DIY Audio Power Cable

by Bruno Brozovic

DIY Audio Power Cable – Introduction

These days I made a DIY power cord that turned out to be just great in my system, so I would like to share the joy and satisfaction with you. The work turned out to be far better than a few of my previous attempts. This is made for all of you who think the component deserves a better power cord than we usually get with the device.

When making it, I was guided by the idea that conductors (phases and zeros) placed inside a shield are resistant to external RF, EMI, and other interferences(such shielding also provides protection against the negative effects of strong current from conductors on sensitive interconnects and nearby speaker cables) but does not protect the conductors inside the shield from direct mutual influence (induction, etc.). Therefore, three shields were used in the construction of this cable, for each conductor separately, but in mutually conductive contact along the entire length of the cable. Such a cable architecture is not an invention, I saw it in a couple of very expensive power cables from reputable companies that make cables and interconnects. The cable is both relatively heavy and massive, which may be useful in vibration resistance.

After making such two cables for my needs, two more of my audiophile friends made such cables and are very pleased with the result, so here are short instructions for making for those who would try the quality of this work. In a few pictures with accompanying text, I will try to explain how I did this and what materials I used in the making, so you can do the same in your DIY workshop.

The material used in the manufacture is available in the US. The total cost of the material used to make it is about $ 270. It is quite a big expense, but it is difficult to get a power cable of this quality for such money, with such terminations(power plugs), which alone cost almost $ 250. If you want to make a power cable yourself, you will need the following:

1. RG213 coaxial cable – 20 feet

Amphenol CO-213UHFMX20-010 Black RG213 UHF PL-259 Coaxial Cable, 50 Ohm, Male to Male, 10'
  • Fully assembled Amphenol RG213 UHF (PL-259) Male Coaxial Cable
  • Military-grade RG213/U 50 Ohm low-loss coax with 96% braid coverage
  • Impedance-matched Amphenol brand UHF connectors pre-installed
  • The absolute best coax for high-power handling and low-loss operation

 

2. OFC power cable (soft) – 20 feet

Custom Cable Connection 16/3 SOOW 16 AWG 3 Conductor 600 Volt Portable Power Cable - 25 Foot Roll in a Bag
  • SOOW APPLICATIONS: recommended for use as portable electrical power and portable control wire cable. With its...
  • EXCELLENT OIL AND MOISTURE RESISTANCE: SOOW Flexible Portable Cord is resistant to oil and moisture. It has good tensile...
  • SOOW IS RATED TO 600 VOLTS: for indoor and outdoor use. Our SOOW cable has a temperature range of -40°C to 90°C making...
  • FULLY ANNEALED STRANDED BARE COPPER: 16 AWG fully annealed stranded bare copper conductors per ASTM B-174. Insulated...
  • CUSTOM CABLE CONNECTION QUALITY: Here at Custom Cable Connection, we are family owned and have been in business since...

 

3. PTFE industrial sealant tape – 2 pieces

VCELINK PTFE Plumbers Tape 2-Pack, Industrial Water Sealant Thread Tape, 520" Length, 1/2" Width, Plumbing Teflon Tape for Shower Head and Pipe Thread, White
  • VCELINK Teflon tape plumbing used to connect threaded pipes. A good solution for enhancing the tightness of pipes.
  • Widely Applicable: Designed for home and threaded pipe applications. Suitable for the most threaded-installing piping...
  • Good Quality: PTFE thread seal tape has an excellent character of sealing, ductility, high-temperature resistance, and...
  • Easy to use: Simply wrap the pipe tape around the threaded male end of the pipe or connector and screw it in. The tape...
  • Packaging and after-sales: 2 Rolls 520" length by 1/2" width water sealant tape. The product provides worry-free...

 

4. Shrink tube – two 5′ pieces

560PCS Heat Shrink Tubing 2:1, Eventronic Electrical Wire Cable Wrap Assortment Electric Insulation Heat Shrink Tube Kit with Box(5 colors/12 Sizes), Black, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green
  • Material:Made of Polyolefin, Shrinkage Ratio:2:1 (will shrink to 1/2 its supplied diameter)
  • Suitable for electrical insulation, wire bundling, colour coding, mechanical protection,wire/cable joints and daily...
  • Comes with 560pcs heat shrink tube assorted in plastic box, 5 colors( Yellow, Blue, Black,Green, Red), 12 Specifications...
  • Length: 1 13/16", Internal Diameter: 1/24"(90 Pcs), 1/16"(70 Pcs), 1/12"(70 Pcs), 1/10" (50 Pcs), 1/8"(50 Pcs), 1/7*(50...
  • Package Included: 1 x 560PCS(12 sizes) 2:1 Heat Shrink Tubing

