from our Big Lots store. They are much like the blue ones in the other pictures but are clear plastic and about the same price. I use the cheep plastic colored table cloths I get from the dollar store and wrap the tubs like a Christmas present. I place the wrapped tub upside down over the controllers like a “hat”. I have left the rebar up just high enough so that it is keeping the bottom of the tub an inch or 2 off the ground. I place a big red bow, I get from Wal Mart on the front of the tub to complete the package look.

In my area I have never had a condensation problem with it. We do get 40 + mph winds and it has not come off yet, but I do worry about it. I was planning on putting a few tent spikes down on the lip section of the tub just to hold it down. Originally I had put a light in the tubs and had them as flashing Christmas presents and part of my show.

It does make it easy to work on and I keep 2 spare controllers already mounted to the clip boards so I could easily just slide them off and change them out if needed. I did take pictures last year but do not know where they are. Will see if I can find some.

Just some more thoughts for you to work with.

-Jeff

[taybrynn]

Cool ideas.  THe simple ones really are compelling.  My only worry is having a PC power supply and SS Hub so exposed to the elements.  I have a habit of accidently dropping stuff ... and into the snow would be bad.

I'm really not worried about moisture / condensation /raide much where I'm at ... and I'll be lucky if any night in December is above 50 F and its really dry cool air at 6500' in CO.

Where I live, I'm not as concerned about it being off the ground, as there isn't much moisture there, even if its snowed ... its a dry snow.  I think as long as the box doesn't have holes in it, that allow the snow in easily, it'll be fine.

Anyways, I was thinking of a 1.5" PVC exhaust and using cheapo 40mm fans (one for air intake, one for air exhaust).  Then using a combination of a PVC elbow and tee on each side (and exterior) to serve as the vented in and out exhaust ports. 

This is one possibility for the 40mm exhaust in/out fan I could use.  Its roughly 1.5" fan.  I could do two SS HUB enclosures (4 fans) for $13.

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I could see each interior 40mm fan plugged into the SS PS (handy) and then mounted onto a small interior mounting board (square) with a 1.5" hole drilled in the middle of it.  That would be attached to the wall of the container.  One of these on either side of the container.  Then with another 1.5" hole in the case, the PVC exhaust ports would be mounted, connected the mounting board with exterior exhaust PVC ... perhaps using something like what you would use on electrical panels when connecting new PVC to them.

I know, probably way too complicated, but just thinking of doing an el-cheapo computer case with good air-in, air-out and very indirect (weatherproof) exhaust ports.  A similar pvc design could be used for the cables in/out ... in a 3rd port ... allow easy cables in/out ... without allowing direct introduction of snow into the enclosure.

[bcstuff]

With temps never higher than 50 and an efficient power supply, I wonder if it would dissipate enough heat through conduction and convection with wind without any ventilation.

Down here in southern Florida and also being near the coast, December at night for me is usually between 65° - 75°F, so I have to be careful.
Also what is that stuff you were talking about "snow", I don't know that term.   

[chrisatpsu]

when you do your enclosures, you could put computer case fans in your underside wall of the inclosure, and add that air flow material between the fan, and the grille, to keep other object from entering the enclosure while keeping cooler air coming in. kinda like, one intake, and one exhaust fan.

[bcstuff]

I just had a thought after reading Chris's post. Maybe that is what he was talking about.

So how bout a storage bin with foam tape around the top edge with the lid on (to seal it).

An intake snorkel, and an exhaust fan/ snorkel. So you only need 1 fan, for that matter if you did it right you would only need the exhaust fan from the PSU connected to exhaust snorkel. The PSU fan would be the case fan.

See my pic but forgive my crude drawing.

[chrisatpsu]

that's a little more than what i thought, but actually a better idea.

the material i was thinking about, is some of the higher end computer cases have a fabric material over the fan, to keep dust out.

i figure a nice warm enclosure outside might attract little crawling things, especially in the warmer climates

[taybrynn]

I like that idea with the snorkels ... I was think snorkels on the outside, but not sure why.

I think using a connector like you would use when connecting PVC to power panel would allow you to hook pvc into the enclosure with just a little stub of pvc sticking into the enclosure.  Then was thinking the small 40mm fan could be epoxied right over the top of that opening and onto the side of enclosure wall ... and for exhaust ... would be blowing out ... and for intake would be blowing in ... or could use passive in.

[taybrynn]

Ive also contemplated a more distributed two-box design, where you might mount the SS HUB in an lower box, and the ATX PS in an upper box (or other way around?) ... connected via. a PVC put for the AT power cable to run through. 
Kind of like a main power panel on a house and a subpanel mounted just below it.  This way the ATX PS could be just weatherproofed and ventilated possibly with just an exhaust on it ... or an intake and exhaust on it ... while the SS Hub would be more isolated from the associated heat issues.  But if the hub also gets hot () then this doesn't make as much sense.