tidying up mains cables to HiFi

In article , petek scribeth thus

There is an IEC connector block you can use, its like the kettle lead plug and socket format. One cable comes from the mains supply, feeds the block and the others take off from that via IEC sockets.

If your equipment has captive leads then wire-able plugs are available.

I was just about to suggest exactly the same products!

IEC?

Pretty sure you can also get them with the inlet in the end rather than the face.

IEC (kettle plug) distribution block would be the obvious way - but you'll have to hack off the 13 amp plugs from the existing mains leads and replace with IEC.

At one time some makes of Hi-Fi had mains outlets so you could daisy chain the various bits. Seemed a sensible approach, since only the power amp takes much in the way of current.

There used to be distribution blocks that took a variety of the IEC plug - but with them all in a line and very close together, so good for wall mounting. Came in 4,6 amd 8 ways. The plugs had a window for a printed bit of card which identified what was what - they came with a selection of names, like CD, etc. Haven't seen them around recently, so they probably fell foul of some reg. or another.

You could always cheat and put more than one flex into each 13a plug

There used to be small bricks that had modular small plugs plugged into them the downsides of this are that one has to cut off the mains plug and attach the new ones and if the cables are quite heavy and stiff they can pull the adaptor out of the socket.

Brian

Would one of these solve your problem?

Mike

I was in B&Q the other day and saw that they had a 13A 3 pin plug top specifically designed to take 4 flex outputs. Unfortunately cant find it on B&Q (or any other) web site. But if OP is passing B&Q it might be worth a look in.

In article , petek writes

ebay 200754222553

I've wired 3 cables for low-current devices (table lamps with CFL bulbs) into a single plug before now, don't see the problem with it.

This maybe:

It does look awful, though. ;-)

Usually 2 pin sockets. Consumers seldom used them, so they were an unnecessary cost. There were also safety issues with early ones, which were generally US sockets.

IEC plugs & sockets are still compliant. They fell victim to their own overpricing. It was also inconvenient when you needed to pug something in elsewhere.

NT

ISTR a multiway adaptor with 3 individually switched 13A sockets on it, but no idea of quality. I use a 4-way, 4-switch extension lead from B&Q - it seems to be good and solid - plugged in to an MK DP socket, then the PVR in to the other DP socket.

Thanks to all for their suggestions but this is the one that I really want and I should explain why. I kept my original post very simple, but in actua l fact I used to have one of these distribution blocks with IEC connectors in line, for my HiFi and a table lamp. When we gave our lounge a complete m akeover a month or so ago (new f'place, new curtains, new furniture etc)it has somehow got lost and possibly ended up in the bin by mistake. My Hi FI actually has the old plugs on the leads but the distribution block bit has gone AWOL! The IEC plugs have a makers name on "Masterpiece" but I cannot t race it on t'internet. Does this prompt any further ideas about how I can f ind a similar one?

Cheers Pete

In the past I've painted an extension lead's multisocket black and used black-painted 13A plugs to make something similar mounted on the back of the pillar of a base, pillar & plinth TV stand fairly unobtrusive. I also shortened the mains leads on the individual pieces of equipment so there were no unnecessary coils of excess cable. I used balck nylon cable ties to hold cables and socket to the equipment. It wasn't invisible, but no-one noticed it unless they looked specifically.

En el artículo , petek escribió:

Are they actually small white plugs with 3 thin pins? Googled for an image with no luck.

could it be "Masterplug" ?

I've seen them secondhand on Ebay in the Hi-Fi section. The plugs tend to fall apart with age (plastic rot) but the main part seems to survive rather better. A standard IEC plug will fit the body - but the plugs they use won't fit a standard IEC outlet.

I'm not the OP but that looks just the ticket. I'd be interested to see inside. How easy are they to wire up?

Another Dave

Ah, I haven't bought one yet. The post made me do some searching because I have the same needs. There is a review here: