Power distributor

[ashleyb4]

I was looking on the internet at the power distributors made by people like much more and they where really exspensive and more than i wanted o pay so i went into my local maplins and i decided to make my own i use one plastic black box 1 meter of wire 3 red female plugs 3 female black plugs and a pair on male bannana plugs. It all cost my around 11 pounds. And it only took me about 30 minutes to make here it is what do you think????? I made a silly mistake with the lid when i was drilling it i let it spin and it scratched it:( but it still looks really good. And it works lol

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9206/cimg2663er4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A

[flick5848]

Good work. I have been looking at these and I agree they are over priced but I think I might take a trip to maplins this weekend.

Much more satifying to make that buy I say

:cool: :cool:

[Northy]

Get a blue LED on there and it would be bling :cool: :cool:

[ashleyb4]

Im not making it complete with led's i may put some switches on the side which have lights in them for when they are on.

A

[gramey]

:) It looks like you've done a nice job but to be fair my Much More version came with five sockets, 3 of which are switched, and its in a metal rather than plastic case.
If you did like for like it probably wouldn't work out much cheaper.:)

[Northy]

:o 'Much More' money

[Chequered Flag Racing]

see here (http://www.racingmart.co.uk/classifieds/upload/9568.jpg)

also seen something similar on ebay

still have 1 like yours that I made up back in the late 90's with 8 ports on. Only now it has a few missing as used them for other duties :( l

[Antony]

Get a blue LED on there and it would be bling :cool: :cool:

That'll be Ultra Bright Blue LED's!

[Northy]

That'll be Ultra Bright Blue LED's!

Aye, the type that burn out the back of your bloody eyes! :o :o

G

[mark christopher]

my own maplin version
switches, led's to show there on, and two in put cables one short for psu, one long for 12 volt on the floor!
deff more satisfying to make ur own and it was still cheaper than "alot more"!! and no where near the £34

one tip put a 30 amp or above what ever you use inline near your battery croc clips, being a motor tech un protected long wires melt quick and make a mess, a fuse near the battery/psu will blow on a dead short protecting burns damage etc

http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.christopher/pictures/dist%20box.JPG (http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.christopher/pictures/dist%20box.JPG)

[mark christopher]

:) It looks like you've done a nice job but to be fair my Much More version came with five sockets, 3 of which are switched, and its in a metal rather than plastic case.
If you did like for like it probably wouldn't work out much cheaper.:)

hmm metal case and 100 plusof raw amperage from a 12 volt battery, good combo LOL

you pay your £35 and enjoy, as for me ill make one and have a free set of tyres;)

[emzy]

That'll be Ultra Bright Blue LED's!

I hate when the person next to me on the rostrum has a blue LED on their transmitter... I get mesmerised by it... especially if its a pistol-grip one so the LED is facing me... *drool*

[mark christopher]

I hate when the person next to me on the rostrum has a blue LED on their transmitter... I get mesmerised by it... especially if its a pistol-grip one so the LED is facing me... *drool*
hmmm and i thought you stood next to me for my looks and online humour :( ;)

[ashleyb4]

my own maplin version
switches, led's to show there on, and two in put cables one short for psu, one long for 12 volt on the floor!
deff more satisfying to make ur own and it was still cheaper than "alot more"!! and no where near the £34

one tip put a 30 amp or above what ever you use inline near your battery croc clips, being a motor tech un protected long wires melt quick and make a mess, a fuse near the battery/psu will blow on a dead short protecting burns damage etc

http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.christopher/pictures/dist%20box.JPG (http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.christopher/pictures/dist%20box.JPG)

Stop showing off :D

I think i need to customise mine a bit. i think ill have all the ports switched and i may get some carbon fibre vinyl to cover it in. WHta rating LED's did you use mark????

A

[MK999]

i just clip stuff to whatever bare metal i can find :eh?:

[mark christopher]

Stop showing off :D

I think i need to customise mine a bit. i think ill have all the ports switched and i may get some carbon fibre vinyl to cover it in. WHta rating LED's did you use mark????

A

miniture 12 volt from maplin, there just standard not high intensity ones, dont wantto dazle emz in the pits too :)

[flick5848]

Stop showing off :D

I think i need to customise mine a bit. i think ill have all the ports switched and i may get some carbon fibre vinyl to cover it in. WHta rating LED's did you use mark????

A

I can feel a "pimp my power supply" competition coming on here ;)

[B3buggy]

http://rcr-racing.co.uk/Catalog/images/IMG_0229.jpg (http://rcr-racing.co.uk/Catalog/images/IMG_0229.jpg)

Blue Polycarbonate Box, Ultrabright Blue Staus LED, Long Silicone Leads. Large Croc Clips.

[KyoshoK]

i add a 3cell pack inside mine, to run my lathe..... it also acts as a weight, so the box wont be top heavy and topple over.

[xx4-nutter]

just wondering what sort of load i could run of a BMI power supply

" ultra power 10 a dc12v 10 a swiching power supply

input ac230v 50 hz output dc 12v10 amp "

id want to run maybe 2 chargers off it and a fan... would they all work or would it be over loaded ?

Garry D.

[super__dan]

Well it's a 10A power supply so you should be able to run 2 chargers at 5A. A fan takes next to bugger all so that should be OK too. The only thing is sometimes the more you load it the more the voltage drops off so on full load it may dip to like 11.6V which some chargers may not like.

Just try it!

[xx4-nutter]

cheers dan, i wasnt too sure about it.. ill give it a go ! :D

Garry D.

[ashleyb4]

It all depends of your charge current. The fan isnt going to be over 1a draw. So to be on the safe side i would charge at 4 amp on both chargers. The power supply will handel it but it will get warm. So just be careful. As the last thing you want is your powersuply going pop in the middle of a meeting.

A

EDIT: beaten to it.

[jim76]

i looked at getting one of those cheap on ebay a little while back, but i read several unfavourable comments on racechat about their power handling. i wouldn't push it close to the 10A if you can avoid it as they seem pretty prone to going pop.

[mark christopher]

i looked at getting one of those cheap on ebay a little while back, but i read several unfavourable comments on racechat about their power handling. i wouldn't push it close to the 10A if you can avoid it as they seem pretty prone to going pop.
Jim has hit the nail on the head, i had 3 of these before i gave up on em and bought a good psu
they dont like high loads and soon pop

[GeneralZod]

...i may get some carbon fibre vinyl to cover it in...



Functional Item + Stick-On Carbon Tat = BarryBoy

What's Next?
4" screw on red alloy tailpipe on your XX4?
Fake bonnet vents on your B4??

Kids today... :rolleyes:

[b4rs]

so how did you make it exactly and wot does it do, when u went to maplins how did you buy a plastic box that worked axaclty as a power distributer??? with all the preset switch holes, so do you just hook up your 12v leisure battery to that and u can run multiple chargers?

[josh_smaxx]

I think i might make one......

Shame as i dont have a power supply to use it with, just a 12v/240v charger :D

[mark christopher]

you buy all the components and then make it to your chosen layput, then you have a multi point power supply outlet

[ashleyb4]

You have to drill the holes yourself.

A

[antnee]

question:how do you wire it up? with and with out switches(leds would be good)

also, how much were your sockets?

[ashleyb4]

My sockets where somethi glike 97 p i think cant rememebr really.

To wire it up you wire it up in parrerlel

So you connect the red wire from the 12v to the first posative socket then put another wire between posative socket one and posative socket 2 and do the same but with posative socket 2 and 3. Tnen do the same for the negative side but obvioulsy use the negative wire from the 12v.

As for using switches.

The main posative wire form th 12v would connect to the posative of the switch either terminal doesnt really matter. Then connect a wire form the same termanal of the switch to the next switch and then gaain join another wire from the second swithc to the third switch.

For the negative do the same as if you wherent using a switch.

And then place a joning wire form the spare terminal on the switch to the psative plugs do this with all the switched if you want ill draw a circuit diagram.

As for LED's you would just wire hem in parrelel.

A

[ashleyb4]

here you go circuit diagram if you dont want switches just wire posative straight to posative socket

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5378/cisuitrs8.gif (http://imageshack.us)

BTW the box's are sockets red = postive and vise versa

A

[mark christopher]

makesure your switched are sufficiently rated for the output

[antnee]

nice one ash, my psu should look proper trick now :)

[VintageRacer]

If you want power indicator LEDs add them like this. (The rectangle is a resistor to limit the current to the LED, you will need to choose the right value resistor. I don't have time to work it out at the moment, sorry.)

Edit: Just found this to calculate the series resistor value http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/led.htm

[antnee]

decided im going to take the easy option, get some illuminated switches

[Northy]

You'll still need to connect up the LEDs or whatever they use to illuminate up, they don't illuminate by magic you know..... :D

G

[antnee]

i just connect the switch as per normal, the led is inside the switch and sorts its self out

[Northy]

Really? I've never sen one like that.....

