Cable Management Tips?

[adamb10]

The inside of my case:

Any tips to make it less cluttered? I tend to be horrible when it comes to cable management.

 

[zagood]

When you can, route wires behind the motherboard tray. Whenever a new case comes my way I'm always ready with the dremel to add access to the back of the tray.

Use zip ties and zip tie anchors to keep wires along the edges.

Use extensions for anything you currently need to route over the motherboard because the wires are too short to reach by going around a different path.

Get a modular PSU.

 

[Imp]

Zip ties, twisty ties, tape, Antec P18X with which you can route stuff behind the mobo.

 

[RockinZ28]

I used to be the same way, but Corsair's cases with a modular psu make me look like a pro.

http://www.corsair.com/cases.html

Maybe look for a used one on the forums if you don't want to spend much. I picked up a barely used 600T today for $50, even though I already have one.

 

[RockinZ28]

DP

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poXyU-BwNbk

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2823

 

[jimhsu]

Some tips:

- Zip ties, cable ties, velcro ties, sleeves, clamps, basically anything that can hold two things together. Be creative.

- Try to run things parallel and perpendicular to one another for neatness.

- Put as much stuff as possible BEHIND the case.

- Take advantage of any nooks or crannies that you might find. Might need longer wire to compensate for routing.

Pics of half-completed build. Cleaned up cables some more after this:
Incidentially this is the first build which I'm satisfied with the wiring so far.





Case is Thermaltake Element G. Makes cable routing a snap (see 2nd picture). All that stuff is in the back; you just can't see it.

Having a high-quality PSU also helps. That thing at the bottom is a Seasonic X-560, with fully sleeved and modular everything. Definitely does help, if you don't want to sleeve cables yourself.

 

[Daemas]

custom length wires. being able to cut off slack/add a bunch of length is what makes/breaks those insane modders chance to get paid for that shit.

 

[BoomerD]

Here's my latest build.

I still need to replace that one crappy looking IDE cable with something a bit more attractive...

(no, I really don't want to take a pic of the "other side." it's still kind of messy.)

 

[Indyboy2]

Here is my latest build,I did not want to dremel the case this time so this is the best i could figure out.To do the best cable management job you have to ha a power suppy with long leads so you can run behind the motherboard

http://img29.imageshack.us/i/dscf0417g.jpg/
http://img84.imageshack.us/i/dscf0419o.jpg/
http://img209.imageshack.us/i/dscf0424h.jpg/

 

[Doggiedog]

Wow! I wish I had you guys to help me with my builds. Even the OP's wiring looks better than my latest build. It's so bad I have to carefully close my case so that none of the cables stops any of the fans inside.

 

[WoodButcher]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2047375

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2823

 

[Indyboy2]

Nice Job BoomerD very neat.There are alot of others here that do beautiful work also .I like Rubycons rig and a few others .To the op just look at all the pics of the rigs here and take what you like from them take your time once you get going its kind of fun and in the end its looks good and cools better.

 

[BoomerD]

Here's a good resource for cable management parts & pieces:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...1351f081a15b9e

For computers with lots of "individual wires," the spiral wrap or split loom tubing work very well to clean up a spaghetti mess.
You can also buy that (in black) at Home Depot, Lowe's, or (probably) Radio Shack.

 

[Nightrainsrt4]

A case with space behind the motherboard tray definitely helps. Patience and determination also are very important. Zipties, cable mounts / ties, anything similar you think would help.

Also, RIT Dye if you don't want to sleeve. Less than $2 and your time. The intel heatsink wasn't dyed as it was replaced very soon afterward.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Wow! I wish I had you guys to help me with my builds. Even the OP's wiring looks better than my latest build. It's so bad I have to carefully close my case so that none of the cables stops any of the fans inside.

You and me both :$

 

[zagood]

Also, RIT Dye if you don't want to sleeve. Less than $2 and your time. The intel heatsink wasn't dyed as it was replaced very soon afterward.

That's seriously brilliant. Great idea!

 

[Rifter]

here is a pic of my build, its all about having the right case.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9744/img0039mql.jpg

the 600T is a dream.

 

[compman25]

here is a pic of my build, its all about having the right case.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9744/img0039mql.jpg

the 600T is a dream.

Yeah, but show the backside of that motherboard tray

 

[Rifter]

Yeah, but show the backside of that motherboard tray

it doesnt look so good too many HDD's but the back side doesnt effecdt cooling

 

[adamb10]

I rewired my PC and ended up with this. Since this image was taken I also re-routed the 8 pin connector underneath the video card.

 

[perdomot]

I would use some spiral loom to tidy up those wires and make them easier to route:
http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...ube-646-Black/

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I'm getting ready for a new case (same system, but got the Lian Li V1020R), and have a few things I'm doing.

First is using micro velcro ties, and those little mounting points with the sticky back in specific spots based on a drawing of planned cable routes.

Second is cable sleeving. I got stuff from performancepcs.com (individual sleeved cables) which will help keep everything looking clean.

Third, is time. I'm planning on this weekend spending a few hours working on cable layout and routing.

Finally, and more long term, I'm going to get sleeving from http://en.mdpc-x.com/ (great looking sleeves), and sleeve things. I'm at work, so I can't find the actual picture but it's in this thread (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=202639&page=83), and somewhere around that page. Basically it shows a PSU that has been sleeved from where it is output, starting off with all cables in one group and gradually breaks them down to eventually the individual cable. Here is a sample of the end. If you then imagine that 2-3 of these get bundled together in a sleeve, then 2-3 of the large bundles get bundled together you'll have an idea of what I'm doing.

 

[Nightrainsrt4]

That's seriously brilliant. Great idea!

Thanks. It chemically bonds to the wire and plastic of the connectors so no worries of it rubbing off.

All the wires in the case were your typical red, yellow, orange psu wires. The sata cables were done as well as those were the typical red from older Asus motherboard and yellow from a Gigabyte board.

It has been running as my server well over a year now 24/7 with absolutely no problems. Just had to make sure everything was properly rinsed and dried overnight before reassembling.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

http://forums.ncix.com/forums/?mode...mber=1&msgcount=15&subpage=1&product_id=48092

A large sleeving kit that's not too bad (although it's Canadian)