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[Matt Craft]

Hey guys! Before I get to far into this let me go ahead and warn you that while I've done "small" live sound all my life I'm really a newb when it comes to some of this larger stuff. I have ordered a small Mackie rig consisting of 4 HDA's and 4 HD1801's which will hopefully get here soon. I'm really concerned with the power issue. How do I go about making sure that I will get enough power to the stage? Mackie support recommends that I have four 20 amp circuits on stage, just to run. 3 for the mains and the 4th for powered monitors, lights and any misc. Then a separate circuit at the sound booth. This sounds like alot of power not even saying will anywhere have that much dedicated power on stage? Thank you guys for the help and if there is another thread on this leave me a link so I can read it. I couldn't find anything that would answer my question.

[Mike Christy]

Hey guys! Before I get to far into this let me go ahead and warn you that while I've done "small" live sound all my life I'm really a newb when it comes to some of this larger stuff. I have ordered a small Mackie rig consisting of 4 HDA's and 4 HD1801's which will hopefully get here soon. I'm really concerned with the power issue. How do I go about making sure that I will get enough power to the stage? Mackie support recommends that I have four 20 amp circuits on stage, just to run. 3 for the mains and the 4th for powered monitors, lights and any misc. Then a separate circuit at the sound booth. This sounds like alot of power not even saying will anywhere have that much dedicated power on stage? Thank you guys for the help and if there is another thread on this leave me a link so I can read it. I couldn't find anything that would answer my question.

Interesting... 4 circuits?

The HDA spec sheet shows 200W input line power for the "ultra-efficient" amp, and 300W for the subs. 800W+1200W=2000W = 1 circuit.

I've run some serious SPL on a single 20A circuit with PLXs, I would have LOVED to have had four, but that is uncommon.

I suggest doing a power audit to calculate your exact needs, then supplying that info to the venue manager for the show.

Mike

[Stu McDoniel]

Hey guys! Before I get to far into this let me go ahead and warn you that while I've done "small" live sound all my life I'm really a newb when it comes to some of this larger stuff. I have ordered a small Mackie rig consisting of 4 HDA's and 4 HD1801's which will hopefully get here soon. I'm really concerned with the power issue. How do I go about making sure that I will get enough power to the stage? Mackie support recommends that I have four 20 amp circuits on stage, just to run. 3 for the mains and the 4th for powered monitors, lights and any misc. Then a separate circuit at the sound booth. This sounds like alot of power not even saying will anywhere have that much dedicated power on stage? Thank you guys for the help and if there is another thread on this leave me a link so I can read it. I couldn't find anything that would answer my question.

  Run your mix gear up front to where you have the sound plugged in.  This will avoid ground potential issues and keep your system from the dreaded ground loop hum.   Here is something affordable that will get you what you need and keep the light crap away from it.  Does it look like I hate lights/lighting? 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/615702-REG/Peavey_05511590_Distro_Power_Rack_Mount_Power.html 

[Matt Craft]

Mike, thanks for the post. I was told ( and also confused after reading the spec sheets myself) that the HDA's pulled at max 6amps per box and the 1801's pulled 10 per box. However that they would only really draw 75% after crank up. I personally think 20 amps is a ton of power myself and needing 48 amps after start up just to run the mains is a bit excessive. But I don't want to run into any issues either. Stu thanks for the link. I have been told to get a power distro unit that runs straight from their panel. I don't know how feasible that would really be tho. That would mean adding a breaker to every venue right? 

[Justin Bartlett]

Mike, thanks for the post. I was told ( and also confused after reading the spec sheets myself) that the HDA's pulled at max 6amps per box and the 1801's pulled 10 per box. However that they would only really draw 75% after crank up. I personally think 20 amps is a ton of power myself and needing 48 amps after start up just to run the mains is a bit excessive. But I don't want to run into any issues either. Stu thanks for the link. I have been told to get a power distro unit that runs straight from their panel. I don't know how feasible that would really be tho. That would mean adding a breaker to every venue right?