G

[VintageRacer]

12v illuminated switch

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=218983&doy=26m9

[Northy]

So the whole current passes through the LED or bulb or whatever? Really? Got a pin out for the switch?

G

[VintageRacer]

Found this on RS web site:
http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/08d4/0900766b808d4213.pdf

single pole switch with 3 terminals!! Looks like they are connected internally like the first diagram and you need to wire up as in the second diagram.

[Northy]

That is exactly what I meant, you still need to connect the LED or neon or whatever it is....

G

[mark christopher]

If you want power indicator LEDs add them like this. (The rectangle is a resistor to limit the current to the LED, you will need to choose the right value resistor. I don't have time to work it out at the moment, sorry.)

Edit: Just found this to calculate the series resistor value http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/led.htm


far easier to buy 12 volt led's

[VintageRacer]

far easier to buy 12 volt led's

It's been so long since I did anything electronics. I didn't know such things existed. Having a look, only problem with 12v LEDs is you can't get blue ones :D (at least at Maplins).

[Northy]

12 Volt LEDs just have the resistor built in to the Led. If you want blue LEDs the resistor value will be different than if you want red LEDs.

G

[mark christopher]

12 Volt LEDs just have the resistor built in to the Led. If you want blue LEDs the resistor value will be different than if you want red LEDs.

G
hmmm mine had no visable resister, and i cut the leads short

[Northy]

Its built into the silicon die of the LED inside the coloured plastic bit. ;)

G

[c0sie]

VERY interesting thread.

Mark, if you get bored at anytime id be interested in seeing inside your box to see how you've wired it all in.

[c0sie]

Not bored then Mark?

[mark christopher]

Not bored then Mark?

me?

ill try to do some pics for you, only just seen your request

[c0sie]

Cheers fella, that will be great :)

[josh_smaxx]

Iv just made one and obviously wired the illuminating switch up completely wrong so i'll have to have a look at that tonight, it works but the light doesnt come on :rolleyes::( fun to make though.

[josh_smaxx]

Fixed it :D

[VintageRacer]

Pics?

[Al3xis007]

just wondering what sort of load i could run of a BMI power supply

" ultra power 10 a dc12v 10 a swiching power supply

input ac230v 50 hz output dc 12v10 amp "

id want to run maybe 2 chargers off it and a fan... would they all work or would it be over loaded ?

Garry D.

if its says 10amp at 12v, you could run 2 chargers at 5amps but if its 230v 10a then you can run about 4 chargers plus off it, because of the voltage ac to dc change.

i have a homemade 35amp switching pc power supply (triple fan) and the most i've had from it was 5 chargers, 2 fans, a soldering iron and 2 motor fridges. pikey maths recons about 50amps is ok, but it has tripped the power out before.... not recommended lol

[josh_smaxx]

Pics?

Maybe later ;) i'll get the camera out at somepoint tonight i think.

[Tom3012]

I hate when the person next to me on the rostrum has a blue LED on their transmitter... I get mesmerised by it... especially if its a pistol-grip one so the LED is facing me... *drool*


stand on the other side of the person;)

[jamesburling720]

stand on the other side of the person;)

Or shut your eyes? :)

[jamesburling720]

Anyway, this is really cool - I'm gonna make one! Thanks to everyone who posted

[jamesburling720]

I made one!

Now to find some batteries for my camera...

[jamesburling720]

OK, I gave up...crappy camphone pic it is:

http://images23.fotki.com/v765/photos/0/1091200/7910284/2009083118_16_26-vi.jpg

Spent less than a tenner in this, and I coulda done it even chaper if I hadnt put the fancy light-up switch on there. Pleased with it though, thanks for everyone who posted up about making these, it filled my BH Monday nicely! :thumbsup:

[stox217]

will this be in use sunday mate? :p

[jamesburling720]

Only if I ever manage to get a car built...:cry:

[stox217]

:p you have saturday to do that:thumbsup:

[ashleyb4]

My only concern is that wire seems very thin you have a large ammount of connectors on that box. and if you plugged two chargers in you could easily reach 10 amp and i dont think that wire could carry 5 amp never mind 10 amp.

A

[Lee]

It'll be fine, it looks bigger than 1.5mm cable and thats good for 15 amps ;)

[jamesburling720]

No probs with it yet...fingers crossed! :thumbsup: