Shortening 20-pin ATX cable?

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phasmatis_nox

[H]ard|Gawd
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I have a nifty Flex-ATX PSU I'm using for a mod. For some reason, the ATX power connector on it is about 2 feet long. I only need it to be 9" or so. Is there any reasonable way to shorten this up not going to the extreme of just cutting it, and resoldering the wires? How do the sockets inside the molex connector come off?
 
I'll list your options in order of difficulty, starting with the easiest.

1: Leave it as is.
2: Leave it as is, and hide the wires somewhere.
3: Leave it as is and tie the wires in knots, or twist the bundle so it looks like a candy cane.
3: Cut the wires to the desired length and resolder them together, using solder, heatshrink tubing, and soemthign to cover the whole mess, like split loom or expandable sleeving.
4: Pop the pins out of the connector with the appropriate tool called a molex pin extractor. You'll want one for square pins. Pop the pins out, cut the wires to the desired length, and crimp on new pins with the appropriate tool called a molex pin crimper. DO NOT use a standard pair of pliers, you'll just smash the pin in half rather than crimping it.
5: Unsolder the wires from the sodler pads inside the power supply. Cut the wires to the desired length and resolder them to the solder pads inside the power supply.
 
I did a mod like this on my previous system.....

I had constructed a duct for the processor, but in the middle of that realized my atx cable (at the time) ran straight over the top of the heatsink. Here was my solution...

--I bought a $.30 piece of foam sheet at walmart
--Cut an quick and ugly hole in my powersupply in the appropriate spot, the hole had to be about 3/4 the length of the atx connector to be able to wedge it through the hole without cutting/resoldering anything.
--Hot glue/superglue/epoxy the foam to the power supply around the hole, on both sides inside and out.
--Cut a slit for the connector to come through the foam.
--Reroute cable through the powersupply to new hole, and only pull out the needed length.

I know the airflow moguls will balk and moan about this solution blocking air coming through the power supply, but none of them were around when I did it so I didnt care. Other than that problem it made a wonderful solution (it wasnt actually a problem I never had a problem with that power supply before or after that. :)

Edit:SarverSystems didnt list this or braiding them. :)
 
Welll, 1-3 are out. There is absolutely no room anywhere. Plus, the case is mostly clear so any bundled up wiring would be an eyesore. #5(numbering error) sounds like it'd be easier than #4... no soldering involved. However, I may just be underestimating the difficulty of crimping. I just had another idea- cut all the wires in different spots long the planned length, and use butt plugs(anybody who just giggled after reading that, shhhh) to connect em all, rather than soldering. That way, they're not some huge bulde under the flexo or whatever I end up using where all the connectors are. I'll have to take care numbering all the wires.

Originally posted by SarverSystems
I'll list your options in order of difficulty, starting with the easiest.

1: Leave it as is.
2: Leave it as is, and hide the wires somewhere.
3: Leave it as is and tie the wires in knots, or twist the bundle so it looks like a candy cane.
3: Cut the wires to the desired length and resolder them together, using solder, heatshrink tubing, and soemthign to cover the whole mess, like split loom or expandable sleeving.
4: Pop the pins out of the connector with the appropriate tool called a molex pin extractor. You'll want one for square pins. Pop the pins out, cut the wires to the desired length, and crimp on new pins with the appropriate tool called a molex pin crimper. DO NOT use a standard pair of pliers, you'll just smash the pin in half rather than crimping it.
5: Unsolder the wires from the sodler pads inside the power supply. Cut the wires to the desired length and resolder them to the solder pads inside the power supply.
Click to expand...
 
Originally posted by braidman
I did a mod like this on my previous system.....

I had constructed a duct for the processor, but in the middle of that realized my atx cable (at the time) ran straight over the top of the heatsink. Here was my solution...

--I bought a $.30 piece of foam sheet at walmart
--Cut an quick and ugly hole in my powersupply in the appropriate spot, the hole had to be about 3/4 the length of the atx connector to be able to wedge it through the hole without cutting/resoldering anything.
--Hot glue/superglue/epoxy the foam to the power supply around the hole, on both sides inside and out.
--Cut a slit for the connector to come through the foam.
--Reroute cable through the powersupply to new hole, and only pull out the needed length.

I know the airflow moguls will balk and moan about this solution blocking air coming through the power supply, but none of them were around when I did it so I didnt care. Other than that problem it made a wonderful solution (it wasnt actually a problem I never had a problem with that power supply before or after that. :)

Edit:SarverSystems didnt list this or braiding them. :)
Click to expand...

There's absolutely no room inside the PSU... none. It's nuts. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
I think you are over estimating how easy it is to solder. I taught myself from reading online tutorials and I think I do a pretty good job. Plus soldering is not even that expensive, this mod would probably cost $10 to do if you soldered the wires.
 
Just remember, i fyou do go the solder route, most power supplies I've seen group all the wires together by voltage. You'll need a big soldering gun to get that massive solder bridge to melt. A 20W radio shack iron isn't going to cut it, I don't think.
 
Originally posted by MasiveMunkey
I think you are over estimating how easy it is to solder. I taught myself from reading online tutorials and I think I do a pretty good job. Plus soldering is not even that expensive, this mod would probably cost $10 to do if you soldered the wires.
Click to expand...