What types of venues are you playing?  I just came off a tour playing mostly theaters and some churches with a Mackie HD PA; our rider required the venue to provide an electrician to tie in our distro every morning and untie us after every show.

[Chris White]

Hey guys! Before I get to far into this let me go ahead and warn you that while I've done "small" live sound all my life I'm really a newb when it comes to some of this larger stuff. I have ordered a small Mackie rig consisting of 4 HDA's and 4 HD1801's which will hopefully get here soon. I'm really concerned with the power issue. How do I go about making sure that I will get enough power to the stage? Mackie support recommends that I have four 20 amp circuits on stage, just to run. 3 for the mains and the 4th for powered monitors, lights and any misc. Then a separate circuit at the sound booth. This sounds like alot of power not even saying will anywhere have that much dedicated power on stage? Thank you guys for the help and if there is another thread on this leave me a link so I can read it. I couldn't find anything that would answer my question.

I just did a show running 1-Crown MA5000i for Mains, 4-MA9000i's for Subs, and 8 MA2402's for Monitors and we were barely pulling 30A 240V when the bass would hit. That would be an equivalent of 60A 120V with a much larger system. I would bet that your powered system would probably be fine off of 1 - 20A 120V circuit for most situations. 2 circuits would probably be more than enough to give you that little extra assurance that it will work.

I have also ran 4 - QSC HPR122i's, 4 - QSC HPR181i's, and 4 - QSC K12's off of a single 20A circuit before with no issues, but make sure there are no lights on the circuit.

[Bryan Mac Berntsen]

I think that Mackies suggested power requirements is more to cover their butts. 4 separate dedicated 20 amp circuits for PA alone, not counting lights, backline etc is hard to come by in most small to medium venues around me in Daytona.  Most of the popular live music clubs here are in smaller, old historic district downtown buildings with older services.  Having that much clean power would be great in a perfect world, however any gigging musician/smaller portable sound company knows thats rarely the case!!!!

[Tim McCulloch]

I think that Mackies suggested power requirements is more to cover their butts. 4 separate dedicated 20 amp circuits for PA alone, not counting lights, backline etc is hard to come by in most small to medium venues around me in Daytona.  Most of the popular live music clubs here are in smaller, old historic district downtown buildings with older services.  Having that much clean power would be great in a perfect world, however any gigging musician/smaller portable sound company knows thats rarely the case!!!!

And those kinds of venues are the ones that have breakers tripping almost every night, and management blames the band/PA provider, etc. for that charming problem.

I'm continually amazed at the venues (not limited to bars and clubs) that will feature live entertainment but refuse to spend $500 to install a NEMA 14-50.  They'll spend $2,000 on a frozen drink machine (that shares a circuit with the band) and certainly that's the cost of opportunity, but the same applies to having a stage that reasonably accommodates the live music they purvey as the attraction to get folks to buy those frozen drinks.

I've been a big believer in quality electrical service for decades.  Sufficient service ampacity, bigger copper, fewer interconnects and other points of failure all lead to consistent performance.  That consistency is why we bring our own electrical distribution.  I realize that Loungers don't have the luxury of picking many of their gigs based on power, but to lose PA power more than once is an non-invite-back circumstance in the eyes of most bars or clubs and the bands they hire.

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc

[Matt Craft]

Hey guys! Thanks for all the input. Bryan I'm starting to believe your right. Mackie must be trying the whole CYA thing cause this does sound a bit extreme. Justin I'm not sure yet. Whoever will write the check lol. I think it seems it will come down to more research on the venue more than anything else. I've been told to wire a distro straight to the main service but not sure if this will fly. But is it the general belief here that this should only stay as caution in the back of my mind and not to worry so much about it?

[Bryan Mac Berntsen]

And to answer your original question "how to supply enough AC power", invest in one of these http://www.gensetwest.com/ and just bring your own AC power to ur shows!!!  lol

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