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Author Topic: charging stations as a service  (Read 9437 times)

Jonathan Johnson

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charging stations as a service
« on: March 07, 2018, 12:54:22 AM »

(Maybe this belongs in the LAB Lounge?)

Every so often, someone wants to plug in their mobile device to be charged. I don't necessarily have a spot in my distro (which, right now, amounts to a surge strip in the back of my console rack) to plug in other people's junk.

Have any of you given thought to providing a charging station as a service to the clientele or performers at venues or events that you service? Basically, what I envision is a small table with a power strip and maybe a USB charger and a selection of common cables (securely fastened, of course). If so, what do you do, and does it help to keep their hands off of your distro?
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Mike Sokol

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2018, 07:05:15 AM »

(Maybe this belongs in the LAB Lounge?)

Every so often, someone wants to plug in their mobile device to be charged. I don't necessarily have a spot in my distro (which, right now, amounts to a surge strip in the back of my console rack) to plug in other people's junk.

Have any of you given thought to providing a charging station as a service to the clientele or performers at venues or events that you service? Basically, what I envision is a small table with a power strip and maybe a USB charger and a selection of common cables (securely fastened, of course). If so, what do you do, and does it help to keep their hands off of your distro?

Yes, I do exactly that. I usually drop a quad box over to a separate table and hook up a 4-banger, 40-watt USB brick that can fast charge up to 4 devices at a time. Plus I lay out a few cables for iPhone and Androids, all marked with my company name, of course. This works great since they're going to find power from somewhere if you don't. 

I also hang a quad charger and USB cables right at my FOH on Monitor consoles for the visiting Band Engineer, who often flies in and low on phone power when they arrive. I just point to the charger and tell them it's for them. If there's a house WIFI router available I'll put a note next to the power brick with the router login name and password.

Before doing this I had a few "clients" actually disconnect one of my extension cords so they could plug in their phones or video camera batteries. And watch out for catering people plugging their 1,800 watt coffee urns into any of your distro. I generally offer to run them a quad box from their own circuit breaker just so they leave my production power alone. It's all about making friends while protecting your power. 

Ray Aberle

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2018, 09:43:29 AM »

Hard to justify (the cost) without the main hiring-you-client paying something for you to offer the service.... but this could be an option. From a customer service / guest experience point of view, a guest attending an event sees one of these, and subtly gets the impression that the event organizers care about them and their needs.

-Ray
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John Daniluk (JD)

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2018, 10:39:19 AM »

I have had some noise issues from customer supplied chargers getting into audio devices.  Computer supplies are especially bad,  cell phones depends.  I have not tried using a company supplied charger,  this may be the way to go.

jd
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Tim Weaver

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2018, 11:35:03 AM »

FWIW, I have found these little breakouts to be of very high quality, and best of all they do not have a stupid on off switch on them.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H4YTH6W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?smid=A2N431DYIC8O3P&psc=1

The only downside for me is the relatively short cord at 5 feet, but if your plugging this into a rack, it's about perfect.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2018, 01:12:07 PM »

We deliberately position our distros to be inaccessible to unauthorized persons and do not allow non-technical power connectors to it, ever.

Typically we drop a double quad box at FOH and Monitor Beach for all the accessories and kibbles & bits that need powering and if a BE wants to charge her phone or laptop it's all good.

Clients?  NEVER let them near you distro.  NEVER.

If you want to provide courtesy charging find a different location and source of power because sooner or later some well intentioned person will follow the cord to the distro and unplug something or step on a cable, etc.
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Chris Hindle

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2018, 09:08:19 AM »

We deliberately position our distros to be inaccessible to unauthorized persons and do not allow non-technical power connectors to it, ever.

Clients?  NEVER let them near you distro.  NEVER.
There's Show Power, and House power.
Never the two should mix.
I KNOW what my distro will do, and what it can't. I won't allow something not provided by me to risk taking the show down.
My reputation is at stake, as is the show.
If Capt. Video wants power, he can talk to the Maitre' D or Manager.
If the customer needs power, I will find it, but it won't be on Show Power. That's for sure.
Chris.
** To most people, "It's just one more plug. What harm can it possibly do?"
We know differently......
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Ya, Whatever. Just throw a '57 on it, and get off my stage.

Nathan Riddle

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2018, 09:29:34 AM »

Informative & I like Mike's response.

Though I really don't get the aversion to allowing others to use your power.
I have never been burned by plugging in an extra 10-20w of USB charging power.

I try to give the band a dedicated 15 or 20A circuit so they can plug in all manner of 'devices' (iPad,mac book, cell charger, peddle boards, amps, etc).

And the booth is on a dedicated 15 or 20A (sound & lights & video on UPS)

The last thread on power was we were using 40-50A of our 400A 3p service...
If you're that close to the edge that a 20w power brick will kill the show, then you have bigger problems.

