what do yo think.

[friskybri]

Here is a pic of my box that is completed. Now I am going to take it out in the yard tonight and play with some arches. What do you think of my box. This is so much fun.

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[iresq]

Nice!

[ItsMeBobO]

Great! I see five boards, wow. Assembly line! My only question is about the in/out Cat5 being attached to the backing board.

[friskybri]

I was just wanting to keep from someone accidentally walking across the yard and if they trip over the cat 5 cable it wont pull out from the board. I might put a bolt from the back of the board and that way I can just use a nut to tie it down and take it off.

[friskybri]

That was so much fun taking that controller outside and letting the two arches dance to music. Neighbors started calling and opening doors to hear what was going on. I had a speaker outside so I could feel the effect. Man what a rush. cant wait to get all 96 channels going not just the 14 channels tonight. Thats the last the neighbors get to see before the event next Christmas. I cant wait. Now onto finishing the other 5 controllers. Might have to sneak another one during the summer sale. Might have to send a cashiers check so the wife done see that one. She said 6 was enough. There is never enough controllers. Can you say that I am addicted to this hobby. Might have to get another 200 amp service put in. Im asking for LOR gift certificates for all holidays. Jeff. Might come to your LOR meeting in June. Sounds like fun. its nice to have free flight bens. Your close to Phili so I can fly into there.

[Max-Paul]

Friskybri,

That looks like a real nice professional install. Now that is the smaller 9x9x3.5 box or something to that effect right? I got the 12x12x5 box and I need to find some alumimun angle stoke for my heat sink / mounting. I have been busy with finishing off my 18" spiral trees that I am converting to LEDs and working on soldering up my first board. Hope to finish the first one tomorrow. Will have to post pictures of it once I have it installed in the larger box.

Even though it is a tight fit that you have with the smaller box. I think you did a good job of keeping the cat 5 wires away from the AC power leads. This will help keep down any inducted noise. Looks like a fine job you have done there.

Max

[Max-Paul]

Sorry to post back to back. But I just got done with my first PCKit and Friskybri and I are using almost the same boxes from BroadBand Store.

Friskybri, how did you manage to mount the High Power heat sink in the box? I am more than likely going to stay with the Low Power heat sink, and just mount the board to the box. But, I see that the holes in min will not aligh properly. And in my box some of the mounting bosses are not the same height. Actually I measured 1/8, 5/16 and 1/4" bosses. Looks like I need to find some 1.5"x 9"x 1/8 or 3/16" steel straps. And use these as a interface along with some stand-offs to mount my boards.

Let me know how it worked out for you, what did you have to do to mount yours.

Thanks

Max

[friskybri]

I purchased a box of 10-32x3/4 round combo w/nut-zinc Machine from Lowe's $4. and change. I put the board where I wanted it to sit and marked where I was going to drill 4 holes. I put the bolts through the back and used hot glue to keep from water coming in that way. I also noticed that the board wobbled on the different heights of the stand offs. So on the bottom two bolts I put two nuts underneath and the top two bolts needed 1 nut and one washer to make it about the same height. Then put a nut ontop to hold it down. I guess you could call it the poor mans way of making stand off's. With your boxes you would have no issue with the height of your box. I come close but it still fits. Hope this helps. Just got the power cords put in the other 5 units. Waiting on my quick connectors to come monday.

Attached files

[Max-Paul]

Thanks friskybri,

Interesting to see how you did yours. I am going to try something a little different. Well first you have the HP HS to use as a base for your boards. Where as I do not have that option and I think I am going to use a few strips of metal across the bosses (thats the term I believe Broadband store calls them) and use wood or sheet metal screws to screw into the bosses. Thus I wont have to worry about the integrity of the box and water seeping in via the holes for the screws. But your option is much more forward and less labor intesive than my route.

but truth be told, I like the way you brought your comm cables in from the left and routed away from the power cables, both input and output cables. So I am shifting my board to the right and will keep my cable to the left wall like you did.

Ok, see you have your box mounted on a black painted board. Now how are you going to mount the board? Sorry I seem to be pestering you. I have an idea how I am going to do mine. But if you have a better idea, I would like to follow your lead. I mean I think it was you or maybe someone else that posted how they were going to use the broadband box. Love the way that the lid can be snapped off and out of the way while you work on it.

Thanks for your reply

Max

[friskybri]

The black board will face the street so that the box is out of view. Also I was thinking of putting two re-bar 3 feet long half way into the ground at an angle. Kind of like an (A) and then attach the other side of the board. I have two other boards that have 2 inches on each side so I can easily attach the controller to the house by drilling through the wood instead of the box. I really don't want to many holes in the plastic box. If over time the 3/4 plywood goes bad I can cut a new piece. Also its a great way to keep the cables secure without getting to expensive. The cable ties are like 15 for $1.30 at Lowe's and I have 3/4 plywood laying around. I hope this helps. Kind of cool I finally can help someone out. Instead of asking all the questions.

[Dr. Jones]

Max-Paul wrote:

Thanks friskybri,

Interesting to see how you did yours. I am going to try something a little different. Well first you have the HP HS to use as a base for your boards. Where as I do not have that option and I think I am going to use a few strips of metal across the bosses (thats the term I believe Broadband store calls them) and use wood or sheet metal screws to screw into the bosses. Thus I wont have to worry about the integrity of the box and water seeping in via the holes for the screws. But your option is much more forward and less labor intesive than my route.

but truth be told, I like the way you brought your comm cables in from the left and routed away from the power cables, both input and output cables. So I am shifting my board to the right and will keep my cable to the left wall like you did.

