My Controller box Build

warsome

Wires? who needs wires!
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
36
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
Hi all.

So finally finished my Controll boxes for the year.

In my primary box I have
-2 * 12V PSU's
-240V fan
-Pi with FPP
-Small wifi router
-ECG- p12S

I used B&R cabinets, as I plan to mount them on the wall in my new house.

First I added fans, had to cut our the vents for intake and have the fan pushing air out (exaust) I did this from experience that when a fan sucks air in, even with the shield, sometimes it will suck in rain and that's never good.
step0.png


step1.png



The back plates come out of the box, so its easy to drill in everything with PCB screws.

step2.png



Then, Drilled in glands on the bottom plate for all my pigtails and services (power, Ethernet ect)
And box One is complete.
Finished1.png
 

warsome

Wires? who needs wires!
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
36
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
In my Second box I have
-2 * 12V PSU's
-240V fan
-ECG- p12S -- [soon to have a P12D to replace the P12X]
- 27 channel Easy DMX LED controller

Finished2.png
 

fasteddy

I have C.L.A.P
Global moderator
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
6,648
Location
Albion Park NSW
Now thats building boxes to last, A great job and looks neat, better than what Ive done in the past as for me DIY was about saving money so I could never factor in those great steel boxes for the price. But if i was doing it for someone else then thats the approach I would have taken
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
4,681
Location
Victoria Point (Brisbane)
It appears that you have the high current DC cables passing through the steel base plate with no bushing or grommet? The cables being only single insulated makes this worse.

I 'd rather mention it now than wait for heat or abrasion to take it's toll and see you post about the fire in your cabinet. :D

EDIT: It looks like some of the mains cabling is also passing through the base plate unprotected?
 

warsome

Wires? who needs wires!
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
36
Location
Adelaide, South Australia
David_AVD said:
It appears that you have the high current DC cables passing through the steel base plate with no bushing or grommet? The cables being only single insulated makes this worse.

EDIT: It looks like some of the mains cabling is also passing through the base plate unprotected?

I have grommets to put in :) i was waiting for them to arrive (from ebay)
 

Habbosrus

Back again
Joined
Dec 5, 2012
Messages
758
Location
Swansea, NSW
I have been able to work things so I can house my power supplies and controllers inside. Here they are in all their glory. Controller box 1 has doors (taken of at the moment). Controller box 2 saw me steal (see borrow) one of the wife's tupperware type containers as a lid (I just have it sitting over it in photo). It did the trick beautifully. I still don't see what her problem was ::) Women and their tupperware containers :eek:
 

Snicko

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
97
Location
Se Melbourne
How much were the B&R boxes worth?


We carry a similar enclosure at work that i may look at doing what you have done here also!
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
4,681
Location
Victoria Point (Brisbane)
The two meter boxes I bought for my display were about $110 + GST each (on special) from memory.

What I love about the meter boxes is the non-conductive swing out panel.
 

Steve22537

Full time elf
Joined
Dec 13, 2010
Messages
258
Location
Harrisdale, WA
Noticed you've got a WiFi router and a FM transmitter inside the cabinet, are you planning on mounting external antenna's or leaving the door off. Not sure what other problems you may have with your controllers as the RF is very close to them.

You may want to increase the size of the incoming air vent (I assume its the hole near the hinge)

Steve
 

Snicko

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
97
Location
Se Melbourne
It is deifnitely worth considering doing - I am a big fan of everything in one place! Its the exact reason i have a 48ru cabinet in the garage, if something goes wrong i go to one place!
 

ChrisB

New elf
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
23
So I like what you did with your controller's in the metal enclosures. I see the small pigtails coming out through the glands. But I also see you mentioned that this box was going to be mounted inside your home. I'm thinking garage??? Anyways have you tested this? I did something like this this year with the power supplies and 2 p12r controllers and it turned out it didn't work. It turns out my distance to first pixel was way to long. I ended up using pixel extenders which I'm not to fond of either. Please post up how this worked for you. Thanks Chris
 
Top