Electrical Plug Stuff Question

[thperez1972]

I'm working on a project and am looking for ideas on electrical stuff I may not have thought of yet. I need to plug in 16 low amperage plugs. I thought about cannibalizing a plug strip but they are usually constructed with common contacts and I need separate contacts so each plug can be controlled by a relay. My first thought is two 4-gang junction boxed with the plugs in each outlet isolated. That will work but I am hoping for something that took up less space. I found the click in sockets like the one in the picture and figured that could work. Ideally I would like a panel with 4x4 or with 2x8 plugs. But in all my searches for any keywords I could think of, I can't find any panels. What would you call the thing that these plug into? Or is there some other solution I may be missing?

 

[dantheman]

Where did you find that pic ?

 

[dantheman]

Why couldn't you use a multi plug and clip off the common connections ?

 

[thperez1972]

A lot of power strips aren't built to allow for that. They generally have a common bar that links the positives, neutrals, and grounds. I would need to take the bars out, cut them into individual pieces, then reattach them before soldering wires. With the plugs in the picture or with the standard outlets, I can crimp an insulated female spade or ring or fork terminal and save myself a bit of soldering.

 

[dantheman]

Fair enough . Can you retrofit the receptacles you found into a multiplug strip ? Are the " knockouts " the same size ?

 

[sksshooter]

What are you calling low amperage? Are they 110v with low amp draw or is it being further stepped through some inverter on each line?

 

[thperez1972]

Fair enough . Can you retrofit the receptacles you found into a multiplug strip ? Are the " knockouts " the same size ?

They might be the same size. The construction is different between the independent and the connected plugs so the only way to know is to buy one and try it. I'm not opposed to that but I'd prefer to not spend $30-40 on a chance. And then most of the ones with knockouts are the long shop versions. That poses another challenge. As normally built, there's 3 wires going in and each wire connects to all of the outlets. To control each separately would require 1 neutral and 1 ground going to each and 16 hots. So instead of 3 wires, there's it of them. But I ran across this one that I may be able to adapt.

 

[thperez1972]

What are you calling low amperage? Are they 110v with low amp draw or is it being further stepped through some inverter on each line?

110v with >1 amp per plug.

 

[Mitch Dufour]

Will these get you there?

https://www.amazon.com/weideer-Industrial-Connectors-Adapter-Connection/dp/B092VQNKN7/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/132-5276551-3069144?pd_rd_w=nCI78&content-id=amzn1.sym.1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_p=1ad2066f-97d2-4731-9356-36b3edf1ae04&pf_rd_r=KME1V438NEQZAXG67W10&pd_rd_wg=ZMjI8&pd_rd_r=f4059c93-b0df-4d55-ba67-2dafacd8d31e&pd_rd_i=B092VQNKN7&psc=1

 

[Mitch Dufour]

Realized there are the same you started with. They clip into project boxes like this after you cut the holes out.

https://www.amazon.com/Zulkit-Rectangle-Enclosure-Preventive-Electrical/dp/B08NGFHG3F/ref=sr_1_28?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZpMxhXPspSNkaLHu2fqsDbQGicxG-bH939NsRhYAB_F5fkBoygs5NFfvBIfQ5N5-oHz6ZoTo6RFRF8jbal_eejSkzx1uA36EnRdDsbomPl304BuzChWYUMkzPRwOgMLDGdJXztftFXfAFncVAoHWOsdrBHDAg5xQpGinafrrUNzfLxUC-sxP_lqlJRp67aIvlbbVps8C_lq-r092OiMeUYtk-8WSUwudou52XC4WLfjrIOJtZh6IqwGBMHrBE3kwm5-DuHO3Fu5Cm4aTN11_dVG9hb1l3_deZ5FggCrN2q4.1peOnca9IOkFBoLFX2Y0gzVhEANlF_npMzP-S5ykATI&dib_tag=se&keywords=electrical+project+box&qid=1714521295&s=industrial&sr=1-28

 

[geeck]

https://www.polycase.com/customized-enclosures

I've been doing this kind of stuff for a living for about 45 years. Lately, I've been using Polycase for enclosures when the price point is tight. They do custom cut (Laser/CNC) enclosures, beats the snot out of cutting a bunch of holes, (square holes at that) in a straight line. Their prices are reasonable , and they do a lot of OEM work. I have no financial interest in Polycase.

