Another amp marketing plan idea.

[Mike_J]

I took a picture of the power cord strain relief on my power cord strain relief. For those too young to remember they are what we used before IEC cords. Some of you may know I started building this amp 22 years ago. Think I finally got the power cord strain relief in about six months ago it feels like. They are miserable to put in especially with a thick AC cord. Of course I didn't know anything about step drills 22 years ago.


Well this got me to thinking. Maybe I should install an IEC jack in my amp instead of fighting some 20 odd years to put a replacement power cord strain relief in.


Now for what might be the marketing plan idea. There was a post not too long ago about a Japanese company selling these inline AC power conditioners. They were going for about $1,000.00 a piece or so as I recall. I don't recall as well as I used to but it might as well have been $1,000.00 as far as the little left of my mind could comprehend.


Well while I was looking for an IEC jack today as a replacement idea for the broken power cord strain relief I came across this fancy IEC jack that I took a picture of for your consideration of my plan. As I recall I paid about $3.00 for the jack and it is a shame to have all that money go to waste. I had a question about that jack. How far can it safely be used from the top of my power transformer if I considered using it and does it serve essentially the same purpose as the fancy high-priced inline conditioner that Japanese company is selling?


Thanks
Mike

[Latole]

I often use / replace those "old style " cord strain relief. I use pliers I mod for. Work well
The real tool / pliers are very expensive. I bought one cheap, it work sometimes.

Before those tool I use locking jaws like vise grip .
I have a box of different size of cord strain relief.

Anyway, to me, it is faster than mod a chassis to use IEA jack and I will never mod a vintage amp to IEC jack.

[sluckey]

It's a line filter, a fancy replacement for a death cap. If you got'em use'em. You'll never know the diff. I put one in my AC-15 just cause I had it.

     http://sluckeyamps.com/VAC15/big_guts.jpg

The shell can touch the PT. Not so with the two terminals. Use heat shrink or stake-on terminals.

[Mike_J]

It's a line filter, a fancy replacement for a death cap. If you got'em use'em. You'll never know the diff. I put one in my AC-15 just cause I had it.

     http://sluckeyamps.com/VAC15/big_guts.jpg

The shell can touch the PT. Not so with the two terminals. Use heat shrink or stake-on terminals.

I can keep it off the PT and the the two terminals as well. Little disappointed it is not a direct replacement for the high priced inline cord but instead is the equivalence of a .047uF @ 630VDC cap. Thought I had a money maker for sure.


Thanks
Mike

[Mike_J]

I often use / replace those "old style " cord strain relief. I use pliers I mod for. Work well
The real tool / pliers are very expensive. I bought one cheap, it work sometimes.

Before those tool I use locking jaws like vise grip .
I have a box of different size of cord strain relief.

Anyway, to me, it is faster than mod a chassis to use IEA jack and I will never mod a vintage amp to IEC jack.

This is just a rebuild of a '59 Bassman using a chassis like the original that I purchased many years ago. Since sluckey burst my bubble about what I though was a great idea I have strain reliefs around here and step drill bits that might make the installation easier. If I messed it up I could always make a hole for an IEC jack as a solution to that problem. I have IEC jacks that don't have the death trap in them.


Thanks
Mike

[Soulfetish]

A couple of points:
I like the convenience and style of IEC inlets, so I use them in my builds. Whether you decide to go with an IEC or traditional strain relief permanent cord, the easiest way to do either is to use a dedicate punch (the most commonly used Heyco strain reliefs are not perfectly round). However, if you want to know how to make an IEC hole, I have a really quick and efficient way of drilling out most of the metal, leaving just a small amount of metal to file.
Now, more importantly, trying to install a corded strain relief using slip joint, or any other "standard" type of pliers is an absolutely miserable experience. It's frustrating, and you'll probably end up nearly destroying the strain relief in the process. If you have the right tool for this, it takes 5-10 seconds.
Heyco makes strain relief pliers "No.29" and "No.30".
They looks like the photo I've attached. These are what we used, but I use them daily. You can buy cheap knock offs made from stamped metal which are probably fine to get you by every once and a while as well.

[echuta13]

On the old strain reliefs for power cords, I just use a worm gear clamp to compress it down and that helps it go in pretty easy (without wrench teeth leaving a mark).

[bmccowan]

Mike J - sorry your fame and fortune dreams are not working out. I thought you post was very funny, so maybe you should go that route. I use that Heyco tool, and also IEC; whatever fits the amp best. For the IEC cutout I use a slightly smaller round chassis punch and then use a Dremel to do the final shaping. Somebody should make an IEC socket that fits in a round hole. That would be a $ maker. BTW although those Heyco tools are way better than trying to force in a strain relief with regular pliers, it is still an idiotic design that I can not believe has survived all these decades.

[thetragichero]

aes/cedist carry a really nifty iec socket/fuse holder combo for about a buck. they use the shorter style fuse and making a square "hole" in the chassis can be a pain (i use nice drill bits and files, works okay) but getting all the line safety stuff in one package is neat

[sluckey]

the equivalence of a .047uF @ 630VDC cap. Thought I had a money maker for sure.

It's far superior to a .047uF @ 630VDC cap.

[PRR]

> Heyco .....an idiotic design that I can not believe has survived all these decades.

I remember a cheap rubber grommet with a knot behind it. Both the grommet and the cord got brittle with age and failed, yeouch. Heyco was better.

[Mike_J]

On the old strain reliefs for power cords, I just use a worm gear clamp to compress it down and that helps it go in pretty easy (without wrench teeth leaving a mark).

Do you mean using the worm gear clamp to make the cord smaller where you clamped it and then releasing the clamp and placing the strain relief in the indentation the clamp left? If that is the method it is brilliant.


