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

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.

--
Chris Green

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

Huge wrote:
On 2011-01-26, wrote:
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.

What about a Choc Box?

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p86064

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.

--
Chris Green

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

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

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
wrote:
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.

why not pot them in casting resin?

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:-

http://www.evatron.com/index.php?pag...14&pid=206&l=2

--
Chris Green

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

wrote:
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.

Nearest I can find is on this page.

http://www.euroboxenclosures.co.uk/polyester.php


The second one listed is 55 x 55 x 59 mm.

Tim

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

Tim Downie wrote:
wrote:
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.

Nearest I can find is on this page.

http://www.euroboxenclosures.co.uk/polyester.php


The second one listed is 55 x 55 x 59 mm.

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

--
Chris Green

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

On Jan 26, 1:32*pm, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

why not pot them in casting resin?

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.

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

In article , says...
That's the idea but totally the wrong shape,


Can't you just pot the whole thing?

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

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

In article , lid says...
why not pot them in casting resin?


Potterays!

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

How about these from Maplin

http://www.maplin.co.uk/potting-boxes-1664

Part number FD97F has internal dims of 48mm x 48mm x 29mm

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

Skipweasel wrote:
In article , says...
That's the idea but totally the wrong shape,


Can't you just pot the whole thing?

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.

--
Chris Green

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

In article , says...
Can't you just pot the whole thing?

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.


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.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

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

On Jan 26, 12:30*pm, wrote:
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.

--
Chris Green

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

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

"Owain" wrote in message
...
On Jan 26, 12:30 pm, wrote:
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.

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.

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

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

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
wrote:
Skipweasel wrote:
In article , says...
That's the idea but totally the wrong shape,

Can't you just pot the whole thing?

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.

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

??

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.

--
Chris Green

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

Markt wrote:

How about these from Maplin

http://www.maplin.co.uk/potting-boxes-1664

Part number FD97F has internal dims of 48mm x 48mm x 29mm

Not deep enough really.

That http://www.maplin.co.uk/potting-boxes-1664 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.


;2581522 Wrote:
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.

--
Chris Green




--
Markt

--
Chris Green

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

Owain wrote:
On Jan 26, 12:30Â*pm, wrote:
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. Â*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.

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

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

--
Chris Green