Home Ideas: How to Hide Wires

Unfortunately, wireless technology has not yet become widespread in offices and homes. This means that in the near future, a bunch of annoying wires on the table will not go anywhere. I'll show you a few tricks to help clear out the clutter and keep your cables out of sight.

1. Hide the extension cord with chargers in the box

*

An extension cord with chargers constantly gets in the way on the table or underfoot, collects a lot of dust, and looks unaesthetic. Dealing with this problem is very simple: take a nice box, poke a few holes in it and hide all the wires and cables there.

2. Fasten the wires under the countertop

***

To secure the wires and extension cord under the table, you will need binders and screws (they should be at least a quarter less than the thickness of the tabletop in length, otherwise they will go right through and the table will be damaged). First of all, attach an extension cord under the tabletop, preferably in the middle of the table or closer to the wall. Then fix the binders in the right places with screws. Connect everything you need to the extension cord and collect the wires with clamps. Visually, the table has become much cleaner and more accurate.

There is an easier option if you do not need to hide a lot of wires. This will require a construction stapler. To prevent the long wire from the lamp from dangling under your feet, carefully secure it with paper clips at the table leg. The small extension can also be secured with staples. For thicker wires, it is better to use special clamps.

Don't you like staple clips? Regular screeds will do. Use cable ties to secure the wire to the table leg. The wires that run along the floor can be covered with plastic or a plank to match the floor. The extension can be fixed under the worktop with a wide Velcro: fix it to the back of the worktop with screws, and then attach the extension. To prevent the wires from dangling under the table, run them through cable ducts - you can buy them at any hardware store. The channels themselves can be fixed with electrical tape or ordinary plaster.

*

3. Organize cable storage

Correct organization will help to get rid of the mess in the wires. To get started, collect cords from phones, players, game consoles, tablets around the house. Then take the boxes (preferably prettier), place cardboard dividers inside them, sign the place for each cable (so that you do not get confused later) and arrange everything neatly. To avoid tangling the wires themselves, use ordinary cable ties.

***

If you don't feel like messing with boxes, buy a basket and stock up on more toilet paper rolls.

4. Keep all necessary wires close at hand

We can not hide all cables in the box: we need some of them almost constantly. The solution is simple: attach them to the edge of your desktop so that you can reach out and connect the device to the desired wire if needed.

All extension cords and surge protectors (I still did not understand what their difference is, except for the coveted general shutdown button, which no one uses anyway), there is one, very significant, in my opinion, minus: they lie free. And if ever this is still an advantage, for example, put it aside when you vacuum, or move the system unit aside, then more often it is not so. And at the most inopportune moment, when your hands are busy with something, and your vision is limited by something oversized, you hook your foot on the extension cord and pull it out of the network. In the best case, the download of the file, which has lasted for 1.5 hours, is interrupted by 98%, or you will have to start the transfer of music to the phone from the beginning. Well, in the worst case, if the plug of the electrical appliance did not fall out, but the wire broke, it is simply unsafe.

So I, having worn out with all sorts of extension cords, wondered: what prevents it from being fixed, not on the floor, but higher. After all, this is both more convenient and safer. But here's the bad luck: I did not find anything like this on sale (although, maybe I was not looking there), and the preliminary outlines of this simple device have already begun to emerge:
Small, compact, but convenient at the same time;
On a clamp so that you can always rearrange;
In order not to be striking, but was always at hand.

So I adhere to the principle of car tuners: “if you can't buy - build it yourself,” I set to work. By the way, for the record: it took no more than 15 minutes, even taking into account the fact that I was a "pioneer". Such a creation will take you much less time.
First of all, I bought two external sockets without grounding, single,

and double (I told you that the requirements for the extension cord began to emerge).

And always with a back wall, otherwise it would have to be done.

But the clamp (plastic, for attaching the flexible shaft of the drill), I simply found in my bins. Such a “piano in the bushes”, so I didn't have to buy it. Although, as practice later showed, it is not at all difficult to find and buy something like that, and there is something similar in abundance in construction markets and in supermarkets.

In addition, you need a piece of sheet rubber (I deliberately do not indicate the sizes, since they will all be individual and different),

a power cord with a plug from a discarded old and faulty TV,

a piece of two-core wire for connection,

and four screws with M4 nuts.

