DIY Power Cords

[nc42acc]

Do you solder the bare wire ends of the power cord before you insert them into the AC plug or leave bare? My concern leaving bare would be tarnish and deterioration. I remember seeing a AudioQuest video showing someone terminating a power cord and they used what looked like a paste on the bare wire ends before they were clamped into the AC plug. Maybe a silver or copper paste?

[alp-tone]

Assuming that you are using copper wire as the conductor... In a well designed AC plug, the mechanism firmly securing the stripped wire ends inside the plug should provide full contact surface area whereby oxidation would not a be problem. Be sure to strip off only as much of the dielectric as is necessary for the connection. That being said, one can always "tin" the exposed wire with solder to prevent any oxidation if you are concerned. There are plenty of internet videos demonstrating this technique. (Note: A few specialty wires are manufactured as Litz conductors where each individual copper strand in the conductor is coated with an insulating lacquer. This wire requires the stripped ends be tinned before any connection is made.)

Alternatively, one can use tinned-copper wire conductors where the individual copper wire strands have been plated with a very thin coating of tin. Here, the "tinning" has already been done for you. There are a few power cable makers using this type conductor wire with excellent results.

[CPP]

A good read and opinions

https://electronics.stackexchange.co...terminal-strip

[nc42acc]

Chris that is great info, thanks for posting.

A good read and opinions

https://electronics.stackexchange.co...terminal-strip

[MikeCh]

Hi Marty,

Don't tin the wires, use crimp sleeves / ferrules to contain stranded wire conductors that will then be screwed down in the terminal block/connector (as described in the link above). I've been doing it this way for many years now and it creates a nice secure connection and also encapsulates the individual strands of bare copper conductors to minimize oxidation.

Another option is to use small spades like the Furutech FP-209. Then you can solder the conductor to the spade and insert the spades' forks to clamp down inside the connector body.

[alp-tone]

A good read and opinions...

Great information; thanks for posting the link.

While thermo-mechanical creep deformation of soldered connections is an important issue in microelectronics manufacturing, it is interesting to learn that it might be a consideration in the type connection discussed here where the solder is not used to make/secure the actual connection.

Certainly an issue to be mindful about.

[nc42acc]

Thanks guys for all the great info and instruction.

[Speedskater]

As 'Mike' just wrote. Never solder/tin the end of a wire under a screw terminal. Over time the solder will cold flow and the terminal will loosen!
What you can do however is:
Strip about 3/16 inch of insulation.
Solder/tin the very end of the wire.
Strip about 1/2 inch more insulation.
Then center that bare wire under the screw terminal.

[nc42acc]

Another great idea. I am going to try the small spade technique and also try using a conductive paste and ferrules too. I have lots of time and materials to dabble away.

As 'Mike' just wrote. Never solder/tin the end of a wire under a screw terminal. Over time the solder will cold flow and the terminal will loosen!
What you can do however is:
Strip about 3/16 inch of insulation.
Solder/tin the very end of the wire.
Strip about 1/2 inch more insulation.
Then center that bare wire under the screw terminal.

[Speedskater]

Yes, ferrules are a great way to go, especially if you are doing a lot of connections. Or if it's fine strand rather than course strand wire.
Ferrules are very common in industrial or military applications.

[jadedavid]

And for the TRUE audiophile, Furutech offers a gold plated crimping tool.
If you have to ask, you can't afford it.

[nc42acc]

Furutech FI-50M connectors. Furutech FP-S55N cable. Made for my ARC REF5SE

[jadedavid]

That looks nice.
Did you connect the shield at the male plug end to act as an RFI/EMI drain?
Different schools of thought dictate one way or another on shields.

[nc42acc]

Yes the outer shield is connected at the AC outlet side.

[Speedskater]

I would connect the shield only at the hi-fi component end of the cord. That way it acts as an extension of the component's chassis (which is also the more important shield). I don't know if 'UL' would be happy with this in a commercial cord.

[nc42acc]

I asked Furutech how to connect the outer braid and this is what they told me.

I would connect the shield only at the hi-fi component end of the cord. That way it acts as an extension of the component's chassis (which is also the more important shield). I don't know if 'UL' would be happy with this in a commercial cord.

[dznutz]

Considering the shield gets spliced with the ground wire, why would it make any difference if its spliced at the plug or IEC? Its all the same is it not?

I would connect the shield only at the hi-fi component end of the cord. That way it acts as an extension of the component's chassis (which is also the more important shield). I don't know if 'UL' would be happy with this in a commercial cord.

[JohnJ]

Here's an interesting read on DIY power cables:

http://www.image99.net/blog/files/be...049e69-75.html

i am going to try this design using the basic copper Furutech connectors.
I just received some wire and plugs from Take Five Audio in Canada. Good prices and great service.

[Speedskater]

Absolute and total nonsense!
Also dangerous and wrong, wrong,wrong.

[JohnJ]

Absolute and total nonsense!
Also dangerous and wrong, wrong,wrong.

OK, i wasn't a EE major but, I am curious as to what you find troublesome in this design?

[Speedskater]

Neither is he an engineer.
Everything in his design is troublesome. There is nothing correct, good or safe in it.

[Jack]

Do you ever answer a question directly on any of the forums you visit?

[dznutz]

Well I certainly havent received an answer... another internet expert?

[jadedavid]

Well I certainly havent received an answer... another internet expert?

So current thought goes like this.
Let's say that the shield picks up some RFI. Where would you like to send it? Back to the electrical panel ground (earth) (shield grounded at wall plug) or to the piece of equipment (shield grounded to the IEC, /equipment).
Some don't believe in shields at all. Some shield one way or the other or both.
Many ideas, thoughts and beliefs.
You get to pick which one you want to follow.

[JohnJ]

Dznutz-

I made some power cables with braided shielding. The manufacturer of the cable recommended attaching the shield to the ground wire on the wall socket side. I seem to remember the reason being similar to what jadedavid mentioned "sending it back." He also astutely alluded to the fact that highly regarded cables may or may not have shielding.

A DIYer like myself hopes to save some cash but my tinker mentality enjoys the hunt.

[Spock]

To me, always with shield. But put it at some distance from the cable and grounded at wall plug ...

[dznutz]

Even if the shield is not grounded on either end... it should still provide protection from RFI and from the power cable itself effecting nearby audio cables should it not?

[jadedavid]

The short answer to your question is yes to a diminished degree.
Why don't you just try it and let us know your results?

[JohnJ]

Just to get back to this.

I did build the cable described on page two of this thread. The total cost was about $140.
Comparing it to one made with DH Labs Power Plus Cable and the basic Wattgate connectors, the sound is cleaner and there is more separation between the instruments and vocals.
Certainly not a night and day difference however. The comparison was on my DAC.