Motorization

I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on how to help me out. I am trying to motorize my amp rack to slide in and out of hiding, but I can't seem to figure out how to keep the wires going in to keep from getting pinched. I was trying to find a flexible linked conduit, but have had no luck. If anyone has done any motorization, and you have any ideas or pictures I would greatly appreciate the help.

how about a sketch? i dont work with motorized equipment but i do work with electrical cabinets that have doors, sliding trays, etc. by employing service loops and using spiral wrap it enables me to open and close doors, slide trays without pinching wires.

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Prove your connections, use a meter!
I promise, I'll behave!

Well I can't really give you a drawing, cause I don't know how to add that to my post. What I am trying to do is basically a sliding tray. I have to be able to make sure that my power, ground, rca and remote wires are safe when the tray goes out, and as well when it comes back in. I have been looking all over the net for a flexible track or something similar. I know that select products used to sell something similar but they no longer carry it.

If I could get something that would work, I would want my tray to move out around 14-16 inches total. The service loop as you refer to is what I am trying to figure out.

just give them slack and let them hang between the sides of the tray rails

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You can't just give the wires slack and let them hang. If you do and they get caught when the amp rack moves back in and they do get pinched it could be very disaterous. With the power wires being there I don't want to take the chance of them getting pinched and shorting out. I don't know about you, but I don't like replacing equipment for a silly mistake.

You can get the track that is used to hold the wiring in sliding doors on mini vans. I think I have seen it at Reid Supply Company, but I am not finding it on their website and I don't have their catalog with me. I would try and find something like that.

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Good Luck!
-Thad

Here's a quick drawing of how it might be done. By putting the wiring into a flexible rubber line or some other type of tubing have it attached to a spring in the middle to the opposite wall. When the tray or amp rack is in the spring is pulling the tubing over to one side and when the tray is coming out the tube starts to straighten out but the spring is pulling against this so selecting the proper spring will be essential. If the tube is thicker than the thickness of the tray then it shouldn't get caught and want to roll under it and thinking about it find a tubing that will slide easily on the material you have chosen.

Jim

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1968 Chevy II Nova Garage Find 2012
1973 Nova Custom
1974 Spirit of America Nova
1973 Nova Pro-Street

www.selectproducts.com

I used to work there. They have all kinds of actuators, sliding tracks, controllers, switches etc.

They even have a dvd you can purchase on how to build motorized amp racks.

One of the ways I have done it in the past is to leave slack and have the wires come up from the bottom center of the rack. This is the area of least distance the wires will move, without "bunching up" if I explained that correctly. Make sure thier is room under the rack as well, raise it a couple of inches so there is enough space for all of it regardless of the position of the rack.

Test a few times and secure the wires in a way where they won't bind or catch anything and you should be good to go.

best of luck.

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