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Author Topic: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.  (Read 33065 times)

TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #20 on: January 27, 2014, 01:14:25 PM »

Plus there's the thought of voltage capacity of the feeder and lower rating for cable bundled as an SOOW cable (2/5 or whatever) as opposed to the single poles. I know people using 2/4 SOOW for their cam feed- not my preference, but eh, their choice.

-Ray
It's their choice until the inspector chooses for them.  :)
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Steve M Smith

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #21 on: January 27, 2014, 01:20:36 PM »

It's their choice until the inspector chooses for them.

You have official inspections for plug and socket connections?

Are these Cam-Lok connectors a permanent fitting at the venue which you connect to or are they part of the distribution wiring you take to the venue and have wired in?

Most venues in the UK will have a three phase connection such as the one I posted a picture of. 


Steve.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2014, 01:25:05 PM by Steve M Smith »
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #22 on: January 27, 2014, 01:28:10 PM »

You have official inspections for plug and socket connections?

Are these Cam-Lok connectors a permanent fitting at the venue which you connect to or are they part of the distribution wiring you take to the venue and have wired in?

Most venues in the UK will have a three phase connection such as the one I posted a picture of. 


Steve.
Inspectors can show up whenever they feel like.  Frequently an inspection is triggered with a generator rental.  Many venues have a service connection with a lockable main switch with cam-loks - yes.  Typically the feeder cable and the downstream distro are carried by the production company.
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Mike Sokol

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #23 on: January 27, 2014, 01:28:49 PM »

You have official inspections for plug and socket connections?

Are these Cam-Lok connectors a permanent fitting at the venue which you connect to or are they part of the distribution wiring you take to the venue and have wired in?

Most venues in the UK will have a three phase connection such as the one I posted a picture of. 


Steve.

We traditionally have Cam-Loc connectors on a permanent, fused/CB disconnect in most venues for visiting acts. That's also how all our big rental generators are wired. Outside carnivals here use them for distro ride power as well.   

Tim McCulloch

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #24 on: January 27, 2014, 01:34:49 PM »

You have official inspections for plug and socket connections?


Steve.

The essence is in Ray's post.  Using 2 AWG 4 conductor unitary jacketed cable with single pole, separable connectors (i.e. Cam Locks) is not permitted by NEC but that doesn't keep folks from doing so, at least until an inspector comes around.

Special events get inspected routinely, venues and facilities much less so, but in both cases an inspector may look at anything that catches his/her eye, everything, or almost nothing.  I had an inspector in Texas give me some grief about 2 SJO amp rack power cords (indoors, supported, off the floor) until I pointed out the county-owned facility had their Cam Lock tails "supported" from clamps rated for non-metalic sheathed cable (Romex).  He left to give the carnies a hard time.
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Steve M Smith

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #25 on: January 27, 2014, 01:38:22 PM »

I have just found something similar on a UK supplier's website, referred to as Power Lock so perhaps they are used here.

I have never come across them though.  Everyone I know uses the three phase connectors.  Perhaps they are used by the larger stadium and festival systems which I have no experience of.


Steve.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #26 on: January 27, 2014, 01:44:51 PM »

I have just found something similar on a UK supplier's website, referred to as Power Lock so perhaps they are used here.

I have never come across them though.  Everyone I know uses the three phase connectors.  Perhaps they are used by the larger stadium and festival systems which I have no experience of.


Steve.

I've seen some big CEE-form connectors but don't recall seeing any rated for 400 amps, maybe 150 or so...  At any rate the purpose of any multi-pin connector scheme is to keep personnel from doing something dangerous by removing variables.  The higher voltage distribution in Europe allows a significant amount of energy to be connected more safely by a typical worker, via things like CEE-form.

You're probably right about Power Lock being used in much larger distribution systems and/or by "qualified persons only".
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"If you're passing on your way, from Palm Springs to L.A., Give a wave to good ol' Dave, Say hello to progress and goodbye to the Moonlight Motor Inn." - Steve Spurgin, Moonlight Motor Inn

Ray Aberle

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #27 on: January 27, 2014, 01:56:59 PM »

It's their choice until the inspector chooses for them.  :)

My "their choice" was aimed at the part of their decision making process to implement that 'solution' for their distro cabling.

The essence is in Ray's post.  Using 2 AWG 4 conductor unitary jacketed cable with single pole, separable connectors (i.e. Cam Locks) is not permitted by NEC but that doesn't keep folks from doing so, at least until an inspector comes around.
Pretty much what I meant to say as well. :) I can't make people do things the exact right way (cabling, pulling a permit for generator, having it inspected, etc)-- all I can do is make sure that everything I am involved with is abiding by the code. If a provider/client/whomever-calls-the-shots hasn't pulled a gennie permit, an inspector isn't going to come around since they don't know about it. If I am providing cam feeder for them, it'll be single conductor runs, you can be sure of that! (I am also anal about color and labeling. All new cam I build, I am ID tagging both ends with length and CompanyID#, so that I can always figure out which cable is going precisely where.)

-Ray
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Steve M Smith

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #28 on: January 27, 2014, 02:01:55 PM »

I've seen some big CEE-form connectors but don't recall seeing any rated for 400 amps, maybe 150 or so...

The biggest here is 125 amp. 415 volt three phase. 


Steve.
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #29 on: January 27, 2014, 04:44:20 PM »

The one in the picture is 415 volt, 32 amp.  There are 63 amp and 126 amp versions.

No restriction on who can plug them in here.  Not sure why there would be as it's just plugging something in, not connecting up bare wires.

The potential that I see -- especially in higher-amperage connections -- is that someone would connect or disconnect the multipin power connector while the facility connection is energized and there is a load on the distro. That could result in a significant arc flash explosion.

Proper protocol is to remove loads from the distro AND disconnect power from the facility connection by moving the company switch to off before making or breaking connections. If a distro is 'loaded' (the loads have their power switches in the 'on' position) when the company switch is actuated, it can result in an arc in that switch. While the switch should be rated for interrupting its labeled current, arcs still wear on the switch and contribute to early failure. A failing company switch actuated under a heavy load could experience catastrophic failure.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Just a reminder to check the power at your distro as well as the wall.
« Reply #29 on: January 27, 2014, 04:44:20 PM »


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