DIY Sleeving: Internal USB cables

[AugustusOne]

Hey guys,

 

I've recently started beefing up the internal appearance of my computer. My goal is to have every single cable inside that case sleeved. So far the SATA-power cables, the front pwr, reset and HDD cables and the HD-Audio-cable are sleeved. The GPU-, CPU- and 24PIN-power cables are next. I've also found sleeving for the SATA-Data-cables, so they are nearly done, as well.

 

However, there is one problem: the internal USB 3.0- cables running from my front I/O to the mainboard. I have a Corsair 400C with two USB 3.0 connectors on one end and the thick 20-pin-connector on the other.

As of now I haven't found a way to get sleeving around those cables. Another problem is the thickness of the I/O-side. They are not regular USB-terminals, but have a thick part to it (no idea how to explain that better in english, sry), so a screw can go through them. The foto (link) shows a similar product. Mine only has the two terminals separate with two screwholes each: Picture

 

I've cut a spare cable that was laying around in half to see if I can solder that stuff together again. It looks pretty complicated.

 

Do you guys have an idea how I can tackle this challenge?

 

Best regards

August

[W-L]

5 hours ago, AugustusOne said:

-SNIP-

They can't be sleeved them unless you tear the cable apart or get flat cables like this that they sleeve over:

https://www.moddiy.com/products/High-Quality-Sleeved-USB-3.0-19%2dPin-Internal-Header-Extension-Cable.html

[AugustusOne]

Hey W-L,

 

thanks for your reply. I suspected that would be the answer. Unfortunately the sleeved extension is not a working solution for me, as I want to have that unified look behind the motherboard tray as well.

 

I guess I have to live with that flaw or up my soldering game.  

 

Anyone got experience with cutting and resoldering USB-3.0-cables?

[DIY tech]

On 2/28/2017 at 2:40 PM, AugustusOne said:

Hey W-L,

 

thanks for your reply. I suspected that would be the answer. Unfortunately the sleeved extension is not a working solution for me, as I want to have that unified look behind the motherboard tray as well.

 

I guess I have to live with that flaw or up my soldering game.  

 

Anyone got experience with cutting and resoldering USB-3.0-cables?

I have been in your position multiple times. The first thing is that cutting and resoldering the wire isnt gonna work, the place where you will ad the joint will be much thicker then the other wire and it will look awful ( will give a pregnant kinda look to wire ). Also sleeving might get stuck over that point.

The only way i found was to cut open one extreme end of wire ( where its connected to whatever thing, in your case USB 3.0 mobo connector and USB 3.0 port ) unsolder the wires from connector ( before that take a pic so when you are putting it back together u know which wire goes where ) then sleeve and re-solder. 

How would i sleeve the above cable shown in pic by you ?

First i will try to live with it by making myself realize that its already pretty neat decent looking thing.

But if i really need to do it. I will open the USB 3.0 port ( the side where we insert usb3.0 devices ) with a blade. I will bisect it at the mentioned line. Most probably there will be a PCB in there a tiny one. So my blade will keep digging it till i touch it in side and will go all the way around. Then try to pull the bisected parts apart.

Even if it doesnt work with blade one can eventually reach the solder point ( cutting out all that hard rubber mounting thingy ). ( the current housing will be pretty useless, so be ready to make new mountings as well)

But once you reach the solder points rest all is pretty straight forward.  Unsolder sleeve resolder