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wires in cardboard box

In a attempt to find a solution to the multiple cables running wild in my room, I thought of hiding them into a box, but I am concerned about a possible fire hazard.

The power strip has five sockets, with the following use cases:

  1. Most of the time: just the wifi router
  2. Around two consecutive hours a day: wifi router, PC and screen
  3. Sometimes or at night: wifi router and phone charger.

The dimensions of the box (as shown on the picture above) are 50×30×20 cm. If that is of any relevance, I live in France.

Is there a chance this could catch fire if I stick to these use cases? Can I also safely close the lid, which is cardboard too?

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  • 2
    Why not do proper cable management with Velcro?
    – HazardousGlitch
    Jan 31, 2019 at 0:48
  • @HazardousGlitch mostly aesthetic, but I will settle for this kind of solution if the box is a risk.
    – Alexis
    Jan 31, 2019 at 0:57
  • why don't you attach the power bar to the wall and then bundle up the cables?
    – jsotola
    Jan 31, 2019 at 1:04
  • @jsotola I could be wrong but that sounds like a more involved and less flexible option that HazardousGlitch's one.
    – Alexis
    Jan 31, 2019 at 1:15
  • @Alexis, it is a lot easier to manage cables if the power bar is not on the floor .... it could be attached to a desk also using some nylon cable ties ...... the other benefit is that power adapters and power cords are easier to plug and unplug
    – jsotola
    Jan 31, 2019 at 3:11

2 Answers 2

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Its not particularly risky, but its not a fantastic idea either.

The amounts of current you are talking about pulling is not great, so heat dissipation should nor be an issue.

No one will give you a guarantee that it wont catch fire, but it us highly unlikely provided none of the cables have exposed wiring (which might short and spark).

Why not use a plastic container instead? (Assuming a cable management solution as @HazardousGlitch mentioned does not do it for you.)

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If you're worried about the fire hazard you can line it with some cheap material like ceramic tile or clay.

  • Ignition temperature of cardboard 260 C.
  • Ignition temperature of wood 365 C.
  • Ignition temperature of clay/ceramics 1000+ C.
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