[indydieselnut]

Greetings! I have some 12 guage hookup wire (silver-plated copper, teflon coated) and was thinking about taking three lengths of it and doing a "normal" braid, slapping some Wattgate connectors on it and calling it a power cord. Will the "normal" braid (sorry I don't know the proper braid names) offer any rejection of RF and EMI if I leave it unsheilded or should I take steps to sheild it?

Is this a bad idea? I'm new to the DIY thing. I have cables I made from Belden 83803 but they are SO STIFF!! I know there is more flexible cable stock out there but was wanting to use up what I already have.

Any suggestions, advice, links to former threads, etc is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Juaquin]

I believe it should be shielded (EDIT: More physically than electrically, apparently). I don't know much about power cables beyond that. I'm sure someone will jump in in 3...2...1...

 

[indydieselnut]

Thanks! That's what I figured...on to the next idea!

 

[FallenAngel]

Doesn't need to be shielded at all, some of my favorites are are not.

 

[linuxworks]

is the cable running thru your house walls, shielded? usually not.

perhaps therein lies your answer?

will the last 6 feet really matter? think.

 

[johnwmclean]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif will the last 6 feet really matter? think.

Maybe, you have to start somewhere.

 

[AudioCats]

just ask your EE professor

 

[Uncle Erik]

I only use UL listed power cords.

If you aren't getting clean DC on the other side of your power supply the problem is not your cable. The problem is your power supply.

 

[El_Doug]

If I were to make a power cord, id make sure it was shielded with SOMETHING... not an efi/rfi shield (which would be pointless), but more of a physical protective barrier!

power cords are often situated where they can easily snag and tear against edges. if a headphone cable is cut, it's a shame. if a power cable is cut, you could have a fire.

 

[JamesL]

The only power cable I really care about is the one that comes after your power supply. Even then, I prefer to purchase a quality 'stock' power cable , sleeve it maybe, and reterminate it with whatever connectors I need.

 

[Juaquin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif is the cable running thru your house walls, shielded? usually not.

They usually run them through metal pipes, no? I'm not sure if they're grounded but it's probably a little bit of shielding.

Interesting semi-related story for those who aren't too familiar with this kind of stuff (like I was this morning) - we were playing with some high/low-pass filters in lab today, measuring frequency response, etc. Well if you hook your finger up to a probe, you get a really nice 60Hz signal (power lines in the building act as transmission antenna, your body the receiving).

This got me thinking - those powerline networking products - I wonder if you could intercept the frequencies from nearby (outside, next door) and pass it into another powerline device (with some cleaning of the signal), thus reading the network transmissions. I've seen some research lately where they read keyboard strokes across rooms doing similar.

 

[indydieselnut]

I certainly appreciate all the input! I've gone back to my Belden 83803 cords terminated in Wattgate economy plugs. This satisfies all the criteria listed in this thread and sounds good.

Thanks for all of the information!!

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juaquin /img/forum/go_quote.gif They usually run them through metal pipes, no?

No, they definitely do not run them through metal pipes in most residential applications (commercial may be slightly different depending on construction type), it's just romex running through the wall. And even if they did use conduit of some kind it would almost certainly be plastic and not metal.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by indydieselnut /img/forum/go_quote.gif I certainly appreciate all the input! I've gone back to my Belden 83803 cords terminated in Wattgate economy plugs. This satisfies all the criteria listed in this thread and sounds good. Thanks for all of the information!!

Nice work. I just DIY'ed some power cords from Cryoparts power cable and Furutech's basic power plug offerings. The result so far is good, sonically, with my Stax amp. The total cost is about $100/cable for 1.5m, a better result, sound-wise, than paying $100 more for an amp, especially considering the cost of each of my pieces of gear.

 

[indydieselnut]

The only thing that cracks me up about the 83803 Belden is SO stiff. I end up putting a mic stand behind my equipment rack so that I secure the cable and provide some strain relief to the IEC inlets! I haven't really experimented with just really bending it into the correct orientation...might have to try it.

That Furutech cord at $77/meter that Cryoparts sells looks interesting but a bit pricey.