Topic: DIY Power Cord

[Bogsle]

Phelps Dodge is it, i wanted to mention the brand, but i did not want to sound like a salesman for them..hehehe...hard to go wrong with those cables.

Yup Phelps Dodge is what I used. So far, they're okay naman. 

No, I don't think you will sound like a salesman. If we know something that will all help us in our DIY projects we share it, right? If we just keep things to ourselves, so what is the use of being in a forum like this? I hope yun ang reason why others have joined in, to share ideas and knowledge, not just to take knowledge or ridicule ideas of others.

So share the brand name of the cable with the group, would you?

[Bogsle]

Just wondering, If a line conditioner and a power cord has the same job, what more can a good power cord do when you already have a line conditioner?

Don't know really. I'm not a techie.

But for the cost, I sure hope line a conditioner does more improve the sound than a power cord, hehehe .

Okay, that's a bad joke.

Could someone smart help out please.

 

[Le_Stat]

I used Phelps Dodge sa ground wire ko papunta sa labas ng bahay.  I bought it at Wilcon.

Yes, dapat share ng knowledge kahit na mag mention ng brand.  

Kaya Bogsle ...... paturo minsan kahit over Starbucks session.     Imagine having 2 meters of red, white, and black 14awg and 12awg at Starbucks tapos nag bre-braid.  hehehe. 

[Bogsle]

bro. EXCELENTE ! (hindi yung hamon ah) keep it up & more diy project posts!

Bro, may hang-over ka pa ng Pasko ha, hahaha.

Salamat ng marami.

[Bogsle]

I used Phelps Dodge sa ground wire ko papunta sa labas ng bahay.  I bought it at Wilcon.

Yes, dapat share ng knowledge kahit na mag mention ng brand.  

Kaya Bogsle ...... paturo minsan kahit over Starbucks session.     Imagine having 2 meters of red, white, and black 14awg and 12awg at Starbucks tapos nag bre-braid.  hehehe. 

Seriously bro, I will do that for you! We can meet at Starbucks near my office.

You can bring your 2 meter set of wires. SMS me at 0917-853 4185.

Wag lang this week and next week ha. I'm on leave now until next week. I'm getting ready for my son's spine operation, which is why I took this leave.

But I'll be back at work on the 22nd of January.

[Bogsle]

Can you post the connection at the end.. thanks

Yes, I will. I promise.

Sandali lang ha. I just need to start on a new DIY power cord. When I'm done, I'll post some more pictures.

Thanks.

[Bogsle]

Thanks!

So this means that you only need to change the power cord of your line conditioner and the rest of the stuff you plug into it does not need a modified power cord anymore, right?

Bro, isn't it that we have similar queries about other part of our audio system.

Like, why do we need to replace the speaker wires/cables when upgrading the interconnects will make the change or provide improvement already and vise-versa? Magandang tanong din yun.

No really, in this hobby there are alot of things that we go through that leads me to ask such questions din.

[Le_Stat]

Sige bro, I'll txt you 2 weeks from now. 

By the way, I noticed in your second project that you used 2 12 awg as ground then placed teflon and braided over it.  Meron bang reason for wrapping the ground wire with teflon?  Mahirap magkasya dalawang 12awg sa isang butas ng wattgate diba?

So far, this was the basis of my project:  http://www.venhaus1.com/diymains.html



I wrapped the ground wire with the copper braid at the wall outlet plug section. 

[el-el]

Just some 'trash' going inside my mind....

What's the use of that braided/shielded cable (from wall outlet to you system) if the rest of the wiring (from inside your wall outlet, to breaker/fuse, to post, to distribution transformer) are all not braided/shielded? 

....siguro kung may line conditioner after the the wall outlet where the braided/shielded cable going to your equipment, malaki silbi nya... para di na nga maka-pick ng interference after the voltage passed though the conditioner... 

Any valueable thoughts about the 'trash' inside my mind? 

[Bogsle]

if you say so, okey...

DIY power cords really do make a difference, not for any scientific or technical reasons, but because you made it on your own, by your own hands,  it is what you may call, your "own flesh and blood". this feeling is unknown to non-diy'ers.

Yes, is it not true that we always enjoy in our DIY creations? Often we are biased in our DIY projects, as the case maybe in audio preferences, which is subjective as well.

However, most of the time naman (not always though) may change. My wife can confirm that, hehehe.

Now, whether that change in sound is maganda or not, others would have to comment on that.  
 

[Bogsle]

Sige bro, I'll txt you 2 weeks from now. 

