ccombs
Valuable Member
Hello All,
I work in the touring production industry and we have a ton of cool gadgets the general public does not know about/a lot of cool tips and tricks. These items are readily available on amazon, so I thought I would create this informative post of 10 of these cool things we use in production that can be applied in aquariums.
Our gear travels around the world and needs to work on a daily basis, our jobs depend on the gear turning on daily and working. This market has lead to some of the innovation you will see below.
Electrical-
Pro Tip 1-
IEC Cables are notorious for rattling out over time. In an aquarium environment they can simply fall out or lose their friction fit. To keep this from happening, a little dab of silicon that contacts the chassis of the product and the IEC connection will keep it in place.
For an even better fit, there are these IEC connectors that have a locking ground prong. I modify IEC cables in all of my gear to use these.
https://www.amazon.com/Rewireable-IEC320-C13-Accidental-Unplugging-Disconnections/dp/B01DCFVXKK
Pro Tip 2-
Standard Edison type connections can come loose and have air gaps that water can creep in to. For a quick fix, put some large heat shrink over the connection. It is not waterproof, but it keeps the connection tight and keeps large volumes of water out.
For an even better solution, use a Neutrik Tru1 connection. These are a revision of the Powercon connector and allow you to disconnect under a load. They are awesome because they keep the ground pin engaged at all times when locking and unlocking. These are waterproof and lock together. They also have a safety that keeps them from being taken apart easily.
https://www.amazon.com/Neutrik-NAC3...1&qid=1553491259&s=electronics&sr=1-1-catcorr
Pro Tip 3-
For unused outlets, try adding the child proof plastic plugs. These are not waterproof technically, but they will prevent large drops or accidental splashes out of electrical systems.
Pro Tip 4-
In some states, fire inspectors do not allow portable power solutions to have plugs facing up. This also applies in the aquarium environment. Plugs facing up (like a power strip on the ground) are just asking for trouble. We have these quad boxes that have all the plugs facing the side. This particular product would be overkill in the aquarium, but keep in mind the idea behind it.
https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Quad-...rds=quad+box&qid=1553491442&s=gateway&sr=8-37
Pro Tip 5-
When tidying cables, do not stress the connection. Leave a little radius in the cable to prevent stress, just like in this picture. This is just something I found on Google, but it conveys the idea.
Pro Tip 6-
If putting things in a rack, consider lacing bars. Lacing bars allow for cable management away from the gear itself. This leaves room for you to label the wire and provide strain relief.
Data-
Pro Tip 7-
When dealing with any data connection THAT DOESN'T CARRY A LARGE VOLTAGE (don't do this for Aquabus). Consider converting to ethernet and using an ethercon connection.
This connection is a great locking solution so data is never unplugged.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D5RS5V...&pd_rd_r=5d61eef5-4ebf-11e9-ab61-797b93d62bc4
All this is is an ethernet connection with a locking and protective shell. No more relying on those dang tabs that snap off.
Pro Tip 8-
Consider doing all of your gear in a rack enclosure that uses a standard 19" width format. You can have a ton of cool power solutions, and then you can also use trays, drawers, and other accessories to house non standard rack items. You will also be able to have rack ears on the back for lacing bars and clean wiring.
This isn't my rack but shows what can be done with custom panels, etc.
Pro Tip 9-
Label and Heatshrink everything. Label every connection specifically and then put heat shrink over the top to be sure it stays. Also, put heat shrink over connections to keep them secure.
Pro Tip 10-
Need to take USB outdoors? (Aquabus) Consider these waterproof, locking USB cables.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6ERRX7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There are PLENTY more. But these are the top 10 unusual items that I thought might have a home in the aquarium environment. You can see alot of this in use in my build thread. I hope this helps y'all out and gets the ideas flowing.
I work in the touring production industry and we have a ton of cool gadgets the general public does not know about/a lot of cool tips and tricks. These items are readily available on amazon, so I thought I would create this informative post of 10 of these cool things we use in production that can be applied in aquariums.
Our gear travels around the world and needs to work on a daily basis, our jobs depend on the gear turning on daily and working. This market has lead to some of the innovation you will see below.
Electrical-
Pro Tip 1-
IEC Cables are notorious for rattling out over time. In an aquarium environment they can simply fall out or lose their friction fit. To keep this from happening, a little dab of silicon that contacts the chassis of the product and the IEC connection will keep it in place.
For an even better fit, there are these IEC connectors that have a locking ground prong. I modify IEC cables in all of my gear to use these.
https://www.amazon.com/Rewireable-IEC320-C13-Accidental-Unplugging-Disconnections/dp/B01DCFVXKK
Pro Tip 2-
Standard Edison type connections can come loose and have air gaps that water can creep in to. For a quick fix, put some large heat shrink over the connection. It is not waterproof, but it keeps the connection tight and keeps large volumes of water out.
For an even better solution, use a Neutrik Tru1 connection. These are a revision of the Powercon connector and allow you to disconnect under a load. They are awesome because they keep the ground pin engaged at all times when locking and unlocking. These are waterproof and lock together. They also have a safety that keeps them from being taken apart easily.
https://www.amazon.com/Neutrik-NAC3...1&qid=1553491259&s=electronics&sr=1-1-catcorr
Pro Tip 3-
For unused outlets, try adding the child proof plastic plugs. These are not waterproof technically, but they will prevent large drops or accidental splashes out of electrical systems.
Pro Tip 4-
In some states, fire inspectors do not allow portable power solutions to have plugs facing up. This also applies in the aquarium environment. Plugs facing up (like a power strip on the ground) are just asking for trouble. We have these quad boxes that have all the plugs facing the side. This particular product would be overkill in the aquarium, but keep in mind the idea behind it.
https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Quad-...rds=quad+box&qid=1553491442&s=gateway&sr=8-37
Pro Tip 5-
When tidying cables, do not stress the connection. Leave a little radius in the cable to prevent stress, just like in this picture. This is just something I found on Google, but it conveys the idea.
Pro Tip 6-
If putting things in a rack, consider lacing bars. Lacing bars allow for cable management away from the gear itself. This leaves room for you to label the wire and provide strain relief.
Data-
Pro Tip 7-
When dealing with any data connection THAT DOESN'T CARRY A LARGE VOLTAGE (don't do this for Aquabus). Consider converting to ethernet and using an ethercon connection.
This connection is a great locking solution so data is never unplugged.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D5RS5V...&pd_rd_r=5d61eef5-4ebf-11e9-ab61-797b93d62bc4
All this is is an ethernet connection with a locking and protective shell. No more relying on those dang tabs that snap off.
Pro Tip 8-
Consider doing all of your gear in a rack enclosure that uses a standard 19" width format. You can have a ton of cool power solutions, and then you can also use trays, drawers, and other accessories to house non standard rack items. You will also be able to have rack ears on the back for lacing bars and clean wiring.
This isn't my rack but shows what can be done with custom panels, etc.
Pro Tip 9-
Label and Heatshrink everything. Label every connection specifically and then put heat shrink over the top to be sure it stays. Also, put heat shrink over connections to keep them secure.
Pro Tip 10-
Need to take USB outdoors? (Aquabus) Consider these waterproof, locking USB cables.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6ERRX7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There are PLENTY more. But these are the top 10 unusual items that I thought might have a home in the aquarium environment. You can see alot of this in use in my build thread. I hope this helps y'all out and gets the ideas flowing.
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