Ok, see you have your box mounted on a black painted board. Now how are you going to mount the board? Sorry I seem to be pestering you. I have an idea how I am going to do mine. But if you have a better idea, I would like to follow your lead. I mean I think it was you or maybe someone else that posted how they were going to use the broadband box. Love the way that the lid can be snapped off and out of the way while you work on it.

Thanks for your reply

Max

Max - be sure you don't short the back of the board with the metal strip

[Max-Paul]

Dr. Jones wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:

Thanks friskybri,

Interesting to see how you did yours. I am going to try something a little different. Well first you have the HP HS to use as a base for your boards. Where as I do not have that option and I think I am going to use a few strips of metal across the bosses (thats the term I believe Broadband store calls them) and use wood or sheet metal screws to screw into the bosses. Thus I wont have to worry about the integrity of the box and water seeping in via the holes for the screws. But your option is much more forward and less labor intesive than my route.

but truth be told, I like the way you brought your comm cables in from the left and routed away from the power cables, both input and output cables. So I am shifting my board to the right and will keep my cable to the left wall like you did.

Ok, see you have your box mounted on a black painted board. Now how are you going to mount the board? Sorry I seem to be pestering you. I have an idea how I am going to do mine. But if you have a better idea, I would like to follow your lead. I mean I think it was you or maybe someone else that posted how they were going to use the broadband box. Love the way that the lid can be snapped off and out of the way while you work on it.

Thanks for your reply

Max

Max - be sure you don't short the back of the board with the metal strip

Roger that! Didn't say it, but will find or make stand-offs. If I have to, will put a screw through the steel flats and then a lock washer and then nut, 2nd nut if needed then the board and one more nut. But I do have some computer motherboard stand-offs available to me. Built many computers for production use at work and have the spares in a box. Just never know when they would come in handy, like this would be a good use of them, maybe. But thanks for the warning / reminder.

friskybri, hey if a newbie thinks outside of the box and comes up with a better way to build a wheel, imbrace it and run with it. And just as important, give credit where it is due. I also have another motto, I am right till someone proves to me I am wrong. Then bow to your better. Hell I am at that age where I am forgetting more and more it seems. Seems I am having to relearn things that I knew like the back of my hand not to many years ago. LOL

Max

[Dr. Jones]

max - I used standoffs from mcmaster-carr for the one PC I mounted in a broadband store box

#6 x3/8 - only used 2 - was able to use two mounts on the box

[ItsMeBobO]

Max, Can you bring one of your boxes to the St Louis gathering coming up?

http://itsmebob.com/SLAM/

[Max-Paul]

Hi Bob,

Sure, I just got the hardware on the way home this afternoon to mount the boards. Will be out in the garage cutting and drilling holes this evening. Hope to have it done in the next day or so and post pictures. But I dont see any reason I cant bring it along so that you can get a closer look at it. I was planning on bringing a tree or two (18" sidewalk units) to show how I converted from filiment lights to LEDs.

I am thinking that once I figure out how much wire to run from tree to controller. I am going to solder the wire to the tree and then connect / disconnect the wire from the controller.

Lots of thinking how I want to set this all up. Thank goodness I have several months to do so.

Max

[Dan Ancona]

I have the larger Braodband box and mounting PC boards inside. Not wired yet, by mounted. first I took a piece of 1/8" ply and mounted the wood to the box using one of the existing holes. Any high ones were sanded down via a Dremmel. I placed the PC board on that, marked the holes, took out the wood, attached the PC to the ply and reattached the ply. sounds like a lot, not really...

Attached files

[Max-Paul]

I think we as a group need to petition Broadband to level out all of their mounting bosses. I too love the box with the exception of the different height bosses. Although I bought the cable demark 1500. Need to get some pictures up, I know.

Love all of the extra room you have at the bottom. But I will admit I have a little concern about the width of the box. Heat sinks work better when there is some air space like at least .5" clearance on both sides. Looks like your heat sinks are just about touching the sides, if it were not for the screw heads. Dont know what kind of load you will be putting on each channel, but run if for a bit and check that the heat sinks do not get to the point that it is painful to touch it. If you can touch the heat sink for more than 5 seconds then I would presume you are not getting to much heat build up.

Nice post. Would suggest that you seal the wood.



Max


PS how do you plan to mount the box? Or are you going to mount the box or just lay it down? And if so, on the ground or raised up a bit? Covered or not? Inquiring minds like to know. Thanks

[friskybri]

ok wondering. His box has to be the 13x9x3. Maybe i am wrong. Mine is the 9x9x3 and I have room on the sides? confused?

[Dan Ancona]

It is the 13x9 box. I was also thinking about the heat issue, however, the two PC boards I have will have very little load so the heat will be minimal. In the future, if I move them to handle a higher load, I cross that bridge later... When the unit arrived the bolts were facing out and the board did not fit, so I had to reverse the screws. Pictures of other boards I have seen are installed the same way. The extra length will provide area for strain relief and as I mentioned a possible buss bar for common ground. Again, these will be for a set of arches or part of a mega tree.

As for mounting, not 100% sure on that yet. I may install a hook on the back and hang from a cross bar attached to 2 1/2 metal conduit pipes that are set in the ground. I did this with another enclosure I have and worked really well. No issues falling off and an easy install and take down.

Thanks for the comments. I'm out here all alone so this is the only way to get some feedback.

[51fordf2]

Old thread, but thought I'd offer a suggestion to all those using plywood exposed to the weather. If you take a thin strip of pine the same width as the ply thickness, and glue it all arond the edge like a thin (1/4" or so) picture frame with waterproof polyurethane glue and nails before painting it to seal it, it will last a VERY long time. MUCH better than just sealing the "raw" plywood edge. The edge is where all the water will try to get in, and the pine and polyurethane (Gorilla) glue will stop it dead. Just make sure you seal it well afterwards.

Roger