DIY DC power cables

[Speedskater]

Written by Curious or 6moons doesn't change the need for further investigation.

[R1200CL]

Got my second JSSG USB cable today. To be used with Explorer 2 for MAQ ?

 

 

[JohnSwenson]

On 6/19/2017 at 5:23 AM, Em2016 said:

 

Hey John @JohnSwenson

 

Could you kindly elaborate more on this, as in examples of configurations that may not need the XLR pin 1 connection?

 

Would an example be where you have both the DAC and the Amp, both with a fully balanced topology? And in this case the external wire isn't needed? Or is there still benefit.

 

Appreciated in advance, Sean

 

If you have an input on the preamp or amp that has a transformer, you do not need pin1 tied to anything, the differential lines form a "current loop" which does not need any external voltage reference to work. Many electronic differential input circuits DO need the pin1 connection.

 

John S.

[asdf1000]

12 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

If you have an input on the preamp or amp that has a transformer, you do not need pin1 tied to anything, the differential lines form a "current loop" which does not need any external voltage reference to work. Many electronic differential input circuits DO need the pin1 connection.

 

John S.

 

Thanks John. In the case that pin 1 does not need to be tied to anything, there's no harm in using the external wire and tiyng it to Pin 1 anyway, is there? in case I want to use that same XLR cable for a future system.

 

Cheers again

 

[Speedskater]

In XLR balanced analog interconnect systems:

a] No balanced input circuit needs a pin #1 connection. The pin #1 is the shield and is connected to the chassis (if connected) it's to reduce noise and interference.

b] Phantom powered microphones do require pin #1 be connected at both ends.

c] Battery powered outputs should have the shield connected at both ends.

d] If the shield is only connected at one end, it should be the output circuit end.

e] Rather than not connecting the shield at the input end, a hybrid connection should be used, The hybrid being a small high frequency capacitor.

f] It is better to connect the shield at both ends, unless there is a strong reason for not doing so. Like going from building to building.

[R1200CL]

Have anyone recieved a Y-cable with a "wrong" size 2,5 mm ?

(one 2,5 and two 2,1). 

[austinpop]

Guys - help!

 

Did someone here (was it you, @Superdad?) describe a step-by-step here on how to make a serial cable using the Canare 4S6 star-quad cables and the screw terminals?

 

If so, please point me to it, as my searches are coming up empty.

 

I'm doing a bakeoff next week and find myself in need of a way to connect 2 LPS-1s to generate a 12V DC input.

[Superdad]

15 minutes ago, austinpop said:

Did someone here (was it you, @Superdad?) describe a step-by-step here on how to make a serial cable using the Canare 4S6 star-quad cables and the screw terminals?

 

If so, please point me to it, as my searches are coming up empty.

 

I'm doing a bakeoff next week and find myself in need of a way to connect 2 LPS-1s to generate a 12V DC input.

 

Here you go.  Substitute pairings of star-quad is fine.  Each screw terminal gets only one (pair) of conductors.  The jumper in the middle is from "+" of one plug to "-" of the other.  Imagine the LPS-1s as a pair of batteries you are putting in series.  You take minus from one end of the stack and plus from the other.  Remember, you are not paralleling them!  And oh yeah, set one to 7V and the other to 5V to get your desired 12V.

 

[austinpop]

8 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

Here you go.  Substitute pairings of star-quad is fine.  Each screw terminal gets only one (pair) of conductors.  The jumper in the middle is from "+" of one plug to "-" of the other.  Imagine the LPS-1s as a pair of batteries you are putting in series.  You take minus from one end of the stack and plus from the other.  Remember, you are not paralleling them!  And oh yeah, set one to 7V and the other to 5V to get your desired 12V.

 

 

Duh, of course. I was overcomplicating things in my head.

 

So the "jumper" in the middle, connecting + to - across plugs: I would just use a section of cable and use just one of the 2 pairs of star-quad, leaving the other pair unattached.

 

Now a follow-up question, for extra credit - or, for some, raving insanity!

 

What if I wanted the aggregate 12V output AND also the 7V output from one of the LPS-1's? What then, sensei?

[agladstone]

19 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Here you go.  Substitute pairings of star-quad is fine.  Each screw terminal gets only one (pair) of conductors.  The jumper in the middle is from "+" of one plug to "-" of the other.  Imagine the LPS-1s as a pair of batteries you are putting in series.  You take minus from one end of the stack and plus from the other.  Remember, you are not paralleling them!  And oh yeah, set one to 7V and the other to 5V to get your desired 12V.

 

If using the cable above and 2 LPS-1's to get 12V, what would the current / amperage of the 12V? 

Also, is the pictured cable using Canare 4S6 cable? It looks like the single plug end is molded? Are you using a pre-terminated Y cable and then just cutting off the pre-terminated plugs on the split end, and then using another piece of 2 wire cable as the jumper to create your own star quad cable without actually using any Canare 4S6 cable at all? 

If yes to above, could you also do the same but with using only one screw terminal plug on the other end?  So 2 wires from the pre-terminated y cable going into + and - on the screw terminal for a total of 4 wires into the screw plug? (2 into + and 2 into - ) into each end of the screw terminal plug. The 4 wires going into the screw plug would then be one pair of wires going  + FROM - as a jumper. The second pair going into + AND - from the pre-terminated y plug)? 

If this would work, it seems like a cheaper solution to a DYI star quad than ordering one from Ghent and also would not require any soldering! 

[Superdad]

20 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

Duh, of course. I was overcomplicating things in my head.

 

So the "jumper" in the middle, connecting + to - across plugs: I would just use a section of cable and use just one of the 2 pairs of star-quad, leaving the other pair unattached.

 

Now a follow-up question, for extra credit - or, for some, raving insanity!

 

What if I wanted the aggregate 12V output AND also the 7V output from one of the LPS-1's? What then, sensei?

 

 

You guys are making this more complicated than it is!  

 

Forget about star-quad for the moment--or at least, whenever you think about star-quad, pretend it is just a two-conductor cable, never splitting the pairs.  So I am just going to explain it talking about a two-conductor cable because that's how the star-quad is right?  And with these supplies we have just plus and minus.

 

a) So one cable with a male plug at one end (molded, Oyaide, Switchcraft, screw terminal--I don't care).  Be sure you know which color wire is on the center, positive pin.

 

b) At the unterminated end of that cable, split the zip or strip the outer jacket back far enough to widely separate the plus and minus wires.

 

c) Take two screw-terminal DC barrel plugs and insert the plus wire (get this right!)  into the screw terminal marked plus on one of the plugs; Then take the "minus" wire (the outer barrel wire) and insert it into the minus terminal of the second plug.

 

d) Now cut a piece of raw cable (whatever gauge you wish, no reason for it to be a twisted pair or anything fancy, though it would be nice if its gauge matched the other wires) and run it from the unused plus terminal of one plug to the unused minus terminal of the other.

 

There, I have just described the homemade series cable I posted a picture of.

-------------

 

Now, to the question of if, while getting 12V from a pair of LPS-1s (with one set to 5V, the other to 12V) one can also obtain just 7V or 5V for some other device at the same time.  The answer is YES.  All you need to do is to find a way to insert another pair of +/- wires into ONE of the screw terminal plugs, and then you will have whatever voltage the LPS-1 that plug is inserted into.

I have done this, obtaining simultaneous 12V, 7V, and 5V from a pair of LPS-1s.  Just mind the total current, and be  very sure to mind what is plugged into what and at what voltage.

------------

 

The screw terminal barrel plugs are limited in the wire size they accept.  I think a #16 is about the max total gauge wire you are going to get into one of those terminals.  I recommend solder tinning the stripped wires before insertion to avoid fraying--most especially if you are trying to put more than one wire into a terminal (as with star-quad pairs or if you are trying to tap for a secondary voltage as described above).

-----------

 

Mr. Gladstone asked about current:  The total maximum available current stays the same when putting LPS-1s in series.  1.1A (guaranteed continuous rating).

 

Hope the above clears things up a bit.  Have fun.

--Alex C.

 

 

[austinpop]

23 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

You guys are making this more complicated than it is!  

 

 

Don't you know us better than that by now? 

 

Wait until you read what we have in mind!

[austinpop]

Look ma, I mean @Superdad, my first DIY serial DC cable!

 

Thanks for the pointers!

 

 

Tested it on 2 LPS-1s set at 7V, and was thrilled to read 14V on the ol' multimeter!

