Michael Weber Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Where can I buy female pigtails for my LOR boxes cheap!!!! Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Mike, I use Monoprice.com.. just got a box of 2' extensions, same ones LOR uses.. $1.26/ea for fifty (building three controllers). If you need for just one board, it'll be 16 @ $1.36/ea.http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022802&p_id=5297&seq=1&format=2 Just cut off the prong end.If you get them, you'll need .25" spade lugs too..http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=19003-0041virtualkey53810000virtualkey538-19003-0041I bought 100 @ $.16/ea, got them faaaaast!If you want them locally, HomeDepot has 6' brown or white for $1.47/ea, and you get three outlets per each cord. Youll still need the spade lugs. Locally, you can go to Radio Shack, but they're abt $1 apiece in a box of 5 ($4.99) Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imawlkr2 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Question...Can you just by an indoor cord like these and cut the plug off and add the spade terminals? These are pretty cheap to find and you can plug three things in at once. No ground, but lights only have the two prongs anyways. I am placing a controller in the middle of my minitrees and was thinking of modifying some of the cords to plug them into instead of adding bulky extension cords. I know alot of people here make their cords with SPT wire and vampire plugs. I can't convince the wife they are safe and won't melt so she has been buying lots of 25' 16ga extension cords this year. She doesn't like the "openess" of the vampire plugs. Too easy for water or snow to get in them and short out, so she thinks. Using these indoor cords, there is no "openess" other than the spots not filled on the end if you only have one thin plug into it. Then I figured I would just add those plastic "child proofing" fillers.Thoughts??? Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUTTHEMUSIC Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 imawlkr2 wrote:Question...Can you just by an indoor cord like these and cut the plug off and add the spade terminals? These are pretty cheap to find and you can plug three things in at once. No ground, but lights only have the two prongs anyways. I am placing a controller in the middle of my minitrees and was thinking of modifying some of the cords to plug them into instead of adding bulky extension cords. I know alot of people here make their cords with SPT wire and vampire plugs. I can't convince the wife they are safe and won't melt so she has been buying lots of 25' 16ga extension cords this year. She doesn't like the "openess" of the vampire plugs. Too easy for water or snow to get in them and short out, so she thinks. Using these indoor cords, there is no "openess" other than the spots not filled on the end if you only have one thin plug into it. Then I figured I would just add those plastic "child proofing" fillers.Thoughts???I've done this for the last 3 years without a problem. As always, keep the plugs up off the ground to avoid shorts and you should be good to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 imawlkr2 wrote: I know alot of people here make their cords with SPT wire and vampire plugs. I can't convince the wife they are safe and won't melt so she has been buying lots of 25' 16ga extension cords this year. She doesn't like the "openess" of the vampire plugs. Too easy for water or snow to get in them and short out, so she thinks. Using these indoor cords, there is no "openess" other than the spots not filled on the end if you only have one thin plug into it. Then I figured I would just add those plastic "child proofing" fillers.Thoughts???The best argument against her logic is to show her a string of lights. The plugs are pretty "open". Where the wire enters each socket is pretty "open". Every single bulb is pretty "open." Pull a bulb out and there are now exposed hot wires. The insulation is much thinner than any SPT. Somehow the lights still manage to receive UL approval for outdoor use (in the snow). SPT is a ton safer than a string of Xmas lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Ancona Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 CUTTHEMUSIC wrote: imawlkr2 wrote: I can't convince the wife they are safe and won't melt so she has been buying lots of 25' 16ga extension cords this year. She doesn't like the "openess" of the vampire plugs.I've done this for the last 3 years without a problem. As always, keep the plugs up off the ground to avoid shorts and you should be good to go!Your wife would faint if she saw my yard.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Dan Ancona wrote: CUTTHEMUSIC wrote: imawlkr2 wrote: I can't convince the wife they are safe and won't melt so she has been buying lots of 25' 16ga extension cords this year. She doesn't like the "openess" of the vampire plugs.I've done this for the last 3 years without a problem. As always, keep the plugs up off the ground to avoid shorts and you should be good to go!Your wife would faint if she saw my yard....But she wouldn't get shocked at least! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 I think the more important factor to consider would be the gauge of the wire. I think most indoor extension cords are probably 18 gauge wire. I try to use 14 gauge wire on my controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Denny wrote: I think the more important factor to consider would be the gauge of the wire. I think most indoor extension cords are probably 18 gauge wire. I try to use 14 gauge wire on my controllers.14 gauge for going in makes sense but as outlets it is overkill (I understood this thread to be about the female outlets). You are exceeding the power capabilities of a controller's individual channel, unless most of your runs are 100'+. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taybrynn Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 perfectly safe ... many people use those ... in the snow and everything. I'll say that taking a 9' spt2 indoor extensions cord (that you can get for $.35 on clearance) and then cutting it up into 3 pieces and using 2 female vampire plugs ... makes good channel cords and its cheap and easy. I haven't used them on LOR controllers yet, but some DIY controllers don't have ground connectors anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffl Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 1" is plenty of cord to have hanging out of the controller. Anymore than that and it's a real mess to store controllers in a small space. I started out with more and learned fast that shorter is better in most cases.Just don't order all the cords from Monoprice as I need a bunch more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reitan_family Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 This year I've converted all my boxes from 4-6' cords to 1 foot in length too. I found some 6' cords from our local "Dollar Tree" for $1 each. I like the monoprice cords you guys have posted here, but my concern is would 8 of those fit into the electrical holes on each side in the LOR factory boxes? I would think it would be too large of diameter, so let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Those I posted from monoprice are the same size LOR uses and fit both the LOR and Broadband Store cases.. you have to remember that making the pigtails only 12" leaves 6"-8" INSIDE the case! Leaving nothing hanging.. a 24" pigtail leaves 12"-16" outside the case. And if you use 6' extensions then that's 5' (at least) you wont need to run extensions from. My arches plug directly into the 6' pigtails from the two controllers with no other extensions needed. Storage? Who cares?? Its abt the cords and lights.. and all 13 of my controllers fit in one tub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffl Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Yes a 2" cord the correct length. That's about 8" inside and about 12" outside. I care about storage. I have +- 40 controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeH Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 jeffl wrote: Yes a 2" cord the correct length. That's about 8" inside and about 12" outside. I care about storage. I have +- 40 controllers.Does this 2" (inch) cord stretch? Or did you mean to say 2' (ft)?MikeH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Hvasta Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 I was in WalMart last night for a switch to fix kids bathroom light, saw they had 16gauge wire, 6', three outlet extentions, brown or white, $1.27. HomeDepot and Lowest same ones are $1.47.. WM's quantity on hand might make it tough to build more than one controller tho.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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