Busbar Box

[Quigsworth]

Thought I'd post another box I'm working on...I like to recess my atty's/carts/cart tanks (when I can) and I love bottom feeders (but not all the time)...with just a drip tip sticking out...I wanted a universal box that could do it all, I needed a atty con set-up that had no wires to get in the way of a bottom feeder bottle, no connections to fatigue and break...while changing a set of brushes in a DC motor I got this idea...

View attachment 73034View attachment 73035
The neg of the batt goes through the master off switch and to the busbar that runs up the left side...the pos of the batt goes against the top terminal through just a cheap but easily replaceable switch which powers up the right busbar that also acts as a batt holder.

View attachment 73036
This is the atty con, It's a big hole 510 conn with a bottom feed tube attached (the inflation needles used for sport balls work great, they're SS and easy to get). It's slid into a block I fabricated out of high temp Lexan with holes on opposing sides for heavy springs (I hate springs but???). The springs create a friction connection between the body of the atty con to the neg bus and the bottom feed tube/center pin to the pos bus...there is also a fair amount of compression on the springs to stop the connector from sliding without a good shove with my thumb.

View attachment 73037View attachment 73038
Here are two modes this thing can accommodate...I didn't bother with the squonk hole on the front cover, the magnets make the cover so easy to come off I'd rather have the clean look.

It's not finished but it works great...still needs to be cleaned up, just posting it in it's raw state so you guys can throw in some critique/ideas before I finalize it...

 

[jhonutz]

a lot of work here..good job my friend.

 

[asdaq]

I was quite impressed when I saw this last night but keyboard challenged... I like that it is convertible and it is almost retractable too, if it weren't for the location of that one magnet, the overall length, and that you get stability from the atty hole. Copper thieves would drool at the sight of this, but I guess they aren't too active in your area Metal theft - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[breaktru]

An electricians dream box. Nice thinking on the design Quigs.

 

[Para]

The clear "plug" is a mighty clever way to add versatility. Without the hole in the back (think I figured out "squonk hole"), will you use a plunger as the feeder?

 

[Quigsworth]

Copper thieves would drool at the sight of this, but I guess they aren't too active in your area Metal theft - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks asdaq...and copper thieves are very active over here, the smart ones just cut phone lines down, the dumb ones break into power substations and steal all the step grounding, ah well, at least they won't be swimming long the gene pool I guess

I thought about removing that one magnet and if I ever get a device that's hindered by it I probably will, but until then...

 

[Quigsworth]

The clear "plug" is a mighty clever way to add versatility. Without the hole in the back (think I figured out "squonk hole"), will you use a plunger as the feeder?

I bottom feed shorty DCC's (never could master the atty feed, flood, flood...) so I don't have to squonk too often, so I'm currently just popping the cover off to squonk and check juice level, but it's taking everything I have not to drill a hole ...plus if I put a plunger in it may hinder the slide for another configuration. I might just pick up another one of these boxes and make an alternate bottom feed cover in which case I'll probably go plunger, for the $3.50 it'll be worth it...

 

[nicotime]

Sweet Quigs..great idea. The only thing might be oxidation...maybe cut gold plated strips off of some old RAM memory sticks or similar boards and solder a wire along the edge to connect all the segments...then you wouldnt need to worry about oxidation. Then go with a spring loaded pins like either of these.
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?vendor=0&keywords=ED9000-ND
Digi-Key - ED90502-ND (Manufacturer - 829-22-001-20-001101)

Or you could wire up a different voltage on each segment...slide VV!! lol

Yeah...that has retractable written all over it.

 

[Emris]

Great job! I have been wanting something like this for a while. Non exposed tank I like it!

 

[notsmoking]

I wonder how this would work for a push switch to activate the atty?
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?vendor=0&keywords=ED9000-ND
It looks like it just might work as a good contact or am I way off base.

 

[Quigsworth]

See, this is why I do this...nicotime, thank you...I have to make another Lexan block but that's ok, not real happy with the tolerances of my first one anyway...I'm thinking nickel motherboard standoffs screwed into the end of the springs...

 

[nicotime]

I wonder how this would work for a push switch to activate the atty?
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?vendor=0&keywords=ED9000-ND
It looks like it just might work as a good contact or am I way off base.

Possible I guess....that one in particular is very tiny...but if you look at the datasheet there is all sizes.

See, this is why I do this...nicotime, thank you...I have to make another Lexan block but that's ok, not real happy with the tolerances of my first one anyway...I'm thinking nickel motherboard standoffs screwed into the end of the springs...

Yep..me too...I enjoy throwing things out there if nothing else to spark someones imagination. I know others like yourself have done it for me.

