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DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:27 pm
by admin
I recently bought a new turntable that did not come with a power cord. I figured that as I was making a set of RCA cables, I might as well do a custom power cable as well. I decided to to a "tri-weave" cable. I think it came out rather nice.

I found some rather inexpensive but very well made standard outlet and IEC plugs made by a company called Viborg. I was really surprised by the quality. Sold metal housing, well made clear plastic plug holder, and I really liked how they have 4 individual cord fasteners (vs the usual two way compression method). The rhodium plating also looks really nice and gives the metal a mirror like finish. They look really great and feel solid in your hand.

Viborg Audio Rhodium Plated US AC Power Plug Connector IEC Female Connector

I braided a standard power cord to make a "tri-weave" pattern. The cord feels very sturdy. With the triple cord, it could potentially handle 45 amps no problem (although the plugs do not support that level of current). Wasn't really the point as the turntable draws well less than 100 watts.

I also used my favorite "snake" design techflex wrap.
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All finished. Next to the RCA cable I made as well.
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Unwrapped from the box.
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Unscrewed and ready for assembly.
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I basically used a long power extension cord wire cut into three equal length pieces.
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Temporary held together so I could do the "tri-weave."
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Tri-weave done and I am pushing on the techflex.
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Heat shrink placed.
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Nice and tight.
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Wires firmly attached and ready for the housing to be placed.
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All nice and snug.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2017 8:29 am
by Joe Appierto
Very, very nice. I always have great admiration for those who are good with their hands. Enjoy!

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:37 pm
by admin
Thank you for the kind words. I had them in my system this weekend and finally had the opportunity to put in a few hours of serious listening with the new turntable. So far I really like what I hear. It also looks nice as now I have a number of cables with the "snake" techflex design in the setup.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:11 am
by AnotherJohnson
It is a very professional, well finished job.

The Chinese are making similar, but badging them as Krell, PS Audio, etc. Krell may have been among the first to exploit audiophiles with a proprietary EXPEN$IVE power cord, and Chinese counterfeiters quickly exploited the exploiter.

I bought a Krell badged and a PS Audio badged off eBay to check them out. They were of high apparent quality. Both were two meters. I used them to power my biamped Krell KSA150s. Swapping back and forth, and using other power cord options never produced any discernible differences. But they looked cool.

When I sold the Krells, I included the OEM power cords (they were standard heavy duty 20 amp wire with 15 amp plugs).

I offered the Krell and PS Audio badged cords on eBay, with the disclosure that I was representing them as “badged,” but not as authentic. I did not, and do not, know if they were authorized, but I suspect and suspected they were not. I priced them as though they were heavy power cords, but not as though they were really as badged.

I sold them both for about $100 each, which was about what I’d given originally. But not without harassment from someone protecting PS Audio. He bought the PS Audio, but wanted to argue about it, and not pay. He was a real PITA. I convinced him that it was not a crime to resell something on eBay if it were legal to own and not represented as something it was not. He finally agreed. I let him off the hook. And sold it to someone else as a probable counterfeit.

Admin, your cord is worthy of counterfeiting 🥶.
Meanwhile, I know that you know that turntables draw almost nothing … even fancy turntables with laser pickup sensors.

Did you try it on your big SS amp too?

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:21 am
by admin
I tried it on multiple units. SS (CJ Evolution 2000) and tube amps, preamps (including phono), and digital sources. Having IEC power plugs on all these make it really simple to change and try. Again, no appreciable difference in sound to my ears.

It's nice to have a custom length for keeping the cables tidy.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:37 am
by AnotherJohnson
admin wrote: Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:21 am It's nice to have a custom length for keeping the cables tidy.
That’s for sure. That’s my major complaint about the high end CJ OEM cords. They’re way too long in my applications.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2022 9:39 am
by roberto
I do recommend for long cables do not do a round shape in any excessive long cable, power or interconnect. The round shape is a coil...and a coil is not wanted where there should not be. A "S shape" is the way to shorten a long cable.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2022 12:07 pm
by admin
Roberto is correct. A coil will amplify the electromagnetic strength generated by the current. An S ship, I like to think of it an an "infinity sign" will cancel each loop out.

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2022 11:18 pm
by Pops110
They come up really nice, good work.
The connectors look really solid and well made, might have to check them out and see if they do Aussie plugs. I made some power cables a little while ago for my power amp out of some really heavy duty shielded cable I grabbed when I was working on the new Childrens Hospital in Perth.
I used some cheap tech flex but really doesn’t look as good as yours, where buy it?

Re: DIY Tri-weave Power Cable

Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 6:41 am
by admin
They are techflex. https://www.techflex.com They have an amazing selection of weave styles and multiple material types. I would check out their website as I'm sure there is something there that you would like.

The design was "rattle snake" but I'm not sure if they still make that as I bought it about 10 years ago.