# How to recolor SATA cables



## The Von Matrices (Jan 8, 2012)

Hi everyone,

I just bought an eSATA backplate for my system (stock image below) and its SATA cables are colored Gigabyte yellow but my system theme is black. What would you suggest to do to change the color of the SATA cables to black?

Thanks for the advice in advance!


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## entropy13 (Jan 8, 2012)

Paint! lol

If you know how to sleeve, then use black sleeves.


Or wrap electrical tape, and super glue the edge of the tape to the rest of itself.


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## The Von Matrices (Jan 8, 2012)

I thought of paint but I figured it wouldn't adhere to plastic.  Is that right?  And wouldn't the black mesh sleeving I have still show the yellow through?  I didn't think about the tape though - that's an interesting idea.


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## Yin (Jan 8, 2012)

I would just replace the cables if it matter that much, but if you really wanted to paint them try a hobby store they usually sell paint for plastic models and etc.


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## theonedub (Jan 8, 2012)

The Von Matrices said:


> I thought of paint but I figured it wouldn't adhere to plastic.  Is that right?  And wouldn't the black mesh sleeving I have still show the yellow through?  I didn't think about the tape though - that's an interesting idea.



Tape is really a cheap way to do it and it can be a little difficult to get it to stay even with superglue. 

With a nice dense premium ultra thick weave sleeve (like all the marketing talk ), you should be able to make sure no yellow peeks out- and it will look many times better than electrical tape.


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## FordGT90Concept (Jan 8, 2012)

1 up for sleeve.  Paint will eventually chip because the cables are flexible.  Black shrink warp would probably be ideal.


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## bbmarley (Jan 8, 2012)

black marker pen?


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## radrok (Jan 8, 2012)

There are tight sleeves that make the underlying color not visible, but I don't recall seeing any for SATA cables.
What about covering them with black/white tape and then sleeving them?


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## The Von Matrices (Jan 8, 2012)

I just sleeved them now.  I think the result is pretty good, but it's definitely not perfect like radrok's photo.  It looks good in the case though.


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## radrok (Jan 8, 2012)

It's good, a bit rushed on the heatspreaders but whatever, it looks good


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## sneekypeet (Jan 8, 2012)

The image above yours is what is called "triple braid", the ones you used are "single braid" sleeves. Just something to look for when you go to order more


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## The Von Matrices (Jan 8, 2012)

The trouble I was having was that the sleeving was sliding out of the heat shrink even when shrunken; I don't have the exactly right size of tubing so that it would shrink tightly so I had to use a larger size and the zip ties.


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## de.das.dude (Jan 8, 2012)

hey, everyone needs practice and you did a pretty decent job!


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## AsRock (Jan 8, 2012)

bbmarley said:


> black marker pen?



Wont that turn like a purplish colour ?.


Just buy some black sata cables lol.


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## micropage7 (Jan 8, 2012)

The Von Matrices said:


> I just sleeved them now.  I think the result is pretty good, but it's definitely not perfect like radrok's photo.  It looks good in the case though.
> 
> http://img.techpowerup.org/120108/P1060176.jpg


nice work


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## scaminatrix (Jan 8, 2012)

Very good for a first job, my first job was much muuuch worse 

I don't use cable ties anymore, as I don't like the look of them under the heat-shrink. After I put the sleeving over the wire, I use a bit of electrical tape to hold the sleeving to the wire then I heat-shrink it. Then pull it tight at the other while holding the end you just heat-shrinked and tape and heat-shrink the last end. I should make a video as I only use cheap stuff but still manage to get a good finish 

I use what I call "poor-mans MDPC-X" (it's not as good but it's ok). It's called "mod/smart" and I get it from CandCCentral but I'm in UK.


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## LiveOrDie (Jan 8, 2012)

There a guy over on the evga forums that does this also Extensions you want be able to view his page if you dont have a account with more than 50 posts but here the link http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=1346369&high=sleeving

here some images for people that cant view the page he does a pro job but there not cheap


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## jsfitz54 (Jan 8, 2012)

bbmarley said:


> black marker pen?



What, no one else likes the black Sharpie, as a solution?

I would have tried the pen first to see how it looked...minimal effort.

The sleeving looks good.  Just saying.


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