Brief overview of my rebuild controller boxes.
For the past couple of seasons I've been running my display from a hotchpotch collection of controller boxes. I've been wanting to standardise the controller boxes for a while, but never had the time to do so. My mentality was if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
This year I decided to bite the bullet and standardise the controller boxes. My prerequisites were as follow:
I've been using Tactix tough case variants for a couple of seasons. They are holding up really well in the Qld Sun and wet weather. Based on this historical use, I decided this year to use the XL versions for 32 port controllers, and the L version for 8 and 16 port controllers. At the time of writing the XL is selling in Bunnings for Au$69 and the L is selling for Au$49 (The XL also comes in a Tan and "camo" colour variant, and these go for Au$85). I've also found that the kitchen cutting boards sold by Silly Solly's for Au$5 fits perfectly in both the L and XL cases. I've been using these as mounting platforms for the PSU's and Controllers. They are cheap, strong, easy to drill into and non-conductive.
I have a 3D printer, and this makes life significantly easier as you can either design or download pretty much anything you may need printed. I've 3D printed enclosures for the Shelly 1Pm smart switches (no open power cables) and a last minute enclosure for a Meanwell LRS-75 baby PSU which had the live terminals exposed. Safety First)
I've used Claude to help me design a drilling template for the Input and Output glands. This made the boxes look uniform and neat.
I've added heavy duty Hook & Loop strips to the bottom of the Cutting Boards to attach them to the case. This seems to work well enough to keep everything in place, yet still able to take it all apart in the event of emergency maintenance.
Hope this may inspire some other builds.
For the past couple of seasons I've been running my display from a hotchpotch collection of controller boxes. I've been wanting to standardise the controller boxes for a while, but never had the time to do so. My mentality was if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
This year I decided to bite the bullet and standardise the controller boxes. My prerequisites were as follow:
- Boxes needed to be "waterproof"
- Boxes needed to withstand the Qld disgusting hot weather and summer rain
- Boxes needed to be easily carried - handles would be a bonus
- Boxes needed to be large enough to comfortably fit 32 port controllers.
- MOST importantly Boxes needed to be easily available and NOT insanely expensive
- For power I went with PowerCon "waterproof" connectors
- For networking I went with - what ever networking glands I could get
- For Pixel Output I went with the 4-port M25 Glands
- For Ventilation I went with 60mm vents or the very small ones.
- I'm using Shelly 1Pm gen 3 and 4 smart switches which are fitted inside each box.
I've been using Tactix tough case variants for a couple of seasons. They are holding up really well in the Qld Sun and wet weather. Based on this historical use, I decided this year to use the XL versions for 32 port controllers, and the L version for 8 and 16 port controllers. At the time of writing the XL is selling in Bunnings for Au$69 and the L is selling for Au$49 (The XL also comes in a Tan and "camo" colour variant, and these go for Au$85). I've also found that the kitchen cutting boards sold by Silly Solly's for Au$5 fits perfectly in both the L and XL cases. I've been using these as mounting platforms for the PSU's and Controllers. They are cheap, strong, easy to drill into and non-conductive.
I have a 3D printer, and this makes life significantly easier as you can either design or download pretty much anything you may need printed. I've 3D printed enclosures for the Shelly 1Pm smart switches (no open power cables) and a last minute enclosure for a Meanwell LRS-75 baby PSU which had the live terminals exposed. Safety First)
I've used Claude to help me design a drilling template for the Input and Output glands. This made the boxes look uniform and neat.
I've added heavy duty Hook & Loop strips to the bottom of the Cutting Boards to attach them to the case. This seems to work well enough to keep everything in place, yet still able to take it all apart in the event of emergency maintenance.
Hope this may inspire some other builds.