In addition, a screwdriver was needed, which will play the role of a compact and not fast drill,

drill to it,

screwdriver,

and electrical pliers, or as they are also called a stripper for shortening wires and stripping insulation.

And then everything is quite simple. In the back of the sockets we drill as holes for fastening to a clamp (at two points),

and for wires.

We drill the same holes in the clamp itself, in the upper and middle parts.

And in order to securely fasten the incoming power wire, we drill three holes (although two are enough) in a row,

and through them we pass the incoming power wire with a "snake". So he will never, even if desired, break out of contact through negligence.

Now we strip the ends of the wires, make loops, although this was not necessary, but I love thoroughness in everything,

and collect the sockets themselves.

We fasten the protective outer covers.

Now we return the clamping part of the clamp to its place, when installing the sockets and wires to them, it simply interfered,

You are here now - home - All about repair:

When you are going to hang something on the wall, it is not a question at all!

You will need a hammer drill or hammer drill. A couple of dowels. Level, hammer, tape measure.

If this is a shelf or a cabinet, then we put it in that place and roughly mark the level of the hole. Well, further it is quite simple, we measure the distance between the holes on the shelf or cabinet.

We mark under the first hole, take a level - draw, take a tape measure, set the distance. The intersection of a straight line in level and distance on a tape measure will be your second hole!

If there are several shelves or cabinets, then we do this:

We start, either from the extreme right point, or the extreme left point, drill, hammer in the dowel, tie the thread, level it. In the place where the person holds the thread, it is required to somehow fix it. Drilling and fixing to the dowel is possible only if the hole from the rough dowel is either hidden by a shelf or cabinet.

An ordinary dowel 6 x 40 will withstand at least 50 kg per cut, in a concrete wall. I think that you will not have more than 100 kg in one cabinet!

Why is all this, how to hang a shelf, or how to hang a cabinet is such a simple operation that it’s even somehow boring!

But here's what I wanted to tell you.

How to accurately hang the first time?

How to hang something with no direct access to its holes !?

Imagine a situation that you measured, hammered a nail, and did not hit the size, for various reasons, and it is already impossible to drill nearby !?

There was such a situation !?

Since I worked a lot both in construction and as a carpenter and joiner, I had to see a lot!

And often this very situation turned out to be practically insoluble the first time!

But there is a way that is ingenious, like the simplest things! And I remembered this method when it became necessary to hang an extension cord!

Hang the extension cable for your computer on the back of your desk the first time and exactly where you need it! The top tabletop extends slightly beyond the back panel, so we have a limiter!

We need to make a template.

1.Select self-tapping screws so that they fit freely into the hole of the hanger.

2. In this case, I had a thin cardboard lying around.

ATTACHING THE EXTENSION

It is more convenient than a simple sheet, because there the screws will hold better.

3.Insert self-tapping screws and move them to the extreme point of the hanger,

4. We take the cardboard, and aligning on one of the sides, press on the cardboard so that the screws appear on our side.

5. We take out the cardboard with self-tapping screws, put it in the place where our object should be located, in this case the extension cord.

6. We wrap the screws, tear out the cardboard, adjust the screws in height.

7. We put on the extension cord.

Here's what we got, fast, simple, accurate and the first time! The story turned out to be 10 times longer than the process itself !!!

How to hang up a router.

Using absolutely the same technology, we will attach the router in the place where it is needed on the back panel, or on the wall, but the first time.

In this case, plain paper was used as a template!

Here is our router hanging on the back of the table! Very simply cheap and cheerful!

Before installing electrical wiring in a new apartment or before replacing the wiring during a major overhaul, any owner is faced with a choice of how many and what outlets he needs to install in each room. In modern apartments, sockets are rarely installed one at a time, usually two, three, and in some cases even four electrical outlets are placed side by side. For example, at a workplace with a computer, it is better to install 3-4 sockets, otherwise you will not be able to do without an extension cord.

Practice shows that there are never too many sockets. If we need to install two sockets side by side, then we have a choice - to install two single electrical outlets in a two-post frame or one double electrical outlet. The Florence series features double sockets and multi-post frames, so both options can be implemented. What should you choose?

• Double sockets are designed to instead of one old socket, one double socket could be installed into the existing socket.

  Home Ideas: How to Hide Wires

  This allows you to double the number of outlets for a cosmetic renovation of the apartment. For this, double sockets have been developed.

