Looking for (plastic) boxes that come in two same or similar halve to enclose a two inch cube (approx) - ideas?

[tinnews]

I'm after some small boxes to enclose some hall effect current sensors on some large (to me anyway, 1.5cm dia) cables.

The ideal solution would be a box that comes in two equal halves each about 2" x 2" x 1" such that when the two halves are put together they enclose a 2" cube. There would of course have to be semicircular cutouts in the two halves to feed the cable through but I'm quite happy to cut/grind these myself if I can find suitable boxes.

Can anyone suggest anything suitable? Size isn't all that critical, a bit bigger won't matter too much. Plastic would be best but metal boxes would be OK. They don't have to be watertight or anything, this is low voltage (12 volts) and all I'm after is mechanical protection.

All the boxes from Rapid, RS and Farnell seem to be the type with a flat lid, as are most 'adaptable boxes'. Not to mention that none of them are anything like the cube shape I want. Actually almost any box that's something like a 2" cube would be an improvement on what I've found so far.

[Huge]

What about a Choc Box?

[tinnews]

That's the idea but totally the wrong shape, it's 90 x 50.6 x 28.3mm. My current sensors are toroids about 40mm diameter (with lugs that make them bigger) that the wire must feed through so, in the same order as the dimensions given above, I need NN x 50 x 50mm. NN needs to be about 50 as well but wouldn't matter if it was a little more.

[The Natural Philosopher]

why not pot them in casting resin?

[tinnews]

A bit difficult with a big hole right through the middle for the cable! If you mean cast a blob onto the cable I suppose that would be possible but it would be difficult to test and set up before potting it. .... and anyway I'd still need a box of about the size I suggested to start with to pour the resin into.

This is *almost* what I want though I'd prefer it a bit smaller and threading the cables through will be quite difficult I suspect:-

[Tim Downie]

Nearest I can find is on this page.

second one listed is 55 x 55 x 59 mm.

Tim

[tinnews]

That's pretty close to what I want, thanks.

[Andy Dingley]

Because it has free-range peroxides running amok during curing and it will drivel up any electronics nearby.

Pot them in resin by all means, but shell out for the right stuff.

[Skipweasel]

Can't you just pot the whole thing?

[Skipweasel]

Potterays!

[Markt]

How about these from Maplin

I'm after some small boxes to enclose some hall effect current sensors

[tinnews]

As I said to a previous poster it's difficult. The big cable has to go through the middle of the current sensor so you'd have to have a hole through the middle of the potted assembly.

[Skipweasel]

So pot it with a hole in the middle. I'm sure you can find something of suitable size to keep a void free while the compound sets.

[1501]

How many do you need? e-mail me off-line.

[Owain]

Could you remove the innards from cheap water-resistant 13A sockets and just use the outers - spring close lids and squidgy rubber grommets

Owain

[SS]

Could you remove the innards from cheap water-resistant 13A sockets and just use the outers - spring close lids and squidgy rubber grommets

Owain

Make them out of perspex and use silicon to bond the sides together, then paint whatever colour.

[The Natural Philosopher]

what to do is get a open ended container and pour it full an leave the wires coming out of the top.

[tinnews]

??

The current sensor is a toroid, you can't have "wires coming out of the top.", it's a great big wire (like 1.5cm diameter) that goes right through the assembly.

[tinnews]

Not deep enough really.

That

web page is about typical Maplin standard nowadays too. At the top it lists:-

FD96E - Potting Box cube (£0.89)

But there's no sign of FD96E at the bottom and none of the boxes there could be described as a 'cube'.

I suspect that an FD96E might be just what I want, but how do I find out? My local store does have three in stock so I might just go and take a look.

[tinnews]

That's an idea, I have a couple knocking around.