Problem with height in a 1u rack enclosure.

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lagoausente

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Messages
288
Location
Spain
  Hello guys.  I describe my problem.  Have bought a multipac series 1U rack enclosure. My intention was to move two boards of the supergreen preamp, and put one AD there, heaphones amp, and guitar preamp.
  The problem is that I didn´t consider ok the internal height of the multipac enclosure before buying, and I  thought I could put all the boards there without problem. But the internal height is around 35-36mm.
  The problem starts with supergreen board, (already built that was working in another box).  It has two Wima caps of 30-31mm o height. The board is 2mm thinkg aprox, and the soldering tips that are around 1-2mm. The result ir nearly 35mm, so the board fits inside but without gap under the board. I have thought about using insulation tape to cover the bottom of the enclosure to avoid shorcut with the board bottom, but a question appear to my mind.  A cap consist in to surfaces separated by a insulation surface, so maybe can occur that if put the board this way? a cap between the enclosure bottom and the board?  How much space should I need to have between the board and the case to be sure that will have no problems?
  Another solution, I have thought about, was to change the position of the Wima caps. If I put then in horizontal position, they would have 20mm of height, so win 10mm, and could use a standard 10mm stand. Would be any problem with the position of the Wima caps this way over the board?  I have space, only two resistors I could solder in the bottom of the board.
  I have another two electrolytic caps too big, that i should need to put in horizontal. Even those would no need to be just placed over the board surface because they are thin.
  I´m sure many of you have had this type of problem sometime.  So hope you have help me.  ???
 
You could superglue some plastic sheet to the bottom of the case, electrical tape gets loose and
not very well attached after a while in a "warm" rack.
Caps can be put on their side and you can cover the exposed "leads" with some wire tubing or heat shrink.
You can even take caps "off board" if you wire carefully enough and don't put them too far away.
Many options, or how about smaller "same value" wima's ?

MM.
 
Some of the 1u's i have messed with(i gut old stuff and cut and fold as needed) haven't left me any height for standoffs so what i have done is use mounting board as i have had some laying around. The same stuff you mount photos and such to.

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1489/16068657uf5.jpg

I dont think that stuff really holds moisture or anything, but its not the best to use...i'm just cheap.
You could probally shim the board up from the chassis using the seperators found in plastic organizer boxes from a thrift store or walmart or whatever...
mounting caps sideways or at an angle may be the only option there as with those! Sometimes i will take two smaller caps in parrelell instead of a large one to cut down on height...then it becomes fitting them in width wise  :eek:


cases get on my case man...
 
have you thought about spacing the top and bottom "lids" of your case with washers to pick up a little space on both top and bottom of the case, this might let you gain just enough space to mount the pcbs with short standoffs and not modify any existing assembly?

just a thought...
 
  Thanks to all for your replies. Seems there are many options.

 
Sarcastic Sound said:
have you thought about spacing the top and bottom "lids" of your case with washers to pick up a little space on both top and bottom of the case, this might let you gain just enough space to mount the pcbs with short standoffs and not modify any existing assembly?

just a thought...

  In this multipac enclosure the lids go in a rail that have the side panels. If I just use screw to gain space, would be no very stetic, and would be a gap between the rear panel and the lids.

MartyMart said:
You could superglue some plastic sheet to the bottom of the case, electrical tape gets loose and
not very well attached after a while in a "warm" rack.
Caps can be put on their side and you can cover the exposed "leads" with some wire tubing or heat shrink.
You can even take caps "off board" if you wire carefully enough and don't put them too far away.
Many options, or how about smaller "same value" wima's ?

MM.

  Seems that if I don´t change the position of the Wima, the plastic would must be extremely thin. I still have doubts about if a capacitance would occur between the board and the lid.
mrphotodude said:
Some of the 1u's i have messed with(i gut old stuff and cut and fold as needed) haven't left me any height for standoffs so what i have done is use mounting board as i have had some laying around. The same stuff you mount photos and such to.

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1489/16068657uf5.jpg

I dont think that stuff really holds moisture or anything, but its not the best to use...i'm just cheap.
You could probally shim the board up from the chassis using the seperators found in plastic organizer boxes from a thrift store or walmart or whatever...
mounting caps sideways or at an angle may be the only option there as with those! Sometimes i will take two smaller caps in parrelell instead of a large one to cut down on height...then it becomes fitting them in width wise  :eek:


cases get on my case man...

    At first I think the best option will be a combination of the right standoffs with soldering the Wimas on their side. The board have no components around the wimas, only to resistors. So I think could to that, and standoffs between 5 and 10mm of height.

gswan said:
It's moments like these that you wish there was a 1.5RU case :)

  True.    ::)
 
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