Home Built Hydroponics Unit for an 8th Grade Science Classroom - The Hydroshack Lives Again! by Mikey D
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Step 11: Prep for wiring the control panel

I did as much wiring as possible prior to mounting the gang boxes to the control panel. This allowed me to work at a comfortable height, without bending over for extended periods of time.

1. Remove the lock nut from the strain relief. Save that little bugger, you will need them later in life.

2. Remove the cap, strain bushing and seal from the base of the strain relief assemblies. By hand, thread the bases into the empty holes in the gang boxes (two tops and one bottom) then tighten them with a wrench. Do not over tighten, just until the gasket compresses slightly.

3. Slide the cap, seal, and strain bushing onto the wire, through the bushing base and into the gang box. Do not tighten.

4. Measure the center to center distance of the mounting plates on the control panel, mine was 9". Separate the gang boxes by that amount and pull the appropriate amount of wire. Cut off the rest of the wire for the plug, slide on the cap, seal and strain bushing and pull the wire thought the bottom of the first gang box.

5. On all three strain relief bushings, press the seal into the strain bushing, press the subassembly into the bushing base and then screw on the cap. Tighten by hand only.

6. This is what the assembly should look like.

7. Note the warning label on the power cord. Boy am I glad I'm not a pregnant woman in California!

8. Now is a good time to install the ground screws. Just put them in a half turn or so, you will tighten them later.

9. Strip the outer insulation jacket from the cable without nicking the inner insulation.

Then strip the appropriate length of insulation from each wire. See step 10.

10. Use the strip gauge on each device to determine how much insulation to remove from each wire.
 
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