I was just thinking about cable management, and I came up with an idea that’s been a pet peeve of mine for a long time:
Wall warts for all the devices we use, and how they all seem to end up in out central meeting place, the kitchen.
The problem with wall warts (transfomers that convert 120v down to 1.5v to 20v, usually for recharging or running small appliances) is that every one is different. Most – but not all – use two prongs. Most – but not all – are designed to hang from a wall outlet. None are sized in a standard way.
Here is my thought: Set a box into the wall next to where these devices pile up. Think service panel. Inside the box, along one wall, place a couple of the small junction boxes with a cover, either along a side or along the top of the box. From the boxes, you will drill holes in the sides, and run a grommeted 14ga. appliance cord with female end, each one would be about 8″ long. The female end would be on an angle instead of being straight through.
The box cover would have a ventalation channel along the top and bottom edge to help passively cool the chamber loaded with transformers. It should also have a switch so you can turn it off when you leave – perhaps a heat sensor like a can light has to prevent an accidental meltdown. I wonder if hiding the cover is good, or if it should be faced with it’s own matching cabinet face? Assume a 12″x12″ door, flat against the wall.
On the front bottom, there should be a horizontal channel that you could cover either with a decorative (SS) or paintable cover that would channel your wires down to the devices, so you don’t have 8 wires converging on a central point up on the wall.
What do you think?
Tu stultus es
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
Replies
You haven't addressed the No. 1 problem -- none of the warts has any identification as to what gizmo it'll power. Two days after you get something, you have no idea which little black box will charge it! ;-)
FWIW, I read that all cell phone mfgrs (and maybe others?) have decided on a single standard, so in a few years when the standard kicks in, one wart will fit all. Now that's a good idea!
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
You are talking only of chargers for all those little portable electronics we can't do without today, right?
Cell phones, PDAs, Blackberries of all types, Ipods, clones, etc.?
Solutions for such "charging centers" have been designed and writeups done in such mags as Popular Mechanics, etc.
I guess it is now time for one from Fine Homebuilding.
How about if this thread turns into a challenge for the best-designed one, all rendered in Sketchup or some other good 3D package?
View Image
"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
I believe that I has seen them in FHB in the Design Ideas or whatever that column is called.And I don't think that column is indexed..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Electricly, did the appliance cord coming from the J-boxes sound kosher?
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
I am not following what your plan is.While there are lots of variations the concept that I have seen is either to build a niche in the wall or use a shelf under a desk.For the niche you put plug mode in the bottom or a receptacle for a power strip to plug into. And a swtich with a pilot light on the upper part of the side of the niche.Then a removable shelf with some slots in the back for the wires from the wall wart to pass through. Then a finished front over the bottom part (from the bottom of the niche to the shelf). And have some cooling slots in the front and shelf.For a desk you can mount a plug mold strip on the wall under the desk and in the back of the desk top a couple of grouments with rubber fingers that will keep the wires from side back down..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
The problem I see is that with power strips, you loose alot of potential plug spaces due to odd sized and shaped warts.
I want to have individual extension cord ends coming out of J-boxes, similar to the squid type cords that split out into five or so female outlets. Except instead of coming back to one wire, I want them to come out of the sides of the j-boxes at regular intervals, even if just one through each slug on the side.
The warts would have a velcro strap that would hold them to these dangling cords inside the box, then that mess would be covered by the door.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
Target sells a little box (actually three different variations) with a small 3 outlet power strip hidden inside. It makes it easy to route wires inside. Unfortunatly the power cord is heavy duty black and it sticks straight out from the wall, not great for a counter top.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
would these work ?
http://www.leevalley.com/newsletters/SB/1/30/newsletter.htm.
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Unfortunatly that just allows you to have more warts per square inch of wall. Good for behind a desk or bed, but ugly on the counter.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
ah,um,I forgot what I was going to write.
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"charging centers" have been designed and writeups done in such mags as Popular Mechanics, etc.
Are you talking just a box for boxes?, or a buck/boost DC-DC converter with selectible outputs? e.g.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502398.html
Ideally, you would have a low voltage strip that you could tap off of for exactly your power requirements, and have a short connector cord that would, by the tip connecting into the line, pull the right voltage for your device.
The problems with the iGo is you can unly use it for one device at a time. Great for travel, sucky for home.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
we've gone to all wireless chargers... just place the device within 24 inches of the charger... no wires no mess... no figure'n out which cord goes to which device
:) P
My old Panasonic razor had a cordless recharger. But you had to be closer than 24"..
William the Geezer, the sequel to Billy the Kid - Shoe
Apparently you are from the future. Which solution, Mr Time Traveler, do you suggest?
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
well t sounds like a hell of an idea :) maybe thats why my phone is always dead
P :)
I got the same problem, three different chargers in the kitchen and ugly.
What we did was put a J box under the counter top behind the drawers and ran all the cords threw a counter top grommet. Same with the phone jack, also below the counter top. When the cell phones are unplugged we push the cords down the hole & only the plugs show, turned out to be very neat
Paul
No one should regard themselve as "God's gift to man." But rather a mere man whos gifts are from God.