Cable Management

[Aeseir]

Hi guys,

I am trying to fix up my current setup and make it...cleaner and efficient looking if that even makes sense.

Currently i have 1001 cables running around which can make life difficult to say the least.

My biggest concern around cables are my 3 major (and very long for some reason) power cables (mount, usb hub, heating).

I'm trying find out how others have fixed up their cabling issues (more leaning towards non fixed setups as i got a mobile mount not a pier), or if anyone has links to good sites that demonstrate ways to manage them.

Appreciate the assistance.

[Carbon Brush]

Take a look at 'cable eater' type of spiral wrap. It comes in a variety of sizes. The big benefit of spiral wrap is that you can tidy the cables in situ.

where cable eaters win is the speed of application, and removal for the extra cable, compared to standard spiral wrap.

This link

http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-connectors/cableater-20m-slit-harness-wrap-25mm-04-5805

shows the type of product from a UK supplier.

The manufacturer (Richco) sells worldwide through distributors. They make various size/colour options.

Hope this helps. David..

[Kropster]

If find the cable eaters great. You can more or less apply to cables in situ...only a little bit of slack needed to get the tool on and off.

Very easy to remove or pull out a cable.

[glowjet]

+1 for David`s suggestion of cable eaters.

[Starlight 1]

I like the idear of tidy cables, but My concern is if one cable start to pull so do all the rest so you may kill 3 or 4 bits of kit in one go  not good.

[Kropster]

I like the idear of tidy cables, but My concern is if one cable start to pull so do all the rest so you may kill 3 or 4 bits of kit in one go  not good.

The cables aren't held too tightly...they are free to move a little as long as they aren't over packed.... so only 1 cable will get ripped.

[Aeseir]

Appreciate the idea David, i use that already for part of my setup.

I guess my biggest problem are the power cables, i am thinking of spooling them into a wheel and then attaching to mount, but was advised that induction may be a problem.

Now having done some research, induction shouldn't be a problem at the amounts i am drawing (12V DC adapters on each, at 7.5 amp max, combined 3 power cables is 19.5 amps).

What are your thoughts on this guys?

[Kropster]

I would think induction might be a minor problem if you had the mount passing through the centre of a large number of coils of cable....but otherwise it will be negligible.

[Alien 13]

As a general rule it is wise to keep power cables and signal cables in seperate bundles.

Alan

[Carbon Brush]

As a general rule it is wise to keep power cables and signal cables in seperate bundles.

Alan

Definitely! Fast voltage transients on power lines can easily couple to USB cables and the like, causing data corruption or port shutdown.

Coiling power cables (mains or 12V) does not cause any problems with cable inductance, or magnetic (inductive) coupling energy into other wiring. The simple reason being the two core power cable means you have equal and opposite current flow in the cores. Therefore no resultant magnetic field.

There is though a potential problem with cable resistance when coiling power leads. Any cable resistance causes voltage drop. Hence all the effort we put into thick and short wires for power runs, to minimise voltage drop.

Often not realised is that the resistance results in cable heating as well as voltage drop.

Volts dropped in the cable x amps flowing = watts heating.

Mains extension cables often have a rating that is subject to the full length being unwound.

An unwound cable can easily lose heat to it's surroundings.

A wound cable just gets hot as the plastic insulation and reel body are good thermal insulators.

Try running an extension cable mostly wound with a heavy load and you will see what I mean.

Just don't send me the bill for the wrecked wire! Melted PVC insulation is a common cause of extension lead failure.

To get the heating into context. If your power cable drops only 1volt and there is 10 amps flowing, that is 10watts of heat generated.

Try getting hold of a car 6W sidelight, or 21W brake light bulb to get a feel - actually a good burn.

10 watts will heat 1Kg of copper wire in a thermally insulated power lead by 1 deg Centigrade every 40 seconds.

This does not sound much. Until you think that means 90C rise in an hour, assuming the heat has nowhere to escape.

Just some shocking truths about electricity!

David.

[Kropster]

Agree about the heating.

I've melted the core windings of a mains reel by using unwound with an angle grinder.