diy case - grounding/polarity questions

[flippantminister]

so- i'm building a wooden case to put my doepfer diy kit in. i'm also a bit of an electronics ignoramus... i have a couple of questions you guys could probably answer.

i am looking at the power supply instructions- it does not specify either wire as being positive or negative to the wall wart. i am assuming it does not matter... is this a safe assumption?

also, i states the the ground on the power supply board should be connected "only if a metal case is used." mine is wood, but do i need to ground the rails? i seem to vaguely recall reading that once long ago, before i got any of my stuff. anybody got an idea?

ok, thanks! i am nearly done putting it all together, those are the only current questions.

[Muff Wiggler]

nope, doesn't matter which wire with regards to positive or negative on the wall wart

and for the grounding, I would ground it to your rails regardless. Some modules (Plan B VCO) need to have a grounded connection from the faceplate, but most don't. Regardless it's a good idea. Just attach a wire somewhere on one of the rails and run that to the ground.

[tragedybysyntax]

http://www.pelican-case.com/1500nf-yellow.html

I'm thinking about buying this guy and making into a euro case. It's big enough for 2 racks of euro!

[felix]

http://www.pelican-case.com/1500nf-yellow.html

I'm thinking about buying this guy and making into a euro case. It's big enough for 2 racks of euro!

http://trashaudio.blogspot.com/2008/07/ ... se_28.html

[flippantminister]

http://www.pelican-case.com/1500nf-yellow.html

I'm thinking about buying this guy and making into a euro case. It's big enough for 2 racks of euro!

that will be rad city! do it!

[Roycie Roller]

The colour is a bit suss though- can you imagine the panic you'd create by walking onto a train with it, opening it up & start hooking up patchcords?
So flippantminister, how'd you go about grounding the wooden case? I'm about to make something quite similar..
Yours looks great btw!

[tragedybysyntax]

thiink I"m going to order the 1520 pelican in orange this week. I have a wooden rack but I'm wanting to take my euro live soon anyway so.... Need something that's heavy duty... alah the 1520. Sorry mr wooden case. lol.

[sandyb]

So flippantminister, how'd you go about grounding the wooden case? I'm about to make something quite similar..

the doepfer diy power supply has a ground point on it. all you need to do is run a wire from that through the back of your metal rails. at least that's what i have done with my case and there have been no problems. if you're planning to use wooden rails then there *could* be issues - although it's mainly the planb model 15 that seems to be the module this applies most to.

[Roycie Roller]

Thanks sandy. Do you mean solder the ground wire to the back of the rails? And if so, join another ground wire from that solder point up to the next row of rails (and so on)? I have Euro rails.

[sandyb]

Thanks sandy. Do you mean solder the ground wire to the back of the rails? And if so, join another ground wire from that solder point up to the next row of rails (and so on)? I have Euro rails.

yes, although i didn't do any soldering. the ground point on the power supply is the same type of connector as is used for the +/-12V and Ground for the modules - it's separate to these though. i just looped a wire through it and then up through the back of one rail (which have holes at the back ideal for this) and then continued on to the others too. i just made sure i looped the wire tightly enough at the back of the rails that it was making decent contact with them.

sandy

[Roycie Roller]

Thanks! that clears it up for me.

[flippantminister]

So flippantminister, how'd you go about grounding the wooden case? I'm about to make something quite similar..

well, i did basically the same thing sandyb did, except i only ran wire to one of the rails on each row, thinking that the metal faceplates of the modules were connecting to the other row, so that should be fine... this may be flawed logic, but i have not noticed any hum or buzz thus far...

Yours looks great btw!

thanks! i was bit disappointed with it when i first finished it, because all sorts of things didn't turn out like i expected. but once i got some modules in it and started having fun, all that faded away! i'm really happy with it now.