DIY Mains Cable advise please

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#7
DF96 said:
Go to a shop. Buy some mains cable (i.e. proper cable made in a proper cable factory, which is safe to use on mains). Install it in your system (this may involve the use of a screwdriver, or in extreme cases a soldering iron). Sit back and listen to the improvement which results from all your efforts.
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Thanks, what i should of asked in the first place was has anyone had any sound improvements from a better quality mains cable, its something i'd like to make myself and i've had good results from better quality interconnects and speaker cable before, a mains cable is something what isn't likely to get changed like interconnects so it should last me forever. Am in two minds again haha
 
#8
If mains born noise is a problem, then proper filtering is required, this cannot be achieved with a mains cable, whatever the prose advertising a £3000+ mains cable says.
Me I like ready terminated sealed plugs of the correct gauge wire, cos they are safe and do the job.
 
#9
There are two meanings to 'make a mains cable'. Both are used on this forum.

1. Buy mains-safe cable on a drum (or cut from a drum). Add suitable mains-safe connectors on the ends.
2. Buy individual wires (possibly already insulated, or possibly not). Add 'creative' insulation as perceived necessary by the builder. Twist/weave/pleat the wires into a cable. Add connectors on the end.

Option 1 is sensible and safe, but probably unnecessary unless you need an unusual length or have unusual connectors on your equipment.

Option 2 is foolish and dangerous and should never be considered unless your family has good insurance on you, and (unusually) your home insurance provides good cover for self-induced fires. You could try option 2 if you have always wanted to enter for a Darwin Award.

I assumed the OP was asking about 2. My apologies if he meant 1.
 
#11
A new DIYA person here. I would be interested in about 50' of the Belden 19364 cable. Buying a roll of 250' from several of the sources I have checked brings the cost down with shipping around $2.40usd/ft. Are there eight other folks interested in 50' of Belden 19264?

Thanks
David
Nashvegas
 
#12
Screened mains cable is a nice idea and is used in serious audio recording studios, however at least in a European context, house wiring is not screened and not generally installed in steel conduit. This means that a little bit of screened cable at the end of the whole electrical chain (from the generator to the home electronics kit) is not going to do much good. Much better is to use a mains filter on every box (such as the IEC sockets with built-in filter) and pay attention to screening (steel boxes) and proper grounding. If you have to run a mains lead for a sensitive box right next to an electrically noisy device like a TV or a laptop power supply then screened cable might just help. Check the voltage rating and the current rating of the screened cable before you use it as a mains lead. Foil screening may not have a very high current rating if you try to use it for the protective conductor (earth/ground) otherwise use three core cable. Neither foil nor braided screening is effective at power line frequencies, only at the higher harmonics that switch mode power supplies can produce.
 
#14
Deafer said:
Screened mains cable is a nice idea and is used in serious audio recording studios, however at least in a European context, house wiring is not screened and not generally installed in steel conduit. This means that a little bit of screened cable at the end of the whole electrical chain (from the generator to the home electronics kit) is not going to do much good. Much better is to use a mains filter on every box (such as the IEC sockets with built-in filter) and pay attention to screening (steel boxes) and proper grounding. If you have to run a mains lead for a sensitive box right next to an electrically noisy device like a TV or a laptop power supply then screened cable might just help. Check the voltage rating and the current rating of the screened cable before you use it as a mains lead. Foil screening may not have a very high current rating if you try to use it for the protective conductor (earth/ground) otherwise use three core cable. Neither foil nor braided screening is effective at power line frequencies, only at the higher harmonics that switch mode power supplies can produce.
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Thanks for the useful information I only wanted mains cables for my amp and cd player so i dont suppose id benefits from the mains cables. I will however look into getting a good filter for my mains supply, thanks again really answered my question well.
 
#15
This thread will ultimately turn into the Snake Oil against Common Sense argument that these always do.

A decent gauge mains wire is as good as any IMO.

How far away is your power station ? The cables to it aren't screened. A decent mains filter will do far more good if you have noisy mains.
 
#16
something a lot of people forget is that you need your consumer unit (fuse box) checked once in a while (get a qualified electrician to do this, electricity KILLS). there is no point spending wonga on fancy mains leads if your consumer unit is buzzing due to loose connections. the screw terminals work harden over time and become loose. same also applies to your plug/wall sockets.
 
#17
Thanks guys, i don't have any noise issues yet my amp is brand new so don't think its as likely to get noise. The reason am asking is i live in multi-storey flats and am not sure if the power supplies are up to scratch, my fuse box is relatively new. Another reason is a friend recently had a full house re-wire and said his hifi sound improved after switch over. Just thought the power supply might be a little tweak for a little sound improvement, for the sake of a small price.
 
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