[Middy]

fantastic. That's what this thread is about, helping people and enjoying the fruits of thier labour. 

[R1200CL]

This is most likely the Ethernet cable to be used in Ghent's upcoming JSSG Ethernet cable.

 

 

[R1200CL]

Here is my custom made serial Y-cable.

By using 2,5 at the 12V end, the cable will fit both 2,5 and 2,1 mm. The outer diameter is the same. The Oyaide 2,5 plug is very tight.

The color distinguish between 2,5 and 2,1 mm

 

 

 

[R1200CL]

[agladstone]

@Superdad thank you! 

The only question left unanswered, is how to make a DYI star quad cable using a pre-terminated cable on one end, using a jumper on the other end, if using only one screw terminated plug on the other end? 

[asdf1000]

On 6/23/2017 at 4:51 PM, R1200CL said:

Have anyone recieved a Y-cable with a "wrong" size 2,5 mm ?

(one 2,5 and two 2,1). 

 

I saw his website has different configurations:  https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc11.html

 

Did you request all DC plugs to be 2.1mm size? 

 

I think your SonicT needs 2.5mm anyway, so you're fine, no?

 

 

[Forehaven]

On 6/23/2017 at 3:10 PM, Superdad said:

 

Here you go.  Substitute pairings of star-quad is fine.  Each screw terminal gets only one (pair) of conductors.  The jumper in the middle is from "+" of one plug to "-" of the other.  Imagine the LPS-1s as a pair of batteries you are putting in series.  You take minus from one end of the stack and plus from the other.  Remember, you are not paralleling them!  And oh yeah, set one to 7V and the other to 5V to get your desired 12V.

 

So Alex, is this a better configuration than simply soldering the second run of star quad at the Y part?  If so, why?

Thanks!

[tboooe]

8 hours ago, R1200CL said:

This is most likely the Ethernet cable to be used in Ghent's upcoming JSSG Ethernet cable.

 

 

Just out of curiosity I am going to give this a try.  Any idea when it will be available?

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, Forehaven said:

So Alex, is this a better configuration than simply soldering the second run of star quad at the Y part?  If so, why?

Thanks!

 

I think a couple of you are mistaking what I posted (a pic of and procedure for) as a 'Y' cable for powering 2 devices from one LPS-1.  That is NOT what it is.  It is a cable for wiring two LPS-1s in series to get a higher voltage (sum of whatever you have the 2 units set to, so combos could be 10V, 10.3V, 12V, 14V).

 

What I pictured was just a quick'n'dirty example.  Folks can get fancier, but that does not change the simple basics of how one wires it for series connection.

[R1200CL]

7 hours ago, Em2016 said:

I think your SonicT needs 2.5mm anyway, so you're fine, no?

 

 

Yes, I'm. Now I only need a good way to measure how much amper it actually draw, so I know if I can ask Alex for a special delivery ?

[R1200CL]

4 hours ago, tboooe said:

Just out of curiosity I am going to give this a try.  Any idea when it will be available?

 

I think during this week, though there might be some Belden cable also. 

 

As as far as I understand Belden has only one cat 6a with shield and bounded pair. However they have a nice 1303 cable, that may be more suitable. But it does not have Belden special bounded pair. 

 

I have not seen any Belden Cat 7. 

 

Also Belden has some nice metal plugs as well. 

 

Belden has an office in Shanghai were also Ghent is located. 

I hope he will find a solution with them. 

 

I suppose people would like to avoid the plug being connected to the shield. 

But have a fully shielded cable withe the JSSG twist. 

 

Though I would expect both options could be available. 

[ElviaCaprice]

My 4ft. DIY speaker/interconnect cable.  RCA plugs (Ebay $2.70 pair), Canare Star Quad 4S8 (8.3mm) (Performance Audio 64 cents a foot), Banana plugs (4) (8X16, $1.05 each Parts Express), 12mm 3:1 shrink tubing (4 pieces (1 package Parts Express) $2.50), Techflex 1/4 Inch expandable sleeving (8ft. $2.30 Parts Express)

Total= $16.82 for the 2 cables.

Works great for my 2Qute driving my Omega 8XRS speakers.  I'll never buy another interconnect, speaker or DC cable again.  Thanks John, others for the great diy cable thread.