Fitting an IEC socket on Kenwood amplifier

Discussion in 'Hi-Fi and General Audio' started by AudioGuru, May 12, 2006.

  1. AudioGuru

    AudioGuru

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    I gave my Kenwood amplifier a serious good clean inside last night and it's turned out looking rather fab!!

    Here's some pics...

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    Now I want to fit an IEC mains socket on the rear (there's loads of space) and use a proper mains lead, but how can I get a hole made in the back panel for the socket??
     
    AudioGuru, May 12, 2006
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  2. AudioGuru

    taz

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    I did this ages ago and made a template first, then i used a smallish (3mm) drill and drilled lots of small holes all the way round the template. Then i tidied the hole with my dremell before fitting the iec socket, however on my marantz amp and cd player i just cut the cable inside the amp leaving a couple of centimeters and soldered my new mains cable directly to it which i think is a better way, for one it's easier and two you have one less break in the connection path which must be better. Saying that you have to make up your mind which cable your going to use first as once it's done you can't do a quick swap
     
    taz, May 12, 2006
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  3. AudioGuru

    AudioGuru

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    Cool - but that might be a bit tricky for me.

    There's a small circuit board where the mains wires are linked to red and white leads. That's just a junction block, so I can remove that board and solder the leads directly to the IEC socket.

    Also, is it worth earthing the amp too, even though it's double insulated??
     
    AudioGuru, May 12, 2006
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  4. AudioGuru

    taz

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    that,s fine looking at your picture just chop the wires before the circuit board that should give you 2 or 3 inches to play with
    if your new mains cable is thick you may have to drill the hole out a bit and don't forget a rubber gromet.
    make sure you pass the cable through the hole and through a rubber gromet (simple I know but easy to forget trust me) then solder them up and cover with some heatshrink
    if your amp has no earth then leave it that way as that was how it was designed
     
    taz, May 12, 2006
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  5. AudioGuru

    I-S Good Evening.... Infidel

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    Do not add an earth to equipment not designed for it.

    It's easy enough to make a hole in back panel. Dremel, drill, file, etc. I've done it to my old rotel amp, my marantz CD16 (that was a pain with its thick steel chassis), and in the process of making superDAC power supplies.

    In addition to allowing you to try cable rolling, a big benefit to me is that it's much easier to move equipment around without captive leads trailing all over.
     
    I-S, May 12, 2006
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