Cable Management

[solwisesteve]

Not been at this lark all that long but I've quickly learnt that sensible routing of the umpteen cables required for a scope setup is a constant worry/nightmare. I got a new ZWO camera yesterday so this triggered another 2 hours session in the evening trying to work out the best way to run the multiple power (3) and USB (3) and focuser cables ? This must be fourth or fifth time I've tackled this issue and I'm sure it's not the last! One of the problems seems to be guarding against the cables wrapping around the tripod/pier. I've now grouped my cables (using spiral wrap) into those for the scope and those for the mount which, I think, is the best idea I can come up with (at the moment). So any way I got to thinking and I might have come up with a novel idea. What about the cables coming from above? So you have an arm that comes overhead. Fix arm to a post set a suitable distance away (so you don't trip/walk into it); I'm thinking of using one of those bases used for outdoor brollies (you could always counterbalance the cable/equipment arm if required and the post could be easily setup and moved around if one particular direction causes a problem). Arm is at a suitable height to avoid you or the scope hitting it and enough reach to be over the scope/mount. Cables hang down to the rig. In my case I'd fit the mini-PC on the arm or post so the only cables going to the post would be power (and a lan cable... undecided whether to use wifi or a lan cable at the moment). I thought of this after considering the cables that are used in factories and workshops etc.... often the cables drop down from overhead. I had a similar setup for compressed air in my own garage.

Now I know there's going to be the issue of the post being in the line of sight but, in my case, fit the post in the northerly direction and it wouldn't be an issue (I have a tree that way anyway). Also the arm might cause a small field of view issue but it's only in a small line right overhead so, again, a minimal issue and make it so it can swing back and forth and you can easily move it out of the way - actually making it free to swivel sounds a good idea anyway to allow more free movement. So this won't completely fix the problem of cables snagging but it sounds like a big step towards tidying them up.

Opinions please ?

[pete_l]

1 hour ago, solwisesteve said:

I've now grouped my cables (using spiral wrap) into those for the scope and those for the mount

I have a similar opinion about cables. They seem to be the single cause of tracking "going funny" during an imaging session. They only have to shift their position by a small amount to alter the drag they place on the mount. And if they slide, then the impulse they send through to one axis of the other can spoil an image.

I also tried grouping them together with spiral wrap. But I gave up on this as it made the bundle too stiff. I prefer to have many flexible cables running together than one thicker bundle that needs more force to "flex".

What I do now is to have all the cables inside a woven outer sleeve. One that is wider than the cable bundle. Each cable is free to move (they aren't tied together) within the sleeve and the sleeve is attached to the mount in a couple of places. That both stops the cables from sliding as the mount slews and keeps any one of them from snagging.
So far it seems to be successful.

[solwisesteve]

I tried the woven outer sleeve and I might go back to that. I agree the spiral wrap is quite stiff and I do worry about that.

[SnakeyJ]

I tried spiral wrap, but it is stiff and a pain to change the harness when you want to change scopes or image train.    I just brought a roll of velcro and tie cables together every 6-8".    The whole loom gets supported and tied in around the pier below the mount and all the cables running to the scope are secured to the mid point of the dovetail/cradle, with sufficient slack for slewing, but not too much to snag!    It's much easier to add/remove cables to the loom.   I also try to bundle the power and usb/serial cables separately - though not too obsessively

[JamesF]

I've heard Velcro "One-Wrap" recommended for tying cables together.  It has "hooks" on one side and "loops" on the other so it fixes to itself and can be bought on large rolls (up to 25m I think) so you can just cut off the length you need.

James

[SnakeyJ]

31 minutes ago, JamesF said:

I've heard Velcro "One-Wrap" recommended for tying cables together.  It has "hooks" on one side and "loops" on the other so it fixes to itself and can be bought on large rolls (up to 25m I think) so you can just cut off the length you need.

James

That's the stuff!  I get mine from work, but identical to this:

https://www.hookandloopfasteners.co.uk/fasteners/velcro-brand-one-wrap-black-10mm-wide.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwgYPZBRBoEiwA2Xeupbty4cG0kJqhp5ylNyCbtXL5VUCfFpOhQz3gfa_u45QsaULk_xq7OhoCHvcQAvD_BwE

[JamesF]

I also have some ready-made ties from the same material.  They have a "slot" in one end to feed the other end through which means they can be looped around one cable and won't fall off, which I guess would make them less likely to be lost in the dark.

James

[Muzz]

Hi Folks,

I was watching these videos on Youtube yesterday.

Unsure if of any interest but thought I would share

Thanks,

Murray

 

[solwisesteve]

So are we saying going for an overhead cable system is just making it too complicated and not necessary if more care is taken with cable routing? It just seems that when ever I get the scope to slew it always wants to go the route which means the cables get tangled ?

[Grierson]

Best approach perhaps is not to have too many cables! One 12v supply split as required at the mount. One dara cable to a hub again on the mount. I appreciate many dislike hubs but I’ve yet to have a problem (so far)

[solwisesteve]

So I set about replacing the spiral cable wrap with the braided wrap which I still had in a box. Then I remembered another reason why I changed from using it.... it keeps on unweaving all the time ? Threaded the cables through and I now have 4 inches unwoven at the ends of the braiding ? Is there a version of this stuff that doesn't unravel?

[Horwig]

20 minutes ago, solwisesteve said:

I now have 4 inches unwoven at the ends of the braiding ? Is there a version of this stuff that doesn't unravel?

I cut the end square with scissors, and then melt the ends of the weave with a match, that holds a lot of them together, then fold the end back inside the tube, and tie with a cable tie.

I have my cables grouped, mount in one loom, cameras and scope in another, looms fixed with the usual velcro ties so they don't shift during the night.

 

Huw

[solwisesteve]

Cheers... I wondered about fusing the ends. Thanks.

 

Steve