Cord Management

[Beej1254]

Just curious to see other peoples solutions for cord management. Sense we have so much stuff plugged into power strips and I find most equipment have short power cords I'm stuck with what I feel like is mostly "safe" and functional.
so have my power strips mounted on a board under my tank in open space. They used to be Velcro striped to the stand itself over each side of the tank...but that left 1 power strip above my open sump haha. Not what I call safe.

This setup is ugly as hell.

 

[Brookster123]

I use zip.ties and wire cable fasteners. I don't make anything to permanent as im always tinkering..

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[54seaweed]

I always liked using the plastic casings they use for car wiring harnesses they are cheap and always look good and lets you remove or add wires as needed ,
It comes in a lot of colors and sizes and makes those ugly wires look clean and neat ,
I always mark what each wire is for so if I need to remove something I can find it with ease

I also use a gfi outlet that I plug one big wire into as I have made a box with outlets for all my equipment this also is all gfi outlets it's mounted inside my tank cabinet I built , this outlet has it's own gfi breaker also

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Good tip seaweed

 

[ImACoolguy]

I use zip.ties and wire cable fasteners. I don't make anything to permanent as im always tinkering..

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Same...

I stuff them all under the stand but loose so I can mess with things.


Caleb

 

[Beej1254]

I would really like to install some kind of cord track system into my stand but I'm really nervous about drilling pilot holes and putting screws into my stand. I don't want to possibly ruin my stand and it all come crashing down. I know nothing of wood work so if someone could make me feel better about this that would be great lol

Then I'd probably put a power strip on both sides again and clean it all up.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

1/4 inch diameter holes shouldn't harm your intregity at all. I wouldn't go using a hole saw and drilling 2 inch holes but drilling for your needs shouldn't hurt.

 

[Beej1254]

Sounds like I know what I'm doing tonight! thanks for the advice

 

[Fresh2o]

While you're at it, label the cords/plugs.


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[PassengerTN]

While you're at it, label the cords/plugs.


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Yes, god yes. You know how many times I've went through two different power strips trying to figure out which one was the heaters!!?

Jesse

 

[Fresh2o]

Yes, god yes. You know how many times I've went through two different power strips trying to figure out which one was the heaters!!?

Jesse

I try to do this with TV/stereo/recv and computer stuff. No fun unplugging the PC when trying to unplug the printer.
Happy cabling and labeling!


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[Brookster123]

I actually draw a blueprint of the wiring and tape it my door. Has each power strip numbered to tank size and where everything is plugged in. Can't tell you how many times it's saved me from unplugging the wrong thing.. kind of like labeling the breaker panel.

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[PassengerTN]

That's a good idea Brooks. It'll def come in handy in that new fish room. We are 2 weeks from our closing date on our house, I'm still trying to talk the wife into me taking over half the basement for similar ventures

Jesse

 

[brennae]

I have most of my fishroom on a dedicated circuit and then the outlets are all GCFI and most of the power strips are also GCFI and have 6 foot cords on them. Labeling cords is something I have thought about. Maybe overkill but the cats knocked a light into an open topped tank before. Good thing for GCFI

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[Beej1254]

I really worry (sometimes too much) about what could happen. I want to make this all as safe as possible. I will feel much better having my power strips secured with screws into the stand though and wires sorted and routed.

 

[sheilak]

cord changes

I use old nail polish to mark cord and plugs so I know the cord goes to the right outlet

 

[Beej1254]

Ok so I have a better setup now and my wires are labeled! I'm so excited to have a better safer setup. I used both screws AND industrial strength Velcro on the power strips. I also organized all the power cords so that they each make nice drip loops and not a ball of wire spaghetti.

But the best placement for the strips were still over the sump and my future ATO tank and future frag tank. I feel confident it'll work

 

[54seaweed]

I have never counted how many wires I have , I know if I did I would have a stroke but there all wires run in harmony but at the outlet box it looks like a giant octopus
I'm half tempted to drill a big hole in floor and run a 3 inch pvc pipe through than the wires , that way the giant octopus is down below , out of site out of mind lol

 

[jad2411]

I have one of these stuck with double sided tape on the top and bottom frames on the backside of the tank, it helps keep airline tubing and power cables out of sight and organized

 

[BillD]

I have most of my fishroom on a dedicated circuit and then the outlets are all GCFI and most of the power strips are also GCFI and have 6 foot cords on them. Labeling cords is something I have thought about. Maybe overkill but the cats knocked a light into an open topped tank before. Good thing for GCFI

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For what it is worth, I knocked a 2 foot flourescent fixture into a 15, (twice actually, no GFCI), and it did no harm to the fish, and the tube stayed lit.
For identification, I use coloured electrical tape placed near the plug. The coloured tape is usually cheaper than the black, and leaves no residue when you remove it.