I get the 1800w kettle not being plugged in though. Um no, but here i'll give you an extension cord so you can run it elsewhere and hopefully not trip breakers.

Personally I like the IQ chargers because they are so fast. I love being able to say, yea by the end of your set your phone will be charged!

http://a.co/hnhujgJ
http://a.co/6OfLoWs
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2018, 11:32:42 AM »

Informative & I like Mike's response.

Though I really don't get the aversion to allowing others to use your power.
I have never been burned by plugging in an extra 10-20w of USB charging power.

I try to give the band a dedicated 15 or 20A circuit so they can plug in all manner of 'devices' (iPad,mac book, cell charger, peddle boards, amps, etc).

And the booth is on a dedicated 15 or 20A (sound & lights & video on UPS)

The last thread on power was we were using 40-50A of our 400A 3p service...
If you're that close to the edge that a 20w power brick will kill the show, then you have bigger problems.

I get the 1800w kettle not being plugged in though. Um no, but here i'll give you an extension cord so you can run it elsewhere and hopefully not trip breakers.

Personally I like the IQ chargers because they are so fast. I love being able to say, yea by the end of your set your phone will be charged!

http://a.co/hnhujgJ
http://a.co/6OfLoWs

You haven't experienced enough pain yet, Nathan.  You will and will pay in spades.

Most of our distros have 6 Edison outlets, everything else is Soca or L21-30.  If random non-technical people REALLY want to charge their phone they WILL unplug a cord to get the outlet.  Their buddies or friends see them and decide to help themselves and step on cables and partly disconnect something.

NO and HELL NO. 

It's one thing to provision some charging power at a specific place and of limited quantity as Jonathan proposes and quite another to have random clients or others having unfettered access to your power.

Another consideration is Code - your distro is for *competent* and *authorized* users only.

We're paid to solve production problems that clients would do by themselves if they could.  Any problem with power will be YOUR problem no matter that the caterers plugged their warmers (50 amps worth) on 1 20 amp circuit that also had the CEO's powerpoint confidence monitor on it...

In some other places it's TANSTAAFL - you want electricty? You pay for it just like everybody else.  Either way, only loading that is part of the show or whatever courtesy power is provided should be connected to your distro.

If we clients wish to provide charging stations for staff or guests I'm all for it - and it's a service that is worth $ to the client so we should have a commercial-type charging platform (contact, USB C, USB micro, whatever Apple uses this year) and charge for it.  Make it pretty, encourage the client to have signage.  Make money on this, not make work that is free.
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Nathan Riddle

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Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2018, 11:51:41 AM »

You haven't experienced enough pain yet, Nathan.  You will and will pay in spades.

Most of our distros have 6 Edison outlets, everything else is Soca or L21-30.  If random non-technical people REALLY want to charge their phone they WILL unplug a cord to get the outlet.  Their buddies or friends see them and decide to help themselves and step on cables and partly disconnect something.

NO and HELL NO. 

It's one thing to provision some charging power at a specific place and of limited quantity as Jonathan proposes and quite another to have random clients or others having unfettered access to your power.

Another consideration is Code - your distro is for *competent* and *authorized* users only.

We're paid to solve production problems that clients would do by themselves if they could.  Any problem with power will be YOUR problem no matter that the caterers plugged their warmers (50 amps worth) on 1 20 amp circuit that also had the CEO's powerpoint confidence monitor on it...

In some other places it's TANSTAAFL - you want electricty? You pay for it just like everybody else.  Either way, only loading that is part of the show or whatever courtesy power is provided should be connected to your distro.

If we clients wish to provide charging stations for staff or guests I'm all for it - and it's a service that is worth $ to the client so we should have a commercial-type charging platform (contact, USB C, USB micro, whatever Apple uses this year) and charge for it.  Make it pretty, encourage the client to have signage.  Make money on this, not make work that is free.

You are correct, I haven't been around the block much.

I did not say I would let people connect directly to my distro (or get anywhere near my or any power) I said I would provide. I guess the worlds we deal with are different.

I still don't see why the punters would DISCONNECT something CONNECTED. Yeah, i'd be furious if that happened.

As far as us being in the service industry; I get there's contracts and you can say "no I won't provide power" but I really think that mindset has hurt society. I've had to say no to certain things, and that sucks, but if at all possible I'll provide power (meaning I'll run an extension cord to the warmers from house power) and I'll let some 'kid' plug in his phone at FOH because I already had it setup.

Middle of the show? No, I'm busy. Tearing down? No I'm busy. etc.

---

P.S. If you can monetize on it by having the provider pay for 'charging stations' for a high-end crowd corporate event. I'm all for that.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: charging stations as a service
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2018, 11:51:41 AM »


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