Thanks
Mike

[Mike_J]

Mike J - sorry your fame and fortune dreams are not working out. I thought you post was very funny, so maybe you should go that route. I use that Heyco tool, and also IEC; whatever fits the amp best. For the IEC cutout I use a slightly smaller round chassis punch and then use a Dremel to do the final shaping. Somebody should make an IEC socket that fits in a round hole. That would be a $ maker. BTW although those Heyco tools are way better than trying to force in a strain relief with regular pliers, it is still an idiotic design that I can not believe has survived all these decades.

i don't think there is a more miserable task than installing a strain relief, especially with a large gauge power cord which I installed in this amp. Would rather take a serious beating than do it again but I am optimistic about the clamp idea posted by echuta13.

[Mike_J]

the equivalence of a .047uF @ 630VDC cap. Thought I had a money maker for sure.

It's far superior to a .047uF @ 630VDC cap.

Do you think I can use it as a marketing advantage then. Your response is giving me reason for enthusiasm I think. If people are spending about $1,000 for two five foot cords and an AC conditioner that would give you about 11 feet of cord that I would have to plug into my $7.95 power strip that would have to be augmented by my extension cord with the electrical tape on it because the lawn guy ran over it with his lawn mower. If people will buy that then there has to be an explanation that makes my amp more valuable with this thing. I just need your help sluckey in creating an explanation of what it does so I can drive demand by making it sound like something exciting and special.


Thanks
Mike

[Mike_J]

A couple of points:
I like the convenience and style of IEC inlets, so I use them in my builds. Whether you decide to go with an IEC or traditional strain relief permanent cord, the easiest way to do either is to use a dedicate punch (the most commonly used Heyco strain reliefs are not perfectly round). However, if you want to know how to make an IEC hole, I have a really quick and efficient way of drilling out most of the metal, leaving just a small amount of metal to file.
Now, more importantly, trying to install a corded strain relief using slip joint, or any other "standard" type of pliers is an absolutely miserable experience. It's frustrating, and you'll probably end up nearly destroying the strain relief in the process. If you have the right tool for this, it takes 5-10 seconds.
Heyco makes strain relief pliers "No.29" and "No.30".
They looks like the photo I've attached. These are what we used, but I use them daily. You can buy cheap knock offs made from stamped metal which are probably fine to get you by every once and a while as well.

Thank you for the advice. I might use it if sluckey can't help me with my marketing plan by explaining how the fancy IEC thing is worth hundreds of dollars, heck why not make it thousand of dollars more for having the thing in one of my amps.


Thanks
Mike

[Mike_J]

> Heyco .....an idiotic design that I can not believe has survived all these decades.

I remember a cheap rubber grommet with a knot behind it. Both the grommet and the cord got brittle with age and failed, yeouch. Heyco was better.

I am leaning towards the cheap rubber grommet with a knot behind versus fighting with one of those strain reliefs again. Still have two reasons for hope I think. One is the clamp and the other is sluckey helping me with a spectacular marketing plan.


Thanks
Mike

[HotBluePlates]

... use a dedicate punch (the most commonly used Heyco strain reliefs are not perfectly round). ... If you have the right tool for this, it takes 5-10 seconds.
Heyco makes strain relief pliers "No.29" and "No.30". ...

i don't think there is a more miserable task than installing a strain relief, especially with a large gauge power cord which I installed in this amp. ...

After punching the correct-shape hole and user the proprietary pliers, the other key trick is you have to use the power cord that's the correct size for the strain relief.  Or said a different way, use a bigger strain relief for a bigger cord.

Heyco tells you the part # to get for your cord.

Or you can move on to a no-plier Heyco strain relief.  M4824 oughta fit 18/3 and 16/3 cords, and you could just drill a round hole (though it is Double-D for anti-rotation if you want that).

[echuta13]

Do you mean using the worm gear clamp to make the cord smaller where you clamped it and then releasing the clamp and placing the strain relief in the indentation the clamp left? If that is the method it is brilliant.


Thanks
Mike

It goes on the strain relief part and you screw it down till it will fit inside the hole.  The trick is to put it on just enough so it on so it will pop in without too much effort.  Works like a charm for me.  If seems a close comparison would be compressing piston rings with a sleave to get a piston into an engine block.

I'm pretty sure it's not an original idea of mine, and saw it somewhere else.  It appeals to my cheap-ass Scottish ideals. :-D

[bmccowan]

I remember a cheap rubber grommet with a knot behind it. Both the grommet and the cord got brittle with age and failed, yeouch. Heyco was better.

Yup - I agree with that. My annoyance is with the Heyco pliers. They are awkward to use, don't hold their adjustment, and the bolt continuously comes loose. Was that the best they could do? But once installed the strain relief is solid.
Another oldie is the cheap rubber grommet and a cheap clamp around the cord, secured with a screw to the side of the cabinet. A lot of old Valcos and Gibsons have that. I do not like drilling a bigger hole in a vintage amp, so I sometimes use that method, and I add a cable tie cinched up tight on the cord, just inside the cheap rubber grommet.
Anyways, a bit off topic as this thread is about Mike's plan for wealth.

[SnickSound]

aes/cedist carry a really nifty iec socket/fuse holder combo for about a buck. they use the shorter style fuse and making a square "hole" in the chassis can be a pain (i use nice drill bits and files, works okay) but getting all the line safety stuff in one package is neat

Yup, I always use those now. Saves room and wiring, forces the user to unplug the amp before messing with the fuse, and making the cutout for it is just as annoying as making a regular IEC cutout anyway.

Sometimes I'll even go with the fuse AND switch combo.