Illustrated guide to the 4U deluxe Chassis

6L6

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Illustrated guide to the 4U deluxe Chassis



This is a visual guide to the assembly of the diyAudio 4U Deluxe Chassis. The “Jack of all Chassis”.

It has a pre-drilled back plate and pre-drilled and tapped heatsinks. The heatsink drill pattern is the diyAudio “Universal Mounting Specification” and the back plate has holes for input RCA jacks, Speaker jacks and a Power Entry Module that contains IEC mains inlet, power switch and fuse holder.

This chassis is ideal for the HoneyBadger, F4, F5, Aleph J, or Burning Amp. (The BA- with just one PCB of output transistors/channel)
It could also be used as the chassis for a Monoblock F5Turbo v2 or a Burning Amp with 2 PCB of output transistors.

Lastly this chassis has the “DIY-friendly baseplate” a sub-floor that has a grid of 10x10mm holes making no or little need for drilling holes to attach most of your components to the chassis. You will find that with just a little planning you will commonly need only to widen one hole to accept the mounting bolt for a toroidal transformer. Everything else can be mounted with the existing holes.

The chassis is also compatibletable with the diyAudio Chassis Riser system, allowing for more area to mount whatever your project may require.

Much more information may be found here -

Deluxe 4U "Jack of all Chassis" (All Aluminum) - Full width with 40mm Heatsinks - Chassis

Let’s look at the contents of the package -

IMG_2190.jpg

Feet and hardware.

IMG_2194.jpg

Heatsinks.


Top and bottom plate. These are custom aluminum, with an extra row of vents per side.

IMG_2192.jpg

Back panel.

IMG_2195.jpg

10mm custom front panel. Obverse.

IMG_2196.jpg

Front panel reverse. This is a custom part made for diyAudio with the array of holes shown - these are all blind, but most are tapped. For example you can attach the V3 PSU circuit board vertically to the front panel, or attach a riser plate. The bottom centered offset hole can be drilled out for a power indicator LED. Other holes are there to accommodate handles. I’m sure there are many ways to utilize these attach points that the community will discover.


These rails are the mechanical heart of the chassis. They attach to the heatsinks, and then everything attaches into them.


DIY-friendly perforated baseplate.


Everything.


The logical place to start is here, with the rails and heatsinks.
(sometimes there is streaking from the cleaning process. It makes no effect on the efficiency of the heatsink, and is quite smooth.)


Bolt the rails to the heatsinks, but leave the screws a little loose.


The next pieces will be the back and front panels.


Locate the back panel and this hardware.


Attach both sides as shown.




You should have this assembly when done.


Align the front panel and your assembly as shown.


Attach here with this hardware.


Looking good!


Next the perforated base needs to be installed. This is the hardware provided.

IMG_2224.jpg

It attaches into these countersunk holes in the bracket.


Using the supplied hardware it is intended to attach with the lip up


Which will give enough clearance in-between the black aluminum baseplate at the perforated base to clear small screwheads.
I like to mount it with the lip down, giving enough clearance to clear the through-bolt of a toroid transformer, but it requires some alternate fasteners. (See below for more information.)


Perforated base installed.
Now is a good time to snug all the screws and square the chassis as best you can.


The top and bottom panels are identical, but there is a front and back - but as the holes will align in only one direction, it is easy to determine.

IMG_2230.jpg

The top and bottom panels attach with the sheet metal screws provided. It is a much stronger interface that you would think, regardless the strength is all in the brackets.

IMG_2231.jpg


IMG_2232.jpg


IMG_2236.jpg
 
Last edited:
Official Court Jester
Joined 2003
Paid Member
ZM again ...... put 10mm (1/2") spacers between L bracket and additional bottom plate ;
that way routing of mains cable under it is easy , less messy and there is no need for screening it

also , height of donut screw (bottom) head is not critical then

so - 4pcs of longer screws than in package and , as spacers - 2 or 3 stacked screw nuts

sorry for interrupting
 
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6L6

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Joined 2010
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Instructions for mounting the optional handles.

The front handles are available for the 4U and 5U Deluxe chassis, the Deluxe already has blind holes in the 10mm faceplate ready to be drilled out and fit for these handles. It's a very easy job and makes the chassis look very sharp.

4U Milled Aluminium Handles - Accessories & Spare Parts - Chassis

IMG_04301.jpg

The kit contains the top and bottom pieces, the tubular handle and the mounting screws. (The faceplate is already drilled in this photo.)

IMG_0428.jpg

The wider, non-threaded hols are the ones to be drilled out.

IMG_0429.jpg

Once you drill the holes, clean up any swarf or metal tags. I use a countersink for de-burring.

IMG_0427.jpg

The screws mount from behind.

IMG_0426.jpg

Mount the handle as shown.

IMG_0431.jpg

Repeat on the other side. Finished!
 
Check the head size of the screws before final assembly. Two of mine were slightly too big to fit the recesses.

Also, the bar between the two handle mounts was too short. The handles rattled up and down. I put some shaved pieces of cork into the bar recesses and that stopped the rattling.

I love the case, but am a bit dismayed at the lack of part QA from the vendor.
 
Check the head size of the screws before final assembly. Two of mine were slightly too big to fit the recesses.

Also, the bar between the two handle mounts was too short. The handles rattled up and down. I put some shaved pieces of cork into the bar recesses and that stopped the rattling.

I love the case, but am a bit dismayed at the lack of part QA from the vendor.

I just drilled and installed handles on a 5U chassis. The screws were fine, but you were dead on about the length of the bars. Way too short. Extremely unprofessional and disappointing. I'll pick up some cork tomorrow - good idea. I suspect you could also put a small bead of glue from a hot glue gun inside the mounts to create a washer of sorts, but the cork seems the easiest and most adjustable.
 
Member
Joined 2016
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Drilling Front Plate

Hi All,
I was looking at the 4U order page and noticed that the black front plate option does not indicate that it has pre taped holes or an LED spot as with the aluminum front plate. How difficult is it to drill through the front panel? Any methods or advice that others have used would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
Switches things on and off again
Joined 2000
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No plans currently for a 4Ux400, the next chassis we will be offering (when we get time) is a 3Ux300. So it you need more depth, either go for the 5U Deluxe or get a 4Ux400 dissipante and get custom drilling and tapping on the heatsinks (this will cost $50 per heatsink, and there are 4 of them, so $200).