ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Wall Outlets and SO Cord  (Read 9380 times)

Aaron Maurer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 226
Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« on: May 06, 2016, 03:44:11 PM »

Does anyone have any tricks up their sleeve for the following issue.  Running 12/3 SO cord for all my power extensions and a few places I work have fairly worn outlets and the plugs at times almost want to fall out.  I have a method of plugging in and trying to pull the weight off the cable as much as possible and gaffing the cable to the floor/wall.  Seen some outdoor style plugs that are 90 degrees which would let the SO run straight to the floor. Anyone else have a remedy or dealing with it as well?
Logged

g'bye, Dick Rees

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7424
  • Duluth
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2016, 04:01:04 PM »

Does anyone have any tricks up their sleeve for the following issue.  Running 12/3 SO cord for all my power extensions and a few places I work have fairly worn outlets and the plugs at times almost want to fall out.  I have a method of plugging in and trying to pull the weight off the cable as much as possible and gaffing the cable to the floor/wall.  Seen some outdoor style plugs that are 90 degrees which would let the SO run straight to the floor. Anyone else have a remedy or dealing with it as well?

Your lcal hardware store should have "appliance" cables with a molded 90 and 12 gauge wire.  As to event rating I couldn't say, but they've done the job for me for many years. 
Logged
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

Jonathan Johnson

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3209
  • Southwest Washington (state, not DC)
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2016, 04:20:07 PM »

Does anyone have any tricks up their sleeve for the following issue.  Running 12/3 SO cord for all my power extensions and a few places I work have fairly worn outlets and the plugs at times almost want to fall out.  I have a method of plugging in and trying to pull the weight off the cable as much as possible and gaffing the cable to the floor/wall.  Seen some outdoor style plugs that are 90 degrees which would let the SO run straight to the floor. Anyone else have a remedy or dealing with it as well?

125V/15A right-angle plug: http://www.homedepot.com/p/100126294

125V/20A right-angle plug: http://www.homedepot.com/p/100114807

If the receptacles are not holding the plug securely, that's a fire hazard. Loose connections get hot. The venues should replace those receptacles with heavy duty (commercial or industrial "spec grade") versions.
Logged
Stop confusing the issue with facts and logic!

Rob Spence

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3531
  • Boston Metro North/West
    • Lynx Audio Services
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2016, 07:08:19 PM »

I have two things I use depending..

If no one cares what they look like, I have two sets of appliance extension cords. One has the ground pin up and the other down. When I advance the gig I note what they have.

The other is nicer looking and might even be overlooked by an inspector though I don't expect inspectors at hotel weddings. I bought some high quality right angle plugs (15a flavor cause I wanted the parallel blades), Pass&Seamor females and a short length of #12 SJ. Enough to get to the floor and hook up the SOOW cables. They are light enough to not tug on the receptical and the heavy SOOW cables are on the floor.
The bonus is that with a screwdriver, you can easily rotate the angle end to deal with outlets at any angle.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Logged
rob at lynxaudioservices dot com

Dealer for: AKG, Allen & Heath, Ashley, Astatic, Audix, Blue Microphones, CAD, Chauvet, Community, Countryman, Crown, DBX, Electro-Voice, FBT, Furman, Heil, Horizon, Intellistage, JBL, Lab Gruppen, Mid Atlantic, On Stage Stands, Pelican, Peterson Tuners, Presonus, ProCo, QSC, Radial, RCF, Sennheiser, Shure, SKB, Soundcraft, TC Electronics, Telex, Whirlwind and others

John Rutirasiri

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 732
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2016, 09:34:17 PM »

One of these and gaff-tape the sides to the wall.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-6-Outlet-Grounded-In-Wall-Adapter-White-54947/203742151

I have never seen a 20A one though.
Logged
ClearImpact Sound & Event Services, Inc.
Sound/Lighting/Corporate A/V

"If it ain't broke, make it better."

Aaron Maurer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 226
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2016, 08:08:05 AM »

125V/15A right-angle plug: http://www.homedepot.com/p/100126294

125V/20A right-angle plug: http://www.homedepot.com/p/100114807

If the receptacles are not holding the plug securely, that's a fire hazard. Loose connections get hot. The venues should replace those receptacles with heavy duty (commercial or industrial "spec grade") versions.

That is a good point with creating heat. Will let the venues know. I was thinking the same thing Rob is already doing with the small drops from the outlet to the floor. Thanks for the links to the angle plugs.
Logged

Mike Sokol

  • Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3361
  • Lead instructor for the No~Shock~Zone
    • No~Shock~Zone Electrical Safety
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2016, 08:43:18 AM »

That is a good point with creating heat. Will let the venues know. I was thinking the same thing Rob is already doing with the small drops from the outlet to the floor. Thanks for the links to the angle plugs.
Yeah, I like the angle plug drops. Think I'll build a few for our smaller gigs.

But venues really should change out their worn receptacles. They live a tough life and need to be retired. Here's a picture from a recent gig we did. This 50-amp/240-volt outlet wasn't even attached with screws to the box. I passed on using it...

Seriously, how much could it cost to have an electrician replace all the venue receptacles every 5 years? Maybe a few hundred $$$ a year to rotate through 20% of the outlets each year. Then in 5 years you start over again by replacing the oldest receptacles first. 
« Last Edit: May 08, 2016, 08:20:46 PM by Mike Sokol »
Logged

Stephen Swaffer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2671
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2016, 09:00:19 AM »

Yeah, I like the angle plug drops. Think I'll build a few for our smaller gigs.

But venues really should change out their worn receptacles. They live a tough life and need to be retired. Here's a picture from a recent gig we did. This 50-amp/240-volt outlet wasn't even attached with screws to the box. I passed on using it...

Seriously, how much could it cost to have an electrician replace all the venue receptacles every 5 years? Maybe a few hundred $$$ a year to rotate through 20% of the outlets every year.


One of these and an annual PM wouldn't cost much:

http://communities.leviton.com/servlet/JiveServlet/previewBody/2143-102-1-3291/Spec%20RTT99.pdf




Logged
Steve Swaffer

Aaron Maurer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 226
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2016, 09:24:12 AM »

Is SJ cord acceptable for a short drop down the wall?  If memory serves I believe it was discussed on here that as long as your not walking on it and it's indoors it is ok do use? 
Logged

Kevin Graf

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 343
Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2016, 12:16:31 PM »

The Leviton RTT99 Receptacle Tension Tester, seems to have been discontinued soom years ago.
Logged
Speedskater

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Wall Outlets and SO Cord
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2016, 12:16:31 PM »


Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.038 seconds with 23 queries.