Our robot for the vex elevation challenge is done but there are multiple wires hanging off the robot. What are good ways to keep the wires in order, but still be able to extend them… if that makes any sense. The reason is that we have an extendable claw and needed a wire that could reach the motor 20" away, but when the claw is retracted we have 13" of wire hanging.
Thanks in advance
if you can, try to make the wire loop over on itself, attaching it with zipties. you might be able to use a rubberband to help force this action.
You can use this knot to shorten up the longer ones:
make two loops out of the cord like this
https://vexforum.com/gallery/files/2/8/5/5/image200811060001.jpg
and then tie a regular knot with them like this
https://vexforum.com/gallery/files/2/8/5/5/image200811060004.jpg
The knot slides loose when pulled on, so your cords won’t get damaged.
I’m not entirely sure how well it will work on PWM cables, but I use it on my headphones to keep them from getting damaged when I drop my Ipod. ($40 headphones, $20 Ipod 
)
If you have a claw or arm I would suggest zip tieing the wires all the way along the structure that supports the claw. It’s hard to use too many zip ties.
Sounds good but I’m not sure were allowed to use rubber bands in the vex competition
ALSO: i may have phrased my problem wrong, the motor is on the claw and the wire is going from the motor to the Box(receiver?)
I’ll definitely try your idea BMX and let you know how well it worked tomorrow but Corpralchhee sounds more like what i was looking for…
the only problem I for see however is that if the 24" extension bairley reaches the receiver then for zip tying it all the way i would need a longer extension, which might be my only option
I would definitely add another extension if it meant that the wire would be attached to something the whole way. Look at it this way, if during a competition another sticks a claw in your robot and catches on a wire and pulls it out, well you are done using your claw for that match and there is nothing you can do. You can’t blame it on the other team unless it was on purpose which would be highly unlikely. Better to just play it safe, any wires crossing open space are wires in the wrong spot.
as long as you use the rubber bands that vexlabs supplies, they have been legal in years past.
Corpralchee
^^good point, I was thinking about that before and what I ended up doing was zip tying the two plugs together(where the extension and motor cable meet). I also combined a couple zip ties and strapped the plugs into the Box.
Haha, VEX rubber bands, I’ll keep that in mind when I order the extensions
This is the situation…
(I hope the Images Uploade)
If not just follow these links…
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2326&original=1&c=8
https://vexforum.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2321&original=1&c=8
I see your problem there. How about using longer wires and ataching them at the midpoint of the arm (basically at the motor controlling the telescope) and at the base.
Yeah, that’s what we are planning to do.