Maker Pro
Maker Pro

How to Fix a Rats Nest of Cables at a Workstation

D

D from BC

Jan 1, 1970
0
How to Fix a Rats Nest of Cables at a Workstation?

I have a ball of AC cables and adapters under my desk..
+ video cables, USB cables, keyboard etc...
I'm using 14 power bar outlets (from 3 power bars) to power up my
workstation + other gizmos.

It's unfortunate a ball of wires hasn't become trendy home decor :)

Anybody have some tidy solutions?
I thought of making a mini "electrical room" cabinet... :)
D from BC
 
M

Michael A. Terrell

Jan 1, 1970
0
D said:
How to Fix a Rats Nest of Cables at a Workstation?

I have a ball of AC cables and adapters under my desk..
+ video cables, USB cables, keyboard etc...
I'm using 14 power bar outlets (from 3 power bars) to power up my
workstation + other gizmos.

It's unfortunate a ball of wires hasn't become trendy home decor :)

Anybody have some tidy solutions?
I thought of making a mini "electrical room" cabinet... :)
D from BC


The HARD way!

1: Make the rat clean up its mess.
2: Shoot the rat so it doesn't make another mess.


The EASY way!

I have 4, 4" square electrical boxes bolted together with two duplex
outlets in each box. This is mounted under my computer desk, and plugs
into my UPS. It holds all the wall warts and AC power cords. 18' and
36" IEC power cords are used wherever possible.

Excess wire is coiled up and tied up with wire reinforced plant ties.
(Think a spool of green bread ties.) Reusable self adhesive plastic
clips route keyboard and mouse cables to the multiple computers.

The main network printer is on a shelf over the desk, along with a set
of computer speakers, cable modem, router, cordless phone, and a digital
scanner with weather band to monitor NOAA for bad weather info. I can
have up to four working computers in use at one time.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
How to Fix a Rats Nest of Cables at a Workstation?

I have a ball of AC cables and adapters under my desk..
+ video cables, USB cables, keyboard etc...
I'm using 14 power bar outlets (from 3 power bars) to power up my
workstation + other gizmos.

It's unfortunate a ball of wires hasn't become trendy home decor :)

Anybody have some tidy solutions?
I thought of making a mini "electrical room" cabinet... :)
D from BC

Hooks on the underside of the desk. Or Panduit. Or a rug.

Why isn't everything nuclear powered and wireless?

John
 
D

D from BC

Jan 1, 1970
0
The HARD way!

1: Make the rat clean up its mess.
2: Shoot the rat so it doesn't make another mess.

Ratts!! There's always a hard way..
The EASY way!

I have 4, 4" square electrical boxes bolted together with two duplex
outlets in each box. This is mounted under my computer desk, and plugs
into my UPS. It holds all the wall warts and AC power cords. 18' and
36" IEC power cords are used wherever possible.

Excess wire is coiled up and tied up with wire reinforced plant ties.
(Think a spool of green bread ties.) Reusable self adhesive plastic
clips route keyboard and mouse cables to the multiple computers.

The main network printer is on a shelf over the desk, along with a set
of computer speakers, cable modem, router, cordless phone, and a digital
scanner with weather band to monitor NOAA for bad weather info. I can
have up to four working computers in use at one time.

Cool... You made a super 16 receptacle power bar.. )
I wouldn't be surprised to hear that home wall receptacles are wayy
better than most power bar receptacles.
D from BC
 
E

Eeyore

Jan 1, 1970
0
D said:
How to Fix a Rats Nest of Cables at a Workstation?

I have a ball of AC cables and adapters under my desk..
+ video cables, USB cables, keyboard etc...
I'm using 14 power bar outlets (from 3 power bars) to power up my
workstation + other gizmos.

It's unfortunate a ball of wires hasn't become trendy home decor :)

Anybody have some tidy solutions?

A friend of mine mounts the socket strips on the underneath of the desktop. UK
plugs don't fall out of course, not sure how yours would fare.

Graham
 
D

D from BC

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hooks on the underside of the desk. Or Panduit. Or a rug.

Why isn't everything nuclear powered and wireless?

John

Rug??
I just throw a rug over the wires so I don't see it? :)

But I think you mean that rug pieces are stapled down to guide the
wires..
D from BC
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
A friend of mine mounts the socket strips on the underneath of the desktop. UK
plugs don't fall out of course, not sure how yours would fare.

Graham

I do that, too. They don't fall out.

US plugs do come out if you give the cord a good yank. Do yours?

John
 
E

Eeyore

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
I do that, too. They don't fall out.

US plugs do come out if you give the cord a good yank. Do yours?

The cord exits at right angles to the pins so that's not a problem. Not many mains
plugs do that do they ?

Here's a quick overview of the UK plug and sockets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS1363

Graham
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
The cord exits at right angles to the pins so that's not a problem.

Problem? Your plugs seem to be missing this valuable feature. I bet
you have to walk clear across the room to unplug a vacuum cleaner.
Not many mains
plugs do that do they ?

We have both kinds, but straight is more common.
Here's a quick overview of the UK plug and sockets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BS1363

Looks very safe and very klunky. And cats will still chew on the
cords.

John
 
P

Paul Hovnanian P.E.

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
[snip]

US plugs do come out if you give the cord a good yank. Do yours?

I think they're called Brits on that side of the pond, not Yanks.
 
E

Eeyore

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
Problem? Your plugs seem to be missing this valuable feature. I bet
you have to walk clear across the room to unplug a vacuum cleaner.

Well... you're not really supposed to stress a cable by pulling on it. The sockets
grip quite well too for nice low contact resistance so it wouldn't be a good idea
really.

We have both kinds, but straight is more common.

I can't recall ever seeing a right angled version of one of yours.

Looks very safe and very klunky. And cats will still chew on the
cords.

Oh ! I've never some across cats with a taste for PVC.

Graham
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
I can't recall ever seeing a right angled version of one of yours.

They're fairly common. Some are very flat and the cord emerges
parallel to the wall, drooping 45 degrees from horizontal. They're
handy behind furniture.

Oh ! I've never some across cats with a taste for PVC.

We have banned the cats from Mo's workroom. I got her a Mac laptop,
and the cats love the power cord. They like the Cat5 (cats...cat5...
get it?) too, but not as much as the tasty Mac stuff.

The replacement Mac power supply was about $80.

John
 
J

Joel Kolstad

Jan 1, 1970
0
Eeyore said:
Well... you're not really supposed to stress a cable by pulling on it.

Yeah, that's what they say, but few people actually respect it. All the
"industrial" grade plugs over here have purpose-built strain reliefs in them
anyway, so that yanking on the cord transfers all the stress to the shell and
none to the contacts.
 
M

Michael A. Terrell

Jan 1, 1970
0
Joel said:
No honking 3+ lbs. wall warts, eh?


At 3+ pounds its no longer a wart, its a tumor.


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida
 
E

Eeyore

Jan 1, 1970
0
Joel said:
Yeah, that's what they say, but few people actually respect it. All the
"industrial" grade plugs over here have purpose-built strain reliefs in them
anyway, so that yanking on the cord transfers all the stress to the shell and
none to the contacts.

Even our ordinary mains plugs have that feature sctually.

Graham
 
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Rug??
I just throw a rug over the wires so I don't see it? :)
Yes.


But I think you mean that rug pieces are stapled down to guide the
wires..

No. Won't keep your toes warm, either.

John
 
J

Joel Kolstad

Jan 1, 1970
0
J

John Larkin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yeah, that's what they say, but few people actually respect it. All the
"industrial" grade plugs over here have purpose-built strain reliefs in them
anyway, so that yanking on the cord transfers all the stress to the shell and
none to the contacts.

I don't recall ever having a molded-on plug fail, and I usually
extract them by the cord. I wouldn't do that to an aftermarket
screw-terminal cord. Well, not often.

The twist-locks don't work well this way.

John
 
Top