# Building a plug n play project box for VSA



## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Hey Haunters!

I have this 3 axis skull kit I put together and I have a problem. No one else can figure out how it goes together. It's all jumpers and stripped wires going into terminals, and it's all tangled. Heck I can barely use it.

SO

I wanted to make like a plug in play project box so you can basically put the "A" cable into the"A" socket.

I was wondering what kind of connectors I should use. 

I have two wall wart type power adapters going into it. I 'd like to make those quick release, and then Ill have about 16 of the jumpers on the ssc-32 board that I'll like to have go to quick disconnects.

I'd like the power to be a different type of disconnect than the terminals on the scc-32.

I might even through in my Medusa DMX chip. so maybe a third type of connector. DMX friendly.


All of those who know me on hauntforum know I am not technical, so I don't really know where to start. Whats a good connector for DC power supplies? I dunno. Can I use RCA connectors for servo relay circuits, probably not?

I hope you guys can help me out!


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

For power connections like you are running, I like to use what are called Coaxial Power Jacks. They are non-shorting which simply means they will not short out the power supply (a bad thing) when you connect and disconnect them. They are made to accept the plugs that you normally have on wall warts already.

They come like this for mounting to a box or panel:









Or like this for an inline connection:









You can find them several places on-line or at your local Radio Shack.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Oh yeah. Kind of feel dumb for not thinking of that. So I got the power source figured out.

Any good connectors for servo leads?


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

You could use RCA connectors, but each servo needs 3 conductors so you'd have an odd number of connections. You could set up a single power connection that's common to all your servos (usually the red lead on the servo) and then a separate RCA for the data and ground for each servo.
If you want to keep all the servo connectors in a single cable, you could use something like a DB connector. You'd have to be comfortable with a soldering iron, but that's not too tough. (I've seen your work - if you can build what you build, soldering will be cake).


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Hey hedg12 I ahd thought of RCAs but I what cable to go with them. I know I can get the connectors for white, red, and yellow, for audio left, right, and video BUT I don't know if you can buy the 3 stranded wire in bulk, mostly because I wouldn't know what it is called. I have been googling a lot of dead ends.

I think I could use cat5 but I'd like the cables as sturdy and professional looking so that my haunt crew wont break them tangle them, or get confused.


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

Audio/video cable is shielded (which you don't need) and finding it in bulk is tough. You could use standard 3 conductor cable like this. This has a common shield that could either be connected to the outer shell of the RCA connectors or left unconnected.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

That looks pretty good. I was looking at wires of all kinds and it just looked like too many wires, or too much shielding or too expensive . I will investigate this further. Thanks Hedg!


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

Just so you know, the wire I linked to is fairly small (22 gauge - a little thicker than the wire in cat-5). It should work fine, but might not stand up to much abuse without some kind of strain relief. You might want to find samples of different gauges before you order any just to be sure it will work for you. They do have other gauges - 16 gauge, 18 gauge (cheap, too)

(Sorry to throw this out after the fact - I wasn't thinking about your intended use.) (I rarely think at all...)


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

Good point hedg. I'll have to check my wire gauge card when I get home. I'd like something sturdy but not so thick its not going to be easy to bend and hide inside my props.


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