 

5. Furutech FI-28(G) IEC connector

FURUTECH FI-28(G) High End Performance IEC Connector
  • RATING 10A 250V /15A 125V AC
  • 24k Gold-plated conductors α (Alpha) pure-copper Earth (Ground) Jumper System (US Patent No.: 6,669,491)
  • Nylon/fiberglass body incorporating carbon particles that absorb vibration and resonance Specified for cable diameters...
  • Dimensions: FI-28(G)---39.6mm diameter x 76.2mm overall length
  • Metal cable clamp improves grip and reduces mechanically and electrically induced distortion

 

6. Furutech FI-28M-G connector

 

Tools:
Scissors, scalpel knife (Olfa cutter), screwdrivers, pliers, digital multimeter, patience.

WARNING

  1. Mains contact voltage can be deadly!
  2. Manufacturing errors can lead to damage to devices or electrical installations in the apartment!
  3. If you start making the network cables described here, strictly follow the instructions!
  4. Before connecting to the mains, be sure to entrust the production control to a qualified person in the electrical engineering profession!
  5. If you use the electrical connection cables and filters described here, you are personally responsible for contact voltage protection and fire protection!
  6. The AUTHOR of this article has no liability and will not accept any liability for damage to life, health, or property in the construction and use of the power cable described here!

How to make DIY audio power cable?

DIY audo power cable - all material needed

DIY audo power cable – all material needed

Remove the plastic shield from the coaxial cable and then remove the densely woven copper coaxial braid. He will serve us as armor around each of the three guides individually. The purchase of a sparsely woven braid should be avoided, (RG-213 can be found in several types of quality, depending on the manufacturer), and avoid the use of tin shields if possible (it has a tin cover over copper). Insert the guides into the sleeves thus obtained. You will make this much easier if you squeeze the copper sleeves towards the middle before the procedure to thicken them and open them.

DIY audio power cable - how to make shields

DIY audio power cable – how to make shields

At one end of each of the three shields, unravel the 5 cm long armor. Divide the unraveled shield into three parts and whisk tightly.

DIY audio power cable - separate each individual shield into three parts

DIY audio power cable – separate each individual shield into three parts

You can then gather all three conductors together and intertwine the twisted wires. One of the twisted ends of the wires should be connected to a conductor that will serve as grounding, at the end of the future conductor that is connected to the power plug.

DIY audio power cable - connect shield to the ground

DIY audio power cable – connect shield to the ground

DIY audio power cable - connect shield to the ground - part two

DIY audio power cable – connect shield to the ground – part two

Now remove the half-inch insulation from the guide that will be your ground and wrap around it the drain you left when braiding all three shields. Squeeze the joint with pliers.

DIY audio power cable - shield insulation

DIY audio power cable – shield insulation

Wrap the joint well with PTFE sealant tape. At the end of the cable that connects to the plug, the shield does not connect to the ground.

DIY audio power cable - weave the shields into a braid

DIY audio power cable – weave the shields into a braid

After securing the beginning of the cable (this time all three shields with conductors) with a couple of turns of PTFE tape, stretch the shield along the length of the conductor and weave the shields into a braid.

DIY audio power cable - end of the braid

DIY audio power cable – end of the braid

At the end of the braid, repeat the process of unraveling the wires and their intertwining – this time without ground drain.

DIY audio power cable - insulation

DIY audio power cable – insulation

DIY audio power cable - almost finished

DIY audio power cable – almost finished

Then wrap the whole braid tightly with PTFE tape, twice. After that, all you have to do is put shrink tubes on the cable on each side, heat it with a hairdryer, and terminate the cable with quality plugs. I did not solder the terminations, the wires are firmly clamped. I consider the choice of quality plugs very important. Poor contact at the connection of the plug with the sockets on the devices, the power strip, or in the wall, will ruin all the effort in the manufacture.

DIY audio power cable - finished

DIY audio power cable – finished

If you want to put a decorative net on the cable, put it on before the shrink tubes.

Download DIY audio power cable instructions in .pdf format by clicking on the below icon

Conclusion

After mandatory testing of the finished cable with an instrument and determining whether the connections are of good quality, the cable is ready for use and your observations of efficiency. Making a cable is recommended only for people who have the basics of knowledge in electrical engineering, it is a high voltage (125V), and if you are not sure that you are able to make such a cable, rather entrust the making to someone else.

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