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Author Topic: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution  (Read 17262 times)

Tommy Peel

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Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« on: January 08, 2014, 06:07:29 PM »

I've had this mixer rack for a while now and currently my power distribution consists of the 5 power cords coming out of the case and going to a 6-outlet Walmart power strip....




Anyway I'm thinking of getting a rack mount power strip or finding some other better solution(one cord coming out of the rack going to the wall). I found these on Amazon but am open to other suggestions that are <$50. In my situation(all analog gear) a UPS would be overkill and out of the budget.
Cyberpower CPS-1215RM
Tripp Lite RS1215-RA
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Mike Sokol

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2014, 08:03:53 PM »

Anyway I'm thinking of getting a rack mount power strip or finding some other better solution(one cord coming out of the rack going to the wall). I found these on Amazon but am open to other suggestions that are <$50. In my situation(all analog gear) a UPS would be overkill and out of the budget.
Cyberpower CPS-1215RM
Tripp Lite RS1215-RA

If I were picking from these two I would select the Tripp-Lite for two reasons. First, Tripp-Lite is a well known manufacturer who stands behind their products. I don't know about CyberPower since I've never seen any of their other products or know anything about them. Second, I like that the Tripp-Lite strip has 6 outlets on the back and 6 on the front. You always need a few front outlets for an iPhone charger, soldering pencil, whatever.

Now it doesn't bother me much that neither of these boxes are "surge strips" which I consider to be a highly overused and misunderstood term. If you really need to protect sound gear from "surges" a couple of MOVs in a cheap power strip won't do much. In that case you'll need to spend about 10 times your budget on a Surge-X or something similar. Of course if you have a digital mixing console worth thousands or even 10's of thousands of dollars, then spending  hundreds of dollars on a high-end surge protector and/or UPS makes sense. But the subject of surge protectors and UPS backup should probaby become its own thread.   

Frank DeWitt

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2014, 08:49:31 PM »


Now it doesn't bother me much that neither of these boxes are "surge strips"

I think a surge protector on a sound system (as opposed to a Surg-X) is worse then nothing.  Here is why.

Assume a bunch of equipment at FOH on a surge protector.  Assume equipment on stage or back stage (Amps for example) with or without a surge protector.  Now assume the FOH takes a hit.  Perhaps a nearby lightning hit is coupled to the system.  OK, the surge protector dumps all that voltage to ground.  The ground at the FOH is connected to the panel with wire that has resistance.  That means that for an instance, the voltage between that ground, and the ground at the panel went up.  Perhaps way up.   (Ohms law)  There are some audio lines between the FOH and the Amps out back.  One end of the audio lines is at FOH ground, the other end is at stage ground (no hit at the stage.)  BAM  a bunch of voltage on pin 1 at the stage so that equipment can share in the destruction.

SurgeX is different.  It doesn't dump a hit to ground.

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David Sturzenbecher

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2014, 09:46:14 PM »

I have found great deals on SurgeX products on ebay.  With how good they are there doesn't appear to be much demand.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2014, 09:49:05 PM by David Sturzenbecher »
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Tommy Peel

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2014, 09:47:46 PM »

From reading previous threads I'd gathered that surge "protectors" were over rated(SurgeX and similar gear excluded) and likely to cause issues so I was already quite happy that both were just power strips. ☺

Mike, I was leaning towards the Tripp-Lite for the same reasons so that's probably what I'll end up doing.

Also in relation to surges this gear is plugged in maybe 30hrs a week(and unplugged between setup night and church night if the weather looks bad) on average. The rest of the time it's packed in a side room; if it was all plugged in all the time I would be getting something more substantial(SurgeX or nice UPS).

Sent from my Nexus 4 running OmniROM 4.4 KitKat using Tapatalk Pro

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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2014, 11:43:47 PM »

Since most high-energy surge voltage (read: lightning strike) is likely to come from outside the building, a panel-mount surge protector in the electrical service entrance will probably provide better protection than any run-of-the-mill power strip could hope to do.

Of course, that won't necessarily protect you from localized surge sources on the same circuit or subpanel.
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Lyle Williams

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2014, 02:21:44 AM »

Make sure a rack mount power strip fits.  You need enough free depth behind it to install it, and you need enough space in front of it to leave gear plugged in with the roadcase closed.

For me the power strips that mount flush with the rack rails are too far forward.  With power plugs inserted the covers don't fit back on the case.

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Tommy Peel

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2014, 02:52:52 AM »

Make sure a rack mount power strip fits.  You need enough free depth behind it to install it, and you need enough space in front of it to leave gear plugged in with the roadcase closed.

For me the power strips that mount flush with the rack rails are too far forward.  With power plugs inserted the covers don't fit back on the case.
Good point, right now all the stuff that'll stay plugged in will fit in the rear outlets but I'll have to make a few measurements to make sure everything fits. I'll also want to get some short(1ft maybe??) IEC->Edison cables to get everything plugged in neatly.

Sent from my Nexus 4 running CNA 4.4 KitKat using Tapatalk Pro

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Lyle Williams

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2014, 03:47:14 AM »

Sometimes you can sit a power strip behind the rack rails, using a stack of washers as spacers and long bolts.  This is easiest to do if the power strip is the first thing into the rack.
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Doug Johnson

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Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2014, 06:23:50 AM »

I never verified this information but, I was once told by an electrician that the MOVs in surge protectors can in some circumstances leak voltage on to the ground, causing GFCIs to trip.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Mixer Rack Case Power Distribution
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2014, 06:23:50 AM »


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