• The price for a double socket is less than the price of two single sockets in a two-post frame, let us see this using the example of white or beige sockets of the Florence series.

1. Price calculation for two single sockets in a two-post frame

2. Calculation of the price for the alternative - for a double socket

You can mount the wiring so that powerful electrical appliances are connected to each single outlet, i.e. so that a current of up to 16 A. flows through each. But for this, it is necessary that the sockets are either powered through two separate lines with cables of the usual cross-section for connecting outlets (2.5 mm2), or powered in series through a cable with an increased cross-section. As a result, it is possible to achieve that the total maximum current, which can flow through two single electrical outlets, would be 32A. This cannot be done by installing a double electrical outlet.

Summing up, we can say that double sockets are indispensable if we are faced with the task of increasing the number of outlets in the pre-installed socket boxes. This is mainly relevant when replacing outlets in the process of cosmetic repairs, if the wiring is not being replaced with the installation of new socket outlets. Single sockets under the multi-post frame look more aesthetically pleasing than double sockets and give you more freedom of choice. This option is suitable for a major overhaul of an apartment with replacement of wiring or for furnishing an apartment without finishing in a new building.

Click on the picture to enlarge. A great solution to get rid of the "charger" cables scattered all over the floor was proposed by a Japanese company: they created a SocketDeer socket with antlers attached to it! On these horns, you can put, for example, a mobile phone and plug its "charger" into an outlet. The cable can be wrapped around the horns so it does not hang down to the floor. A great travel solution, the Belkin Mini Surge tee allows you to take one USB charger with you on the go instead of several. In addition, this device provides you with additional power outlets and surge protection wherever you are: in a hotel room or at the airport. Mini Surge is equipped with three regular power outlets and two USB ports through which you can recharge various devices. Mini Surge can rotate 360 ​​degrees around its axis, which will make it convenient to place it in any working environment and not block other outlets. Woofy The price of this plastic dog just doesn't fit in your head! However, if you are looking for some sophisticated way to store cables, then perhaps Woofy will interest you. The cables hide in the "belly" of this almost half-meter dog, and are pulled out of its hind legs. On October 9, 2008, a video appeared on DL.TV site in which an anonymous viewer from Seattle brags about his incredible invention: a wireless office. You can watch the video. All cables are routed inside PVC boxes that form the contour of the table and go to a wall outlet. There are no wires above or below the table. Serious DIY project. The 40cm plastic box does the same function as the Woofy but only costs $ 29.50. Of course, it's not as original as the $ 250 plastic dog, but inside this box you can hide a whole extension cord with all the dangling cables. Can't plug two power supplies side by side? The situation can be corrected with a rotating wall socket. It will take you 10 minutes to set this position, but then you can plug two bulky "chargers" into the outlet, which did not fit anywhere else, since you can fix them at an angle, and not directly on top of each other. Sometimes extra centimeters can play a big role. Such outlets have not yet been produced, but the idea is worthy of attention. How many times do you pull the plug out of the outlet (to save energy, free up space, or temporarily plug in another device) and drop it on the floor, where the cords get tangled and everyone stumbles about them? After all, it’s not safe. The way out is obvious: you just need to hang unused plugs on the holders of the sockets themselves. As soon as possible, such sockets would appear on sale! Some of the products presented in this review are a little strange, but SocketSense is a really practical thing. How convenient it is to use a model instead of a regular extension cord that can be pulled out (from 33 to 41 cm) to suit any fork configuration. For some users, the most important thing will be how this surge protector looks - completely ordinary, with six slots. If SocketSense looks like a completely normal upgrade to a standard surge protector, designed to allow you to connect more "chargers" of a non-standard size, then PowerSquid looks strange. But this makes a lot of sense. PowerSquid is highlighted in blue in the dark so that you can see where to plug the plugs under the table. Thanks to its flat shape, it can be hidden behind furniture. PowerSquid also protects the telephone line. And the most important thing: all the sockets are located on separate flexible wires, so they do not interfere with each other. The author of this idea has not yet found a manufacturer who would undertake to bring this project to life. The bottom line is to stretch the wires along the baseboard, but instead of attaching them to the wall, you can hide them behind a decorative fence: the cables are not visible, and at the same time they are easily accessible. A charging base for the whole family. Kangaroom will make sure that you always know where your phone, camera and other devices are: the Kangaroom splitter hides in a special box that is mounted on the wall in a prominent place. If your phone is in this charging base, then you will never lose either your phone or its charger.