When you can build it from junk its even better...recycling at its finest!! LOL

 

[Teach]

Thought I'd post another box I'm working on...I like to recess my atty's/carts/cart tanks (when I can) and I love bottom feeders (but not all the time)...with just a drip tip sticking out...I wanted a universal box that could do it all, I needed a atty con set-up that had no wires to get in the way of a bottom feeder bottle, no connections to fatigue and break...while changing a set of brushes in a DC motor I got this idea...

The neg of the batt goes through the master off switch and to the busbar that runs up the left side...the pos of the batt goes against the top terminal through just a cheap but easily replaceable switch which powers up the right busbar that also acts as a batt holder.

This is the atty con, It's a big hole 510 conn with a bottom feed tube attached (the inflation needles used for sport balls work great, they're SS and easy to get). It's slid into a block I fabricated out of high temp Lexan with holes on opposing sides for heavy springs (I hate springs but???). The springs create a friction connection between the body of the atty con to the neg bus and the bottom feed tube/center pin to the pos bus...there is also a fair amount of compression on the springs to stop the connector from sliding without a good shove with my thumb.

Here are two modes this thing can accommodate...I didn't bother with the squonk hole on the front cover, the magnets make the cover so easy to come off I'd rather have the clean look.

It's not finished but it works great...still needs to be cleaned up, just posting it in it's raw state so you guys can throw in some critique/ideas before I finalize it...

Quigsworth, Nice box!

Have you thought of using spring plungers? I picked up some last summer, but haven't had a chance to play with them out yet. They might fit nicely for you spring contacts. Sadly, the 316 SS ain't cheap.

 

[Quigsworth]

I thought about using those but I only had so much room to play with, also thought about using dc motor brushes...Running with nicotimes tip I drilled out the spring holes so I could use these 1/4" nickel plated springs I had, Then I put nickel plated flat top motherboard screws on the ends of the springs...they ride on the buses so much nicer...I metered the carto at 1.5 ohms, screwed the carto in and metered between the buses...bounces between 1.6 - 1.7 ohms...I can live with 0.2 ohms res. of a friction connection...

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[Teach]

I thought about using those but I only had so much room to play with, also thought about using dc motor brushes...Running with nicotimes tip I drilled out the spring holes so I could use these 1/4" nickel plated springs I had, Then I put nickel plated flat top motherboard screws on the ends of the springs...they ride on the buses so much nicer...I metered the carto at 1.5 ohms, screwed the carto in and metered between the buses...bounces between 1.6 - 1.7 ohms...I can live with 0.2 ohms res. of a friction connection...

Sent via priority one sub-space communication

Excellent idea on the screws!

 

[Quigsworth]

Quigsworth, Nice box!

Have you thought of using spring plungers? I picked up some last summer, but haven't had a chance to play with them out yet. They might fit nicely for you spring contacts. Sadly, the 316 SS ain't cheap.

Now that I'm in front of a real computer I'm looking at those spring plungers you linked, oh man!, nice find Teach...I was thinking of the type that are used in high end mill work (I have a local Lee Valley 5 mins from my house, much to my wife's chagrin )...but the McMaster-Carr selection and size availability...good thing I don't have a McMaster-Carr just down the road...I'd be curious if anyone has metered the resistance one of the 316's...

 

[Teach]

Had a hard time getting a stable reading since they're unmounted. All 3 tested between 0.3Ω and 0.6Ω. Hope that helps.

3408A126 Ball-nose Spring Plunger W/ss Ball, Ss Body W/o Element,4-48 Thrd,.125-.50# End Force


84895A71 Push-fit Ss Body Spring Plunger W/ss Ball, .157" Body Dia, .56 - 1.35 Lb End Force

8682A57 Push-fit Ss Body Long-nose Spring Plunger, 0.125" Body Diameter, 1 To 2 Lb End Force

 

[Quigsworth]

That's not to bad at all, thanks for taking the time to do that Teach...and the heavier push force springs one would think would have a higher current carrying capacity...I'll have to check my electrical code book for the allowable ampacity of...lol...I've got to pick some silicon tubing from McMasters, think I'm gonna pick some of these up, if only just to have in my parts box

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[Quigsworth]

One last pic of this one...

View attachment 73591

All cleaned up, on the poke from asdaq I removed the upper left magnet with no ill effects on how the cover stays on (I love these boxes)...I drilled a couple small holes in the back for batt venting, I already swapped out the switch (I wasn't real happy with how far I had recessed it) piece of cake, the Lexan connector block, although fiddly to make, it's a fun fiddly, overall this was one of the more satisfying boxes to build...

 

[jhonutz]

it`s much better..