DIY Shielded IEC Power Cord

To share with anyone interested in this subject. My favorite DIY cables pages are from VH Audio in the USA, where I reside. Here is the DIY cable URL:


Not mentioned at all in this thread, is my preference of not using any 15 Ampere rated IEC, and using only 20 Ampere IECs, female and male.

My favorite and most cost effective high quality wire source is to buy Military Spec m22759/11 wire at surplus prices ( only ). Look up it's specifications. It is multi - stranded copper, the strands individually silver plated and it is sheathed in Teflon as the outer jacket. Lovely wire and decent sounding to my ears. I use it in 90% of the locations in my DIY tube amplifier builds, also. For AC line cords, 12 AWG, maybe even 10 AWG, would be my choice.

The best place to obtain this, at a very fair price, with AWG variety, and with color availability basis is a Surplus Electronics dealer in the USA, state of California. The business is called APEX, Jr. and the proprietor is Mr. Steve Slater. He is on line, on eBay , and also has an on-line catalog. A superb gentleman to do business with !!! Top notch, trustworthy.

Notice his posted availability and prices, which I am including herein. I prefer to reach him, to find out what he has available, in his current stock, as this changes a bit, colors and AWG-wise, from week to week.

Have fun, and please consider the use of 20 Amp IECs.

Apex Jr Mil Spec Prices.jpg

I am planning to get the Schurter IEC C13 plugs and GM/Crabtree Indian plugs and hook them up with Belden 8477 or 5000 cables. I guess if the device is only 2 pronged, then we dont need to bother about the earthing wire anyways.

Anybody tried the Belden 8477/5000 as power conductors?

On two wired devices, install a safety ground, and convert from 2 to 3 wires .
 
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Could you please share the reasons for the same.
It is able to pass higher peak currents, and on the small , low powered tube amps I build, I do everything I can to maximize the performance of the power supply....which gets fed by an AC line cord, and it's various interface connections.

Look at my present DIY SE Tube amplifier build, it is highly optimized to pass currents through the wiring.

https://www.hifivision.com/threads/new-design-se-6005-directly-coupled-audio-amplifier.82963/

Notice those two round gray colored capacitors, below deck? They can do 1.500 Amperes peak instantaneous. Why do I insist on using them now in every amp I build??? Simple. Their effect is readily audible in the overall listening result, with a 1.5 Watt tube amp that draws 91 milliamperes total at idle.

In the end, we are all listening to a modulated ( by the music signal ) power supply. How good is it? It starts at your home's AC wall receptacle.

Have fun listening.
 
Do you mean to say use the third wire and screw it on one of the bolts/screws on the body of the device?
Yes, then ........there is less chance of electrocution.

Its written up on line, and you must have checked, as I can see from your question. It is a safety ground, to protect a user in the event of a failure. Early equipment did not use it, now a days it is electrical code required to my understanding.

There is an old saying " Better to be safe than sorry. " Its true . I just wanted you ( and others) to become aware of this, as that third wire may save someone's life !!
 
Great looking cables, and top class DIY!

I am tempted to fabricate couple of cables for myself... but restricted with my limited DIY skills.
Can you pl guide me?

Thanks
@flat_listener finally sourced some parts for building couple of cables... he wanted one with US and another EU plug.

Build log:
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...
 
@flat_listener finally sourced some parts for building couple of cables... he wanted one with US and another EU plug.

Build log:

View attachment 60786
...

In reference to your 3rd pic from the top.
When you insert the three wires into the holes meant for these wires do you twist the strands or not? IMO twisting causes some difficulty while inserting. Also once I opened a branded power cable and wires were not twisted before inserting them into the holes on the plugs.
 
Many thanks to @hydrovac for his time, fabricating the cables for me.
I am amazed at his skills, precision and a strong eye for detail.

Nice to learn from someone with his experience.
 
How? What is required? Pic if any will be helpful.
How? What is required? Pic if any will be helpful.


Its the third wire an any USA, UK, Hong Kong AC plug. I have not investigated Indian AC wall sockets and AC Line plugs. I would guess they are three wire. The ground wire will save someone's LIFE if equipment circuit parts carrying high voltage short to ground. The third wire can be the return to ground path. Alternatively, no third wire ? - your hand on the chassis, and full voltage across your heart, to your feet can be the return to ground path.

Jeff
 
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In my opinion, after viewing all the builds in this thread, I still think the DIY thread I referenced, is the best possible approach.

I suggest to use for the actual wire, the 12 AWG Mil Spec wire from Apex Jr. , shown in my above post. It is copper stranded, silver plated, in a Teflon Jacket. Used in aircraft, etc, manufactured to a military, not a consumer standard. 114 1/4 inches is the best sounding length of AC cord wire. This was meticulously determined in an Audio Lab in the 1970s, and this length has been recently determined, subjectively listening to wire lengths on a friend's highest-performing ultra-audio system.

The suggested thread uses an AIR hose, or I use flexible plastic type tubing available at a local hardware store. Wrapping the ground away from the two main wires is a superior technique, suggested by Mr. VenHaus.. The air hose, or tubing, gives one the needed spacing !! I build his Flavor TWO, with 114 1/4 inch mil spec wire lengths. I prefer installing a 20 A. IEC male-female connections on the load end, at the audio amplifier's chassis, and not the commonly used 15 A. IEC.

A fancy , colorful braiding on the outside, does not make for a better performing AC cable. Does it ?? How good is the actual wire you use, and how thoughtful is the AC cord design implemented overall ??

Jeff

 
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I have not tried the following power cord, however it looks to me like it should be very good.
Although they might not sound good in your fantasy system.
 
Hi I need a Bit of help ;
I have a 4 sqmm x3 Polycab Cable Lying around. Its around 10mtrs, I was planning on making a 2m power cables (IEC, USA plug).

I want to Braid the Cable and I need the help in this regard , that is 3 Cables with three 4 sqmm wires each , the Options I'm thinking.
1. 3 cables Each for P (phase) , N and G.
2. 2 Cables one P & one for N, taking a one wire out of each Cable for the Ground. So Each will have 2 wires.
3. 2 Cables connected in parallel to all the three P, N and G.

Anyone tried such a config? Which one is advisable?
 
Hi I need a Bit of help ;
I have a 4 sqmm x3 Polycab Cable Lying around. Its around 10mtrs, I was planning on making a 2m power cables (IEC, USA plug).

I want to Braid the Cable and I need the help in this regard , that is 3 Cables with three 4 sqmm wires each , the Options I'm thinking.
1. 3 cables Each for P (phase) , N and G.
2. 2 Cables one P & one for N, taking a one wire out of each Cable for the Ground. So Each will have 2 wires.
3. 2 Cables connected in parallel to all the three P, N and G.

Anyone tried such a config? Which one is advisable?
Check this link if they work for you
 
I think it may be very difficult to terminate 12 sq mm conductor at IEC connector pins.
We can Remove the Rubber Washer at the Plug and we can Insert, That Can be managed I think.
Check this link if they work for you
I have gone through that article earlier, That is written for for a single wire 12awg; My single Cable has 3 Wires of 4 Sqmm Each.
I am experimenting so will try and update the Forum
 
Recently got few more connectors... will be building some power cords as i already have the required cables and other parts.

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Actually i already finished building two power cords...

1 meter

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0.5 meter

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soon will post the build progress of other cords...

...
 
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