Recommend to me.... a PSU/project box... a "nice" one...

[bruce]

I am looking for recommendations for a small case for a project. 2 external connections, one is MIDI on the usual 5-pin DIN, and the other could be either a DIN-type connector (different pin layout) or 5 pin XLR. And a 9v DC supply. (about 100mA)

The only purpose of the unit is to combine the midi and DC signals, and send them on over a single 5 core cable. It's just a junction box.

Currently I have the whole thing in a plastic project box, complete with transformer, rectifier etc. it's a bit chunky, and looks "home made". But it works.

I want something a bit neater. A metal box (but not the usual die cast project box). 

I'm thinking about 2 possibilities. Either:

a. A small extruded box, big enough to take 2 DIN/XLR sockets, and a standard DC connector.  Roughly the size of a DI. Pair that up with a wall-wart PSU, and it means I don't have any electrical safety issues; all the 240V is inside the wall-wart.

b. A small box, with built-in 9V PSU, and enough space to add 2x XLR/DIN, with appropriate separation from the mains gubbins.

 

Any suggestions - ideally something available from CPC/Farnell/RS, although that's not essential. Even a "nice" box with a couple of XLR-size cutouts...

I think Canford used to do something that would have been ideal - looked to be the same sort of case as a tecpro pack, but had an IEC inlet...

 

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Edit: it's at times like this I wish they still did a paper CPC catalogue....]

[Edit again: the "common bodge" for this is a 3-way cable - no box at all - just have the 5-core cable go into the standard DIN plug, with the 2 DC lines turning back and coming back out, to go to another connector. But not keen on that idea.]

 

[themadhippy]

Quote

extruded

use that as a search term on cpc and it should give you 1 or 2 options,you can then narrow it down with the dimension  options.Ive used sevral of there hammond boxes and they look  ok,better than my  usual dicast box sprayed black

[sunray]

How about a wallwart style box big enough to take your 2 sockets?

[david.elsbury]

5 hours ago, sunray said:

How about a wallwart style box big enough to take your 2 sockets?

Interesting idea but might be a challenge to obtain the required separation between the mains and non-mains side of the circuit 

[Tom Baldwin]

Farnell sell enclosures by a manufacturer by the name of Box (which makes searching for them difficult!). They’re in a very similar style to the Tecpro enclosure you mentioned, but in a range of sizes and colours: https://uk.farnell.com/c/enclosures-racks-cabinets/enclosures-boxes-cases/metal-enclosures?brand=box-enclosures

[sunray]

8 hours ago, david.elsbury said:

Interesting idea but might be a challenge to obtain the required separation between the mains and non-mains side of the circuit 

That oft quoted subject.

Just  look inside commercial units (including BS & CE marked) to see how they do it.

If all else fails simply fill one side or the other with hot melt glue.

[sunray]

16 hours ago, bruce said:

 

 

[Edit: it's at times like this I wish they still did a paper CPC catalogue....]

 

 

They have it on-line but I agree it's not as easy.

CPC code EN85408 ??

[Lamplighter]

My 2018 - 2019 paper catalogue is still current, though quite a few items have disappeared or been replaced. It still makes a good starting point when looking for most things.

Brian

[boatman]

Oooh err, I still have a 2020/2021 trade catalogue. It's probably worth putting it on Fleabay! Seriously though, this is very similar to the box we used for Bluecom and will probably do the trick:

https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp/mcrecs80/case-aluminium-80x108-5x45mm/dp/EN85413

[Jivemaster]

deleted

Edited July 28, 2023 by Jivemaster

[Jivemaster]

I like the Hammond enclosures, they are available in many sizes and a few colours.

1455 Series Hammond Aluminium Instrument Enclosures | Maplin Professional Supplies (MPS) | Components, LEDs, Resistors, Switches, Connectors | Free delivery over £25

is one supplier.

Could you use a heatshrink three way adaptor and pull the soldering inside, -just make the Y-lead?

[Fleeting]

How about these:-

https://www.canford.co.uk/CANFORD-UNIVERSAL-EXTRUDED-BOXES

or slightly bigger

https://www.canford.co.uk/CANFORD-EXTRUDED-BOXES

 

Ian...

[sunray]

 

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Edited July 28, 2023 by sunray