Rachel Cameron Posted January 6, 2017 Report Share Posted January 6, 2017 I'm building a right angle DC cable that goes from my Audio Root distro to my Cedar DNS-2. The wall wart that shipped with the DNS-2 was built with 22AWG. In the wall wart graveyard, I found some 24AWG and some 18AWG, but no 22AWG. In a quick search of the site here, I found advice regarding 22-24 being fine..but my question is: Could I make this DC cable build a bit sturdier? I was wondering if it was okay to do the build with the 18AWG. Any advice for my build here? Thanks for any help, Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted January 6, 2017 Report Share Posted January 6, 2017 Quote 18 ga is fine. being a thicker cable it will allow the electrons to flow faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks very much, Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 15 hours ago, Eric Toline said: a thicker cable it will allow the electrons to flow faster. Faster electrons will make the DNS process faster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Anyone else use mic cable for DC? Canare non-starquad fits a Hirose perfectly. I don't like piling up heat shrink on skinny lamp cord type wire. Not sure why. i just trim away the braid and leave it unconnected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted January 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 2 hours ago, Jack Norflus said: Faster electrons will make the DNS process faster I hope the electrons slow down a little bit for the curves, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 if you want to control the electrons, you need special methods. and that means you have to get to me. heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 4 hours ago, Jack Norflus said: Faster electrons will make the DNS process faster Man speaks the truth. That's why you use time code so everything will be in sync. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 10 hours ago, Derek H said: Anyone else use mic cable for DC? Canare non-starquad fits a Hirose perfectly. I don't like piling up heat shrink on skinny lamp cord type wire. Not sure why. i just trim away the braid and leave it unconnected. I have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 Thanks Jack, I know that round unshielded dc cable exists but the conductors are too fat for hirose solder cups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted March 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 (edited) Closure. Looks a bit rough, but I took the liberty of clipping the 1 and 4 solder cups flush and stuck soldered the ends down inside. I pulled 2 and 3 completely, since they were only vestiges from a previous life. I trimmed the little nylon wall between them. Hot melt glue and a razor. The cable is mighty burly for bag work now. 22-24 ga. was wimpy. I can sleep now. Edited March 8, 2017 by Rachel Cameron Added better pic, phrasing clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 For the amount of current consumption of a DNS 2, one does not really need to use a very thick cable... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted March 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Very true, Vin. But since it didn't matter...inside a busy bag, it'll just last longer. I've had wall warts with 24ga. coming out of them. I always think it's scary thin, and then they eventually break under heavy use, or fray. But this one's tough as nails. I love my sturdy cable. And I got permission from the wiring lords here, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Most of the devices we use draw very little current, and therefore the voltage drop over short runs is of little consequence, which means that using small gauge cable is fine for that application. However -- Even in a bag, and especially on a cart, using heavier gauge cable will result in less issues with ground loops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek H Posted March 8, 2017 Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Rachel, sounds like you didn't solder the conductors to the XLR-4 pins? You clipped the pins flush and just pushed them in? I'm confused by why you wouldn't just solder to the pins. Is it because the conductor was too fat to fit in the cup? John, how does having heavier gauge DC power cables result in less ground loop issues? I thought ground loops were more about electrical path and having more than one 'ground'. Thanks, Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted March 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 So sorry. I wrote too quickly. I soldered them in. Was a bit tricky with no solder cups. I used the needle tip that came with my Weller solder station. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 4 hours ago, Derek H said: John, how does having heavier gauge DC power cables result in less ground loop issues? I thought ground loops were more about electrical path and having more than one 'ground'. All wire has resistance. That resistance causes voltage drop. Ground loops are about the different ground potential between circuits. Yes, if there is only one path to ground, then you don't have different potentials to ground (or between gear). However, each piece of gear needs a path to ground or you don't have a completed circuit. In most cases that path to ground is via connecting cables. The lower the resistance of those cables, the less difference in potential between grounds. Note that ground potential isn't just about ground loops causing hum, it also figures into RF susceptibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Cameron Posted July 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2018 Doubling back for a report that my burly RA DC cable is doing fine, and It's been in and out of three bags several times since. But above all: I also wanted to qualify something I suspected for a while. I pulled the unused pins (2,3) on the XLR, and the corresponding pins on the Hirose for a good reason - so there was nothing to cross to in the case of a bad joint (except of course, pin 1). This happened one day, and it made the DNS-2 go dark for a while. When it came back I was pretty relieved. It happened again before I began to suspect this: I couldn't tell if it was crossing to pin 1 or 2 or 3 in the Hirose, really. Also compounding the problem, was that the chuck on the Hirose would not clamp down on the tiny 24AWG (hence the 18 ga.). I cleaned up the solder joint, and added a tiny dab of hot melt glue at the Hirose end, and filled the XLR at the other end. It hasn't happened again since, so I figure that was what it was... Any similar power experiences with this item? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpro Posted July 22, 2018 Report Share Posted July 22, 2018 For maximum TC flow I have used 00 with great success on long cable runs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efksound Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 I started using DIY Right angle XLRs to power my DNS2 , but finally found it took to much space as well , opened the unit and soldered a flying lead with a hirose connector at the end... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.