If you insist doing your own, Greenlee and other punch manufacturers make square punches, but they ain't cheap and you still gotta make'em in a straight line.

Oh, I'd "Bus" the neutral and ground wires and only run individual hot wires

 

[thperez1972]

Realized there are the same you started with. They clip into project boxes like this after you cut the holes out.

I've thought about making my own panel out of 1/8 or 1/16 hdpe or acrylic sheets. My small 10w laser can cut through the black material. From there I'd have to integrate it into some sort of weatherproof case. I can cover the outlets but they will still be outside.

https://www.polycase.com/customized-enclosures

I've been doing this kind of stuff for a living for about 45 years. Lately, I've been using Polycase for enclosures when the price point is tight. They do custom cut (Laser/CNC) enclosures, beats the snot out of cutting a bunch of holes, (square holes at that) in a straight line. Their prices are reasonable , and they do a lot of OEM work. I have no financial interest in Polycase.

If you insist doing your own, Greenlee and other punch manufacturers make square punches, but they ain't cheap and you still gotta make'em in a straight line.

Oh, I'd "Bus" the neutral and ground wires and only run individual hot wires

Like I said in post #7, 18 wires. 1 ground, 1 neutral, and 16 hot. I checked out polycase. I have no doubt they do good work. If I were making a few of the same thing, they may be worth considering. But for a 1 off, the machining fee doesn't really make it worth it. I can always pick up a couple of 10 pack of 1 foot extension cord for $15 each. I've got cable glands coming out the wazoo and I can easily drill round holes myself. I run a holiday light show synced to music and I make my own controller boxes. That's actually what this is for. But instead on individually addressable lights, this will have 16 dumb channels controlled by a dmx relay. I was just hoping for something a little more streamlined without all the cables hanging out.

 

[sksshooter]

This is a 12 channel but im sure they have larger. Not exactly what i was looking for but i dont know the correct search term this is pretty similar.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNPJH5CN/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWw

 

[sksshooter]

Or if you want to keep standard plugs they have these. Would require a larger switch rack enclosure if you need it weather tight.

https://www.amazon.com/Tecmojo-Distribution-Circuit-Breaker-Enclosure/dp/B0CJCVB5MX/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=2MJBFT2NJ5WC8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.u43hIOT-Vj-Uvs8iG-vBnotRYYPUk4RAvO6pJFUrMTMKf44bou0m-8k3MoJbDvqSpIMsfWTCY-DT6sIQLHWIB5kxW8WY7qfsq8cbUqLJ8A8UUvmjVQUFWsccmjH1fix3PD2p98yE_ZM8Z6WOe0P1qI9sZCAwmuA1ftwXD6zyTskiia0-O6ak51wjRXV47KqM3zy5Q2QlHHyDb-DLpWqioA.BSeBR5n8r9s_Jz7L7w_ryLJWUO4fbpX_pnP7cGxVCeY&dib_tag=se&keywords=rack+mounted+power+switch&qid=1714531692&sprefix=switch+rack+power%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1

 

[Mitch Dufour]

Now that I know what you are doing, allow me to point you to the experts!

 

[thperez1972]

This is a 12 channel but im sure they have larger. Not exactly what i was looking for but i dont know the correct search term this is pretty similar.

Or if you want to keep standard plugs they have these. Would require a larger switch rack enclosure if you need it weather tight.

Thank you for the suggestions but neither one of these would work with my project. The first one looks like a simple power distribution with each port having its own power switch. The second looks like simple plug strip with all outlets connected together.

 

[thperez1972]

Now that I know what you are doing, allow me to point you to the experts!

View attachment 163290

Yep...that's what my wife says I do.