How Cable and Wire Management Affects Aesthetics and Performance - Tip 2: Route your Cables!
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Power cables can get wrenched by fan spinners or the sharp edges of an unfinished metal case, and then they can get close to hardware components or equipment where they shouldn't and make a contact-electrostatic discharge or short circuit. Obviously you should prevent these things from happening. There are numerous solutions for routing cables, not only inside your case, but also for the cables which go outside your case. Route them behind your desk, split your power cords, and route your network cables from your modem, router or firewall or from another system. When cables are set and fixed somewhere, their chance of getting unplugged is very low.
Cable and wire sleeving case mod kits are one of the best known solutions. These kits include wire sleeves, heat shrinks, tie wraps, also perhaps a few tools that are needed to get the job done. They are made of flexible material. Usually they are also colorful. They are very easy to set up because user instructions are included in the package and you can literally transform your computer into a kick-ass system which will be admired even by enthusiasts in an hour or so. You can also split your cables. Do not use long and large cables when you can split them with a simple Y splitter.
Don't forget to route your cables outside of your case too. Zip ties and cable clamps are really common solutions in every technological area where cables and wires are included.
Check out few of these:
Zip Ties
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Cable Clamps
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Fold your cables. Route them directly to their destinations if possible. When a fan or heat sink is in the way of a cable then re-route the cable. Use wire-ties, clips, or whatever; just don't get close to that dangerous zone (i.e. 120mm fan). Be careful when folding: don't fold ribbon cables very sharply, just gradually.
Don't underestimate the usefulness of cable ties that come with their sticky (adhesive) backs. You can place them wherever they are needed. Very often, you can just stick them across the route from a cable's source to its destination and then route your cables very easily without pain. Spirals are helpful too. You can use them to route the wires inside them; flexibility is guaranteed. By the way, take into consideration that ATA133 cables do fold easier than ATA66s. Use ATA133 cables everywhere when possible.
As a practical tip, whenever using cable clamps and zip ties always leave a little slack so that the process of installing/removing newer hardware is easier. Otherwise you'd need to completely remove all of your cables every time in situations like these.
Next: Tip 3: Short, Direct and Fewer Cables >>
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