neilhart's Slow Roll G5 Power Mac - System on Slides

[neilhart]

Neil,

Where did you get those 4x Serial connectors and the wires to make those Sata power connector for your SSD cage? I'm about to build a cage identical to that and love how you got your Sata power cables so nice and tight and just the right length. I'm guessing they clip and and make contact with the data cables, easy to install? Thanks!

The power connectors at the SATA block are salvaged from un-used modular cables. I am about out of these and need to locate a source. Performance-PCs has white ones here: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=60_923_924 however I would prefer black.

If you find a source for black ones, please leave a note.

Good modding,
neil

 

[neilhart]

I was thinking some old hard drive magnets.
You would have to pull on the shelf to get them loss.
Bolt them to the bottom just needed to keep drawer from sliding out.
Just my $.02

The latch that I implemented is such that gravity drops the blocking plate into place when the system is in the normal up-right orientation and when the system is laying on the left side. I may add a spring to bias the blocking plate in the closed/locked position.

A hinged plate that is secured to the bottom panel.

And here in place with the SOS drawer installed.

Again made up from salvage material and standard hardware from my stock bins.

Good modding,
neil

 

[98camarozzz]

The power connectors at the SATA block are salvaged from un-used modular cables. I am about out of these and need to locate a source. Performance-PCs has white ones here: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=60_923_924 however I would prefer black.

If you find a source for black ones, please leave a note.

Good modding,
neil

Neil,

Here you go, I got 5 on the way, i'll let you know how they workout.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281112495451?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[bancedog]

hey neilhart,

i was wondering about swapping the audio jack for my g5 build. my question is it as simple as just finding audio jack that fits or is it more detailed than that? any help you can gave me would be much appreciated

 

[neilhart]

hey neilhart,

i was wondering about swapping the audio jack for my g5 build. my question is it as simple as just finding audio jack that fits or is it more detailed than that? any help you can gave me would be much appreciated

The audio jack that works can usually be found in the salvage bin. The later model cases would most likely have compliant jacks. Or you can purchase an update kit such as the BitrFenix USB3.0 Upgrade Kit (BFC-SNB-150-U3PCB-RP).

There are two issues to resolve: Mounting the jack and wiring the jack.

In my case, I removed the existing Apple jack by cutting it apart and then removing the pins from the small circuit card. I epoxied the jack that I installed into place on the circuit card (I had to remove the small plastic liner from the front panel audio jack hole and then open the hole sightly to fit my replacement jack.

Then wiring the jack is fairly straight forward task. You are dealing with right and left channel with a shared common wire and the detect circuit 2 wires (going to the 10 pin motherboard header).

This is a copy of my notes:

I hope this is what you wanted.

Good modding,
neil

 

[stiligFox]

My goodness, this build is beautiful! Id probably just slide it open once a day for the fun effect of modifying a starships internal systems or something like that. Great job!

 

[neilhart]

I am going to do the first update to the configuration and add an optical drive. I find that this system is well suited to HandBrake but I am using a USB connection to the DVD drive which is not very handy.

The problem is coming up with a quick disconnect for the top shelf.

More later.

Good modding,
neil

 

[rehpotsirhc]

I am going to do the first update to the configuration and add an optical drive. I find that this system is well suited to HandBrake but I am using a USB connection to the DVD drive which is not very handy.

The problem is coming up with a quick disconnect for the top shelf.

More later.

Good modding,
neil

If you use a standard SATA optical drive you should be able to rig up a hot swap connector that moves into place along with the motherboard and leaves the drive mounted to the shelf rather than have the entire shelf and drive slide back.

 

[neilhart]

If you use a standard SATA optical drive you should be able to rig up a hot swap connector that moves into place along with the motherboard and leaves the drive mounted to the shelf rather than have the entire shelf and drive slide back.

Yes I am thinking along those lines. However I had to mod the mod as I had an interference between the standard length SATA optical drive and top corner of drawer seen here in this photo. The photo is of the bottom cover of the optical drive, mounted with the G5 shoulder screws, and the upper corner of the drawer. I had already removed the offending corner.

I elected to use a Sony optical drive that I had from some previous project. The PCB about were my thumb is in this photo was also interfering; meaning I have to move the PCB towards the front by about 1/2 inch.

I cut plastic away as needed, re-located the PCB and reassembled the o-drive. And then did some extensive testing to insure that my mod had not created more problems.

I have parts on order and intend to fab up a quick disconnect slide. Also I intend to clean up and seal the back of the o-drive now that I confirmed my mod works.

More on that in a few days.

Good modding,
neil

 

[neilhart]

I purchased two 12" Male to Female SATA w Power cables from Circuit Assembley: (the link is down now, I will add it later).

Seen here are both cables;

On the left is the cable coming from the optical drive through a expanded hole cut in the highly modified top shelf.

The attraction of these cables is the molded in screw attachment holes.

I made up an "L" shaped bracket and attached the female end of the second cable. The bracket has slightly over size mounting holes allowing for connector alignment as it is secured to the existing drive bank frame.

Then a photo of the area with the modesty panels in place. I did raise the front modesty panel by 1/4 inch and opened the cut-out for the SATA cable connector.

And another shot of the SATA connectors mated and the cable dress.

Mod complete. The system is back in service.

Good modding,
neil