Content:

In everyday life, situations often arise when the available sockets in an apartment or private house do not allow the use of any electrical appliances or household appliances. The main reason is their inconvenient location, so the owners prefer to use an extension cord. In some cases, more power outlets or a longer cord are required. In this case, home craftsmen make an extension cord with their own hands. A hand-made extension cord will be much cheaper than a branded one and much more reliable. If you have the skills to work with the instrument, the whole procedure takes from 15 minutes to half an hour.

Preparing to assemble the extension cord

Before making an extension cord, you first need to decide on its purpose. This will allow you to determine the possibility of connecting certain devices, as well as the maximum permissible power. These factors have a direct impact on the choice of cable cross-section and other components. It is recommended to select all parameters with a small margin, so that in the future it will be possible to connect more powerful electrical equipment.

First of all, you need to buy a wire that will be used as a cord. The best option is considered to be copper, which is characterized by increased flexibility. If there is a grounding contact in the socket, the wire must be three-wire, and if it is not there, you can use a two-wire cable. At the time of purchase, you should carefully study the product labeling.

If the grade "PVS 3 x 1.5" is indicated, this means that the wire is three-core, and the cross-section of the core is 1.5 mm. These parameters allow you to connect a load with a power of up to 3.5 kW. For a power of 5 kW, a cross section of 2.5 mm is required. The data for calculations can be taken in a special one, which will significantly speed up the solution of the question of how to make an extension cord with your own hands.

When choosing a cross-section, the factor of the conductor length must be taken into account. For example, if the cable length is more than 100 meters, then during operation, a voltage drop is possible due to the connection of high-power devices. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a cable with a larger cross-section than that provided by the calculation table.

Then you need to choose the right one, which should be collapsible. It is not recommended to purchase euro-type products if you plan to use old-style sockets in advance. Otherwise, you will need an additional adapter. On the body of each plug there is a marking with the designation of the maximum current. For example, at 16A, you will need a cable with a cross section of 1.5 mm, and for 25A, the cross section will be 2.5 mm. If grounding is available, the plug must be equipped with a grounding prong.

It is not recommended to choose the socket in a single version. The socket strip should be at least double, and best of all - with three or four elements. When choosing, you need to be very careful so as not to accidentally buy an overhead structure intended for use with open wiring. It lacks a special clamp that protects against accidental pulling out, and over time, the back cover of such outlets falls out. There are separate options for extension cords in the form of socket strips or cable outlets. If you need to connect a computer or other office equipment, then in this case a surge protector is made, in which there is a push-button switch and light indication.

After all the materials are prepared, you can start assembling the extension cord. This procedure is carried out using a knife, screwdriver and pliers.

How to assemble an electrical extension cord with your own hands

At the first stage, the upper insulating layer is removed from both sides of the cable by about 5-7 cm, after which the ends of each core are stripped by 1 cm. Next, the plug is disassembled by unscrewing the fastening bolt. After that, you need to loosen the screws on the clamp that secures the cable inside the plug housing. Then the stripped wires are connected to the two plug contacts.

The location of the conductors does not matter, the most important thing is to correctly connect the grounding contacts on the sockets and plugs. After connecting the conductors, the plug is reassembled.

At the final stage, the socket block is disassembled and two conductor cores are connected to the contacts. The third conductor is connected to the grounding terminal, exactly the same as on the plug. Thus, both grounding pins are connected by a single wire.

If the core consists of many wires, then it is recommended to solder it or. In extreme cases, simple twisting of the wires with pliers is allowed. After all connections, the cable is fixed inside the case and the final assembly of the unit is performed. The finished extension cord is checked by plugging it into a home electrical outlet or using a multimeter.

How to properly operate a homemade extension cord

When using a homemade extension cord, several mandatory requirements must be met.

• There should not be any damage on the cable, and if they do appear, they must be insulated. Isolation is performed when the extension cord is unplugged.
• If the plug or socket is out of order, they must be replaced. They should be protected from moisture and avoid excessive overloads.
• When operating at maximum loads, the cable must be completely unwound to avoid overheating.