Wall mounted power panel/control board?

[Mozby]

Most reefers probably install their electrical stuff in the aquarium cabinet, but has anyone done a wall mount for all their electrical gear (apex, power bar, pump controllers, etc)? If so, would love to see your solutions! Here's one I saw from melev's reef. Looks good but wouldn't know how to build one of my own. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[Mozby]

Found this ready-made solution, but still keen on other ideas to keep options open.

https://www.marinedepot.com/Standar...ccessories-Marine_Depot-MD7116-FIAQAA-vi.html

 

[sfsuphysics]

Different ways you could do it, but the one from Melev's Reef you need to plan out where everything will go. Not sure if he did a video or talked about it on his Youtube channel, but it's probably something as simple as a piece of MDF with some spacer on the back to keep it away from the wall slightly which is where the cords run behind it, basically "dry fit" where everything is going to go, then drill appropriate holes to put cables through.

Although looking at the reflection off the surface it may be made out of acrylic, the guy is an acrylic fabricator after all. But same principle for placement. For things like the ecotech drivers may be as simple as some velcro to hold them on. Yeah on further review I'm almost 100% certain he made that out of black acrylic, I see little shelves for the power bricks in the bottom corner. But MDF is more easily available and cheaper to work with, but the principle is the same. Holes for cords to go through, some standoff/spacer on the back to allow cords to go through, if you want to be classy you can use cord grommets so you don't have to see through the box.

 

[Flagg37]

I put mine inside a wall cavity between the studs and built a little cabinet around it to cover it.

http://www.bareefers.org/forum/threads/in-the-beginning.19053/page-8

I think there might be some pages before and after that show more of it but this link gives you the idea.

 

[Cruz Mc5]

This is what I did. Granted, it’s in my garage so I don’t need it to look super fancy.

 

[ashburn2k]

That’s some fancy wood you use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Cruz Mc5]

Oh yeah. I went all out on it, lol.

 

[rygh]

I made a box and put a screen over it for the electronics.
Keeps dust out.
The pumps are simply mounted to wall of fuge.

A bit messy, but easier to trace wires/pipes if they are not hidden behind something.
So I am not really a huge fan of hiding the wires like some of the fancy setups.

 

[max_nano]

I’m going to be building something like this soon. Does anyone have any pics of their setups I can use to guide. I’m thinking MDF board with slits for the cables

 

[JVU]

I like the Marine Depot one if you are going to go the hidden-wire route.

Regarding hidden-wires vs organized but visible wires, I think visible is easier to live with since you’ll have to access them from time to time. They are hard enough to access when you can see and follow them. You can use velcro ties and adhesive wire/cable clips as an easy and functional way to bundle and route wires.

 

[ofzakaria]

I had mine built in the cabinet with a side door on the cabinet..

 

[svreef]

I highly recommend these:


Mr-Label Self-Adhesive Cable Label - Waterproof | Tear Resistant | Durable - with Online Print Tool - for Laser Printer (10 Sheets (300 Labels), Multi-Color) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CQ66T3M

 

[Coral2Coral]

This is my, the front looks clean, all the wires Are hide in the back.

 

[Dan-sf]

I built a cabinet on hinges, offset about 1" from the back wall, so you can rotate the cabinet off the wall to access the back, but then put it back into place and it looks like a nice cabinet on the wall.

When first installed:

Today, after multiple years of tweaks/additions:

The only thing I'd change is adding more holes. You can never have too many access holes.