Shorten Power Cords? (1 Viewer)

[BruceL]

I would like to shorten the power cords on my components to help clean up the "clutter" behind the new component cabinet I am building. My thought would be to cut it to length at the male end and replace the male end with a new one.
Where could I get comparable quality or better new male ends? Home Depot or do I need something better.
Any comments or ideas appreciated.
Thanks - Bruce

 

[Jason Watson]

Bruce,
I built my power cords using a very nice Hubbell(sp?) connector from Home Depot. I don't know the number but it has a black body with a white inner part,two screws in front and an internal strain relief. It looks just like the Marinco/Wattgate male ends and will take up to 10ga.wire. Cost was about 8.00 I think.
Jason

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Bruce,
The A/C connectors Jason recommends are excellent, as are similar products from Pass & Seymour and Leviton. They will work well with the thick power cords found on most power amps.
However, Bruce, of you are talking about shortening the electrical cords on source components like DVD players, VCRs, etc. I would not recommend it. The heavy-duty Hubbell and P&S connectors are really overkill for such light-duty components, and furthermore their built-in cable clamps are not designed to secure the skinny electrical wires they have.
For components powered with common 18-ga. zip cord, I recommend bundling the cable rather than cutting it to length. The primary reason is that I know of no high-quality, light-duty power connectors designed exclusively for use with small-gauge zip cord. Gather the electrical cord into a slightly elongated bundle, with the end feeding the component exiting one side of bundle, and the end with the plug exiting the other side of the bundle. I secure both ends of the bundle with a plastic tie-wrap.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[BruceL]

Jason & Wayne - thanks for the input - was referring to components not amps.
Will bundling the power cords as you suggest create any interference problems? I try to keep the power cords to one side and all other cords to the other side or my rack.
All of my components except one (DTC 100) have power cords on the same side.
Bruce

 

[Jason Watson]

Ok I see. The connectors I talked about would be much too large for the task at hand and no,you would not want to cut down fixed power cords that are so easily bundled. You should have no trouble wrapping them up. My Golden Theater pre/pro is very susceptible to picking up all kinds of EMI and RFI and I have had no problems with bundling the few cords that I have done it to.
Jason

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Jason's right, Bruce. Bundling power cables will not cause inteference. That's why we have shielded signal cables.
Just make sure your bundle has a back-and-forth orientation, not a circular one.
Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt