Hey everyone.
I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions how to further clean up the wires in my case, or if it looks ok. I've been working at it for a while, and short of sleeving the PSU wires, does anyone have any suggestions? Attached are 2 pictures of my case. Thanks!

Attached Thumbnails

   

Zip ties are your friend.

Just nip, tuck, etc. best wiring comes from getting creative.

Well, they look fine from an air flow perspective (all tucked to the back of the case) but there is still work to be done from an aesthetic perspective if you have a case with a window in it.

Sleeving is a good idea. An inexpensive method you can use would be to get some black plastic flexible tubing or conduit that is slit down the length of the tube and some plastic wire ties (color coordinated). This way you can sleeve the wires yourself without having to send it out to be done.

Quote: Sleeving is a good idea. An inexpensive method you can use would be to get some black plastic flexible tubing or conduit that is slit down the length of the tube and some plastic wire ties (color coordinated). This way you can sleeve the wires yourself without having to send it out to be done.

Indeed! You can get "tubes with a split" from automotive stores, some versions can be opened &
'zipped back closed! I plan to buy some myself for my current project.... since I just don't feel comfortable
removing the pins from my molex connectors...

Excellent suggestion, Im_gumby!

TDR

Quote: Originally Posted by Im_gumby Sleeving is a good idea. An inexpensive method you can use would be to get some black plastic flexible tubing or conduit that is slit down the length of the tube and some plastic wire ties (color coordinated). This way you can sleeve the wires yourself without having to send it out to be done.

Yes,

I believe the sleeving material his is referring to is split loom. Another is coil loom sleeving. Both can be had at your local RadioShack or electronics store for sure, and at a relatively inexpensive price as well. I've used both types in my wiring management project and it did wonders for me.

There is also woven loom sheathing, but that requires that you remove your PSU completely and all of the molex connectors to do it. The slit and coil loom sleeving materials allow you to sheath your wires without removing anything.

Quote: The slit and coil loom sleeving materials allow you to sheath your wires without removing anything.

Yup! That's the stuff! Just didn't know the proper name for it...

TDR

Quote: Originally Posted by The Dragon Reborn Excellent suggestion, Im_gumby!

They keep me around here for a reason... and not just for the sheep lover posts.

You know, one of the things that is never brought up in regards to wire management is wire placement and organization. What always catches people's eyes are wires that are running on angles or curves. Dangling wires with loops and curves showing are a definite no-no. Keep the wires straight, tight and run them either horizontal.or vertical (even when hiding them do this).

Thanks guys
So umm... for the wires in question that need to be sleeved. Those would be the PSU wires as well as the wires found near the bottom of the case ie behind the HD cage? Those are from the the very top of the case where there is an LED panel displaying temps as well as having Firewire and USB ports. I dont use them since my motherboard USB is flaky and there is no Firewire on my motherboard. As you can tell, I bundled them together and they are resting on the top optical drive.
The only cable needed from that panel is the Power switch and reset switch. The HD activity and PW LEDs dont work. My motherboard uses a 3 pin arrangement, and the case gave me a connector with 2 pins.

Also, the late TekXoid sold me some fans that he added LEDs to. These have long bits of wire that I cant find a good place to hide in :-/.

What's annoying is the 24pin to 20 pin adaptor. I don think there is a way to sleeve that...there would be a really fat tube there.

Would it also be better to use a flat IDE Cable for my HD's? The Round cable does have some issues being squished in the back of the cage. My Second HD isn't connected atm. I only use it for backing up when I reformat.

I do have heat shrink from my father who is a mechanic. I'll see what I can do about getting split loom.

Highperf...some of the loops i cant help...such as the molex adaptors for the optical drives and such. I'll try to get rid of most of the angled and looped wires and see what I can do about making them horizontal and vertical.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bane What's annoying is the 24pin to 20 pin adaptor. I don't think there is a way to sleeve that...there would be a really fat tube there. Would it also be better to use a flat IDE Cable for my HD's? The Round cable does have some issues being squished in the back of the cage. My Second HD isn't connected atm. I only use it for backing up when I reformat. I do have heat shrink from my father who is a mechanic. I'll see what I can do about getting split loom.

The main power to the mobo should already be sleeved/bundled to some extent by the PSU manufacturer already, so nothing needed on that.

Round IDE cables also do not need sleeving.

Sleeve all other cables (or completely hide from view) and organize like Highper said.

Hope that answers your questions.

Hey guys,
So I did a quick google search on split loom and I came up with something else. Has anyone ever used PET wrap? Looks like it will fit the bill. I only have some short sections to sleeve on my modular molex cables, and split loom looks a bit overkill for that.

http://www.cableorganizer.com/pet-wrap/

http://cableorganizer.com/f6-wrap-around/

http://www.svc.com/sleeving-flexo-wr...-sleeving.html

Does anyone know if the following sleeving is side opening? It has a thinner diameter.
http://www.svc.com/sleeving-flexo-pe...2-colors-.html

What do you guys think? Perhaps others can utilize it as well.

Nice Stuff, Bane!

I wish that was readily available here in the NL... but it isn't... so I boughty some 16mm flexible
tubing today & made the "split" myself... it costs like 2 bucks for 10 metres..lol... unfortunately
it is...gulp... beige/yellowish... but... since it is somekind of vinyl, I'm going to dye it black tomorrow...

I'll be posting it in my worklog (Episode NOT Lost) soon...

TDR

No problem Dragon
So it appears that the PET flex tubing linked below isn't side opening?
http://www.svc.com/sleeving-flexo-pe...2-colors-.html

Quote: Originally Posted by Bane No problem Dragon So it appears that the PET flex tubing linked below isn't side opening? http://www.svc.com/sleeving-flexo-pe...2-colors-.html

Correct. That's the type you'd remove the molex plugs to slip on, then heatshrink or ziptie the ends.

SVC does sell the side-opening PET tubing as well, though they only sell it in black, grey, or beige:
http://www.svc.com/sleeving-flexo-wr...-sleeving.html

eh, black seems like the only feasible color.....
I was thinking that 1/2" wrap would be rather large. The modular PSU cables tend to be short and thin. Do you think that 1/2" would be overkill? Or does it wrap to a smaller diameter?

*bump* any ideas about the diameter thing? 1/2 overkill for PSU wires?

Other than for the 20/24-pin connector cables, yes, the side-opening wrap would leave a lot of overhang excess sleeving, if you were to put it on a thinner cable... Probably better to bite the bullet and get a PSU modding kit (tools, sleeving, and heatshrink), or order them individually if you think you'll need more of one length than comes standard in the kits...

PSU modding tools aren't that expensive, and are actually rather easy to use...

AFA that HDD LED wire light "problem" you mentioned, you can use an X-Acto knife (or should be able to) to pull one of the wires out and then move it over into the unused spot on the 3-pin connector. I've done that before for past issues between cases and motherboard headers, with no negative side effects.

Thanks Grandpa for all the help Yeah i was thinking about moving the wire connecting the pin over.....lets see if i have an exacto knife around.
For the PSU, what would i use to mod it, and where can I get the PSU modding tools?


http://cableorganizer.com/f6-wrap-around/

looks like this stuff is available in 1/8" and 1/4" as well. Will that be excess as well? Just have to order it from that site. So maybe buy 2 ft and see if it works? only 2bux, but S&H will prolly be annoying.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bane Thanks Grandpa for all the help Yeah i was thinking about moving the wire connecting the pin over.....lets see if i have an exacto knife around. For the PSU, what would i use to mod it, and where can I get the PSU modding tools? http://cableorganizer.com/f6-wrap-around/ looks like this stuff is available in 1/8" and 1/4" as well. Will that be excess as well? Just have to order it from that site. So maybe buy 2 ft and see if it works? only 2bux, but S&H will prolly be annoying.

All you need is a screwdriver, wirecutters/strippers, soldering iron and alot of planning........make sure and lable the wires prior to cutting them.........

At those prices, not that much more than for "traditional" expandable sleeving (no split)... Hmm...

AFA the tool kits... I bought this one, and so far, all is very well with it... I'm sure you can find it elsewhere for probably cheaper, but it basically has it all.