By the way, I noticed in your second project that you used 2 12 awg as ground then placed teflon and braided over it.  Meron bang reason for wrapping the ground wire with teflon?  Mahirap magkasya dalawang 12awg sa isang butas ng wattgate diba?

So far, this was the basis of my project:  http://www.venhaus1.com/diymains.html



I wrapped the ground wire with the copper braid at the wall outlet plug section. 

Ah, okay. The real reason for wrapping teflon on the 12awg was to keep them twisted and not unravel. Nothing special.

Yep, mahirap nga ipasok yung 2 x 12awg sa butas ng wattgate plug, kasi makapal yung combination na yun. Well di naman gaano, konti lang.

I examined the copper clamps behind the hole, malaki actually yung space. It's just the whole that is small.

I carved out the hole with a flat screw driver to make it just a little bit bigger that will be enough for the wires to fit through.

Now I just use a single 12awg wire so I don't need to widen the hole anymore.

[Bogsle]

Just some 'trash' going inside my mind....

What's the use of that braided/shielded cable (from wall outlet to you system) if the rest of the wiring (from inside your wall outlet, to breaker/fuse, to post, to distribution transformer) are all not braided/shielded? 

....siguro kung may line conditioner after the the wall outlet where the braided/shielded cable going to your equipment, malaki silbi nya... para di na nga maka-pick ng interference after the voltage passed though the conditioner... 

Any valueable thoughts about the 'trash' inside my mind? 

Oo nga bro, tama ka. I wish someone who is knowledgeable here will do us a favor.

Yan tanong mo parang tulad din yan ng ibag bagay sa audio setup natin eh. Tulad ng mga sumusunod:

- baket mas magada gumamit ng Wattgate, Furutech, at iba pang exotic plugs kaysa sa Omni or Eagle brands na nabibili lamang sa local hardware stores.

- baket mas maganda gumamit ng exotic connectors tulad ng Eichmann, Cardas, WBT, etc. kaysa Quantum, AudioPro, at iba pa kung pareho di naman yung cable na ginagamit.

- baket may difference ang pag papalit ng interconnects kung hindi naman nag babago ang circuit ng CDP and integrated amp kung saan to ginagamit.

- baket madalas mas maganda gumamit ng mas makapal na cable for power cords kung di naman nagbabago ang electrict consumption ng CDP or amp.

- baket mas maganda ang 20 amperes na plug or outlet kaysa sa 10 or 15 amperes, samatalang di naman ganun kalaki ang current requiremts ng CDP or integrated amp.

- baket sabi ng iba mas maganda ang digital coax kaysa optical cable, eh alam naman natin na ang digital signal is made up of 1s and 0s lamang. Magbabago ba ang information na dumadaloy kung digital coax or optical cable ang ginagamit.

Dami pang tanong eh....

Ganun pa man, meron talgang nagbabago eh. It's either gumaganda nga or pumapakit.

[JojoD818]

jojo, i will choose seduction over induction anytime

but to set things straight, the magnetic field formed by the + and - wires cancels each other.

me too 

[rascal101]

Don't know really. I'm not a techie.

But for the cost, I sure hope line a conditioner does more improve the sound than a power cord, hehehe .

Okay, that's a bad joke.

Could someone smart help out please.

 

I'm not that smart and I am not quite sure what a line conditioner does (ac line voltage regulation???). IMHO however, if a line conditioner is an EMI filter, it will beat any exotic power cord assuming proper design - it also will not cost an arm and leg. In my experience, Php 1k - 2k of parts will do it. I'm also assuming that you don't put any circuit or component (eg magnetic core, X/Y cap) in the AC power cord except the twisting.

[JojoD818]

If the magnetic field is canceled how will there be current flow?

This can be too much of a "techie talk", unfortunately I'm too busy to engage in a discussion, otherwise I'd love to. 

I'll stick to the seduction part in the meantime. 

[rascal101]

... we can always verify what the textbook has to say.

[rascal101]

Oo nga bro, tama ka. I wish someone who is knowledgeable here will do us a favor.

Yan tanong mo parang tulad din yan ng ibag bagay sa audio setup natin eh. Tulad ng mga sumusunod:

- baket mas magada gumamit ng Wattgate, Furutech, at iba pang exotic plugs kaysa sa Omni or Eagle brands na nabibili lamang sa local hardware stores.

- baket mas maganda gumamit ng exotic connectors tulad ng Eichmann, Cardas, WBT, etc. kaysa Quantum, AudioPro, at iba pa kung pareho di naman yung cable na ginagamit.

- baket may difference ang pag papalit ng interconnects kung hindi naman nag babago ang circuit ng CDP and integrated amp kung saan to ginagamit.

- baket madalas mas maganda gumamit ng mas makapal na cable for power cords kung di naman nagbabago ang electrict consumption ng CDP or amp.

- baket mas maganda ang 20 amperes na plug or outlet kaysa sa 10 or 15 amperes, samatalang di naman ganun kalaki ang current requiremts ng CDP or integrated amp.

- baket sabi ng iba mas maganda ang digital coax kaysa optical cable, eh alam naman natin na ang digital signal is made up of 1s and 0s lamang. Magbabago ba ang information na dumadaloy kung digital coax or optical cable ang ginagamit.

Dami pang tanong eh....

Ganun pa man, meron talgang nagbabago eh. It's either gumaganda nga or pumapakit.

Di ako masyadong marunong, kaya lang base sa syensya kung may low frequency (LF) at high frequency (HF) ka na waveform, sasakay ang HF sa LF. Depende sa frequency o hitsura nun HF na sumasakay sa LF, nagbabago ang tunog. Eto rin ang prisipyo ng harmonics. Di ba lahat ng sound (eg human voice, piano, trumpet etc) may harmonics. Kung dadagdagan ko ng signal na hindi naaakma dun sa harmonics halimbawa human voice eh di magbabago ang tunog niya.

Ang stratehiya nun mga designers either mag-alis sila ng noise (noise reduction) o magdagdag ng signal (eg even ordered harmonics) para gumanda tunog. Iyung pag be braid actually noise reduction iyun. Siyembre since nagbawas ka ng hindi kailangan i iexpect mo na gaganda. Pero ang tanong bakit minsan pumapangit - eh kasi nagdagdag ka ng hindi naakma.

[Bogsle]

Di ako masyadong marunong, kaya lang base sa syensya kung may low frequency (LF) at high frequency (HF) ka na waveform, sasakay ang HF sa LF. Depende sa frequency o hitsura nun HF na sumasakay sa LF, nagbabago ang tunog. Eto rin ang prisipyo ng harmonics. Di ba lahat ng sound (eg human voice, piano, trumpet etc) may harmonics. Kung dadagdagan ko ng signal na hindi naaakma dun sa harmonics halimbawa human voice eh di magbabago ang tunog niya.

Ang stratehiya nun mga designers either mag-alis sila ng noise (noise reduction) o magdagdag ng signal (eg even ordered harmonics) para gumanda tunog. Iyung pag be braid actually noise reduction iyun. Siyembre since nagbawas ka ng hindi kailangan i iexpect mo na gaganda. Pero ang tanong bakit minsan pumapangit - eh kasi nagdagdag ka ng hindi naakma.

Bro, galing mo!

Gusto ko to, nakuha mo sa basic at simple na explanation.

[Bogsle]

This can be too much of a "techie talk", unfortunately I'm too busy to engage in a discussion, otherwise I'd love to. 

I'll stick to the seduction part in the meantime. 

Bro, dalawa ibig sabihin nito. It's either kulang ka or sobra-sabra sa....

hehehe.


Peace.

[Bogsle]

I'm not that smart and I am not quite sure what a line conditioner does (ac line voltage regulation???). IMHO however, if a line conditioner is an EMI filter, it will beat any exotic power cord assuming proper design - it also will not cost an arm and leg. In my experience, Php 1k - 2k of parts will do it. I'm also assuming that you don't put any circuit or component (eg magnetic core, X/Y cap) in the AC power cord except the twisting.

No other component, just pure twisting lang.

[JojoD818]

... we can always verify what the textbook has to say.

right... right... textbooks are wonderful indeed, good for your health too.

Bro, dalawa ibig sabihin nito. It's either kulang ka or sobra-sabra sa....

hehehe.


Peace.

Bro, dun ako sa sobra-sobra. hehehe

[rascal101]

Iba iba harmonics nalilikha ng human voice, piano, saxophone etc, kaya anuman ang binawasan, nararagdagan, binababa o tinataas na harmonic signal o frequency nagbabago ang tunog.

[oweidah]

Iba iba harmonics nalilikha ng human voice, piano, saxophone etc, kaya anuman ang binawasan, nararagdagan, binababa o tinataas na harmonic signal o frequency nagbabago ang tunog.

sir rascal01..prang election pala - dagdag bawas din!
tnx for the simple layman-friendly explanation

[MAtZTER]

Bro, isn't it that we have similar queries about other part of our audio system.

Like, why do we need to replace the speaker wires/cables when upgrading the interconnects will make the change or provide improvement already and vise-versa? Magandang tanong din yun.

No really, in this hobby there are alot of things that we go through that leads me to ask such questions din.

Yes, the reason I ask is practicality, thats the bottom line of a DIY guy. I could not imagine changing  the power cord of my CDP, audio pre amp, my audio power amp, my HT receiver each at the cost of almost 3k each when my 6 thousand peso line conditioner w/ a modded power cord already does the job. Simply thinking of the cheapest alternative thats all. 

I have a loaned Kimber power Kord and indeed the bass tightened but I only used it on my power amp. I will be switching it to the line conditioner.

But for the cost, I sure hope line a conditioner does more improve the sound than a power cord, hehehe .

Read the testimonies:

http://pinoydvd.com/board/index.php?topic=59470.0

For the cost? How about a money back guarantee , exclusively for you, if there are no sonic differences 

Now I am sounding like a salesman... Hehe.

[JojoD818]

Matz,

It's better to try it on your line conditioner, improvement or not doesn't matter. What's important is you tried it and not just talked about it.

Most DIYers have a philosophy of 10% theory and 90% application. They don't mind what they read on books and the net for nothing beats actual demonstration. If something goes wrong or they didn't liked the results, then that's the time to use the 10% theory.

Good luck!

[Bogsle]

Matz,

It's better to try it on your line conditioner, improvement or not doesn't matter. What's important is you tried it and not just talked about it.

Most DIYers have a philosophy of 10% theory and 90% application. They don't mind what they read on books and the net for nothing beats actual demonstration. If something goes wrong or they didn't liked the results, then that's the time to use the 10% theory.

Good luck!

I don't know if it's a big sin, but it is often what we tend to do. Although ideas we get from DIYing are those that we pickup from either common things that we learn about, e.g. shielding of cables using foil or twisting, which are general knowledge applied often for the purpose of eliminating noise or warding off interferance.

The tendency sometimes for us when we DIY is to make new things out of old knowledge and stuff or try to tweak with existing ideas and see if there will be a better change at least in our systems.

I agree with Jojo, at least for my side. But I'm sure there are others naman who prefer to go thru the details of everything by researching, learning more technical stuff and may even do testing and so on, going deep into the technical detail of things when DIYing. This is good and I wish I have the patience and technical knowledge din to do that.

However, we have our own diskarte sabi nga nila. And this is what makes DIYing fun, right? Andito kami, the not-so-techie guys gumagawa. Then when we stumble on things or have questions about it the techie-guys, the gurus, are the ones that we turn to and who explain to us, na "ah, ganito kasi yan...so and so". Oh di ba ang galing ng relatiohship natin dito sa forum?

Tulad nitong tanong ko:

Why is it that cable manufacturers use both braided copper shielding and aluminum shielding for their cables when they say aluminum sheilding already provides 100% coverage and enough shielding?

Saan nakakabili ng copper braid sleeves for DIYing?

Salamat po.

[JojoD818]

Bogsle,

I think you are on the right track in doing your own, and what's important is that you really, actually did it and not just think/talk about it (theory/application ratio). Sabi nga sa diyaudio, put your money where your mouth is, di pwede yan puro salita lang, dapat gawin para malaman kung ano resulta at ipamahagi ang impormasyon.

Saludo ako sa gawa mo power cord bro, keep it up.

[ATJr.]

If the magnetic field is canceled how will there be current flow?

by conduction, remember current flows thru the wire by conduction, not induction, remember?

[markmlists]

on more thing, i buy cables from autosupply shops carrying japanese made cables, i distrust locally made cables as they are way undersized, so that you may think you have gauge 14 but in reality they could be something else, so source of cables is also important.

I know these cables... Maganda. Pag strip ng insulation biglang ang gaming laman. bumubuhaghag di mo alam kung san galing. I think I bought them by the kilo 4 years ago (1/4--1/2 kilo each from ga 18-8) when I had my old car rewired. Very popular to those restoring vintage cars). So seemingly pure if you leave them bare for a few weeks nagtatarnish agad. Mahal lang.

[ATJr.]

Matz,

It's better to try it on your line conditioner, improvement or not doesn't matter. What's important is you tried it and not just talked about it.

Most DIYers have a philosophy of 10% theory and 90% application. They don't mind what they read on books and the net for nothing beats actual demonstration. If something goes wrong or they didn't liked the results, then that's the time to use the 10% theory.

Good luck!

100% theory goes with 100% application, either these or not at all...practice without theory is blind, theory without practice is lame...

for DIY'ers who do not know theory, as long as you do it safely, then it's okey....