Somebody tried to get me to learn soldering using some radio shack gun with a dirty(dirtier than an NYC prostitute) tip and plumbing solder. I recently got a soldering iron with a clean tip(not fond of solder guns) and real rosin core solder. I want to get a lot more practice before I go working in something like this.
 
Plumbers solder? Ha ha ha. That shit has acid in it. Not to mention it's as big around as, well, something about that size...use your imagination.

Sounds like you got the right stuff now.
 
The plumbers solder was weird because it didn't have any kind of flux core or anything, and it didn't say 'for plumbing' or anything on it. It was about as thick as I stuff I have now.
 
Originally posted by phasmatis_nox
Somebody tried to get me to learn soldering using some radio shack gun with a dirty(dirtier than an NYC prostitute) tip and plumbing solder. I recently got a soldering iron with a clean tip(not fond of solder guns) and real rosin core solder. I want to get a lot more practice before I go working in something like this.
Click to expand...
Shortening the wires on the PSU side is probably the easiest/cleanest since you already have the tools. With the guage of the wire and and the size of the holes you're dealing with, it's not exactly delicate work. Should be easy even for a novice. You may want a little desoldering braid or a solder-extraction pump to make removing the wires easier but it shouldn't be necessary. Just be sure to note which wires go where.
 
It's hard for me to express just how incredibly cramped it is inside the PSU. I mean... It's tiny. I could never ever solder that. It's a Flex-ATX PSU. Really, really tiny.
 
Have you thought about buying a custom length psu from frozencpu.com or is it not in your budget? The cheapest one at frozencpu is a forton 350w for $109. Kind of expensive, but if you don't feel comfortable doing the job yourself, this might be the way to go.
 
I bought a case off of eBay for the sole purpose of obtaining this PSU. It is Flex-ATX spec. No other spec will do. Everything hinges around the size of the parts in this case. Absolutely no room for error. I don't think that there is a stock PSU in the world to meet my needs. Well, maybe.

Missing an 's' in 'massive'. :D
 
Well, if you don't want to monkey around in there, send it to me. I'll do it. I don't know how you'd feel about paying to send it half way across the country and back, though.

Post a picture of the inside of this thing, if you would. I'm interested as to exactly how cramped this thing is. I've seen Flex-ATX PSU's and maybe your idea of cramped isn't exactly the same as mine.
 
Do not.. I repeat DO NOT use plumbing solder. The acid is corrosive and not designed for electrical work at all. Either use 60/40 rosen core or nothing.
 
Did everyone completely gloss over his "butt-plug" idea? I think its a great one. That is if by saying "Butt-Plug" you mean those little in-line jobbies that you crimp with a standard crimper on each end after sticking in the wires you want togeather. Heres why I think this is a good idea.

1) By cutting the cables in diferent places you make sure you even out the bulge AND you are able to put you sleeving on before you connect up the ATX connector with the "butt-plugs".

2) I just like saying "Butt-Plugs"

3) "Butt-Plugs" are relativly inexpencive and easy to use.

3) You will never know the "Butt-Plugs" are there under the sleeving/looming. (using the same number scheme as the last list in this thread :) )

4) Butt-Plugs

IMHO
 
Originally posted by Acceptable_Risk
Well, if you don't want to monkey around in there, send it to me. I'll do it. I don't know how you'd feel about paying to send it half way across the country and back, though.

Post a picture of the inside of this thing, if you would. I'm interested as to exactly how cramped this thing is. I've seen Flex-ATX PSU's and maybe your idea of cramped isn't exactly the same as mine.
Click to expand...
I'll see if I can get a pic of it in the next few hours. I guess one could always take the board out completely and try it from the behind, but that'd probably only be half as awkward.

If you want to do it for free, I'ld pay shipping there and back. :)

Originally posted by Adisharr
Do not.. I repeat DO NOT use plumbing solder. The acid is corrosive and not designed for electrical work at all. Either use 60/40 rosen core or nothing.
Click to expand...
I know. I always use rosin core now.

Originally posted by Shinare
Did everyone completely gloss over his "butt-plug" idea? I think its a great one. That is if by saying "Butt-Plug" you mean those little in-line jobbies that you crimp with a standard crimper on each end after sticking in the wires you want togeather. Heres why I think this is a good idea.

1) By cutting the cables in diferent places you make sure you even out the bulge AND you are able to put you sleeving on before you connect up the ATX connector with the "butt-plugs".

2) I just like saying "Butt-Plugs"

3) "Butt-Plugs" are relativly inexpencive and easy to use.

3) You will never know the "Butt-Plugs" are there under the sleeving/looming. (using the same number scheme as the last list in this thread :) )

4) Butt-Plugs

IMHO
Click to expand...

Tee hee hee. :rolleyes: :cool:
 
For those that have tried the solder/butt connector way of dealing with this situation, does it affect the voltages at all?
 
Originally posted by phasmatis_nox
I'll see if I can get a pic of it in the next few hours. I guess one could always take the board out completely and try it from the behind, but that'd probably only be half as awkward.

If you want to do it for free, I'd pay shipping there and back. :)
Click to expand...
I'd be happy to help. Send me an email. [email protected].
 
flex_psu.jpg


Sorry about the crappie pic, the camera sucks. I don't think anybody could get a soldering iron in ther and not burn something up. It may be workable from the other side, but I haven't taken the board off the frame to check. I'll email you with this an further detail.
 
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