external PSU/Transformer re-wiring

[wilkinsi]

It seems every time I wanna buy a new piece of recording gear, a lot of them use external PSU's, whereby the transformer is hardwired to a small female jack for the unit and a 3-pin plug for the mains.

When using 8 x IEC connector equipped power conditioners, it means having to chop off the 3 pin mains plug instead of plugging a male to female IEC cable from the PSU to the power conditioner. Normally, I use "choc-block"'s, whereby I chop off the 3-pin plug, and wire only the live and neutral into the block for the transformer, and a male IEC connector on the other side of the block.

I was wondering if there was a method not so messy, or, some pre-made 3-pin mains plug to male IEC adapter cable. It would not only avoid messy modding that easily pulls apart, but also negate the possibility of voiding your warranty on your effects processor.

[Rsmacker]

I doubt it, because a 3 pin mains plug top on one end of a cable and a male IEC connector on the other is a fucking dangerous bit of kit which would have exposed phase and neutral pins.

I take it you mean something with a 13A trailing socket on one end and an IEC male connector on the other? Well, you won't find one of those either because an IEC connector is only rated at 5A, you won't get something that will potentially allow you to draw 13A out of that socket.

To be honest mate, you are dicking around with stuff that really doesn't need it. What exactly is a "power conditioner"? Is this just a power distro board with surge protection to tidy up your spaghetti at home? If so, what's wrong with a standard 4 or 6 gang trailing socket with filters on? Somewhere like RS do them.
Surely your supply at home won't be that "noisy" you need to have filtering on it for your recording? Unless, of course, Peter Gabriel is coming round to lay down a few tracks in your bedroom, and you have moved to somewhere with shitty mains, like Turkmenistan, I'd have humbly thought not. (Just don't plug it into the same circuit as your 30 yr old fridge, or anything on a time clock, and you should be OK)

When you are cutting 13A moulded plug tops off adaptors and replacing them with strip connector which "easily pulls apart" you aren't just voiding your warranties, you are putting yourself and your property at risk. For starters you've dispensed with a fuse - in the event of your chocbloc being loose causing a fire, do you think your house insurance will pay out? Nope, fuses are there for a reason, manufacturers don't just put them on there for fun.
Also, what about the CPC (that's the Earth to you) on the cable you chopped? If the unit isn't double insulated and it has one, don't forget to put it into the IEC distro, it's the thing that is there to stop you dying when your choc bloc pulls apart as your Mum shifts the rack to do the hoovering. (Or to stop her dying, I suppose, if she's grabbing hold of it)

I don't want to lecture you, old chap, in my time I have done some fucking silly bodges which have worked fine. Then, to further my business potential, I went college and qualified as an electrician, then spent months sweating like a rapist, revisiting bodges and correcting them. My eyes were opened in a serious manner!

When you realise just how easy it is to get a fatal electric shock, just how little current is needed to fibrillate your heart, and how many people die every year from fucking around with electrical equipment, it should make you sit up and refrain from unneccessary "customisation" of stuff you plug in.
Once upon a time I thought 240v couldn't really kill you, after all, we've all had a belt somewhere down the line. When you hear of someone getting a tickle and then dropping dead half hour later as his ticker fibrillates, it really makes you think. You might be OK, yelp, and then swear,but then again you might not.
Same with fires, the chances are slim of causing one, but if you are bypassing protection, then your chocbloc arcs and causes even a small blaze, you will only have yourself to blame. It DOES happen, and how would you say your luck rating is, in the big scheme of things? Best to stay safe, IMHO.

[wilkinsi]

What I meant was that I'm only chopping off the 3amp/5amp 3 pin mains plugs and wiring a cable onto that cable (using a choc-block) that has an IEC connector on the end, then plugging that into the Samson PB15 power conditioner which acts like an extension lead, only that it has 8 outlets instead of 6. I've done this before without any problems. I don't intend to plug any 13amp devices (fridge, kettle, etc.) into the PB15. The only devices I'm using with the PB15 are pro-audio ones, and guitar fx processors who's mains leads have external transformers/PSU's. Mother won't be hoovering, the room has a wooden floor. I turn all equipment and the mains switch off (I disconnect from the mains completely too) before faffing about with re-wiring. I was hoping there might be some adapter plug to change from 3-pin to IEC, pretty much how a UK to German plug adapter works (3 pin to 2 pin).

[wilkinsi]

I've just noticed the external PSU for my PC's extrenal USB hard drive has an IEC connector that can be unplugged from it. Wouldn't mind finding a compatible one for my GT-8, saving having to mod cables.

[Rsmacker]

Looking for IEC connectors? Maplins or RS will have lorryloads of them!

[wilkinsi]

Oh.. Turns out the 3 pin plug for the transformer is actually an adapter with a 2-pin plug inside, hence no earth. So that's why I didn't get thrown across the room all those years ago! Also, the GT-8 and GX-700 both have the same PSU. I don't use the GX700, so I've got a spare . I'm off to Maplins now.