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Author Topic: Power Distro Cabling Question  (Read 8703 times)

Jamin Lynch

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Power Distro Cabling Question
« on: October 16, 2017, 03:41:14 PM »

I have a power distro with a 50amp California twist lock connector on the end of the my supply cable. Single phase. The house has Cam Lock connectors.   

I know it's not good practice to use Cam Lock feeds without the outside rubber jacket.

What would be a good and safe way to get from Cam Lock to a 50amp California connector?

Thanks
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Thomas Lamb

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2017, 03:59:38 PM »

how many amp breaker feeds the cam locks?

You need a main distro that is capable of that amperage with the appropriate size cable feeding it. It will also need CS connector outputs with the appropriate 50 amp dual pole breakers.

Something similar to this.

https://www.motionlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/169.jpg
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2017, 04:57:50 PM »

I have a power distro with a 50amp California twist lock connector on the end of the my supply cable. Single phase. The house has Cam Lock connectors.   

I know it's not good practice to use Cam Lock feeds without the outside rubber jacket.

What would be a good and safe way to get from Cam Lock to a 50amp California connector?

Thanks
Equipment being made by a listed shop aside, you have two problems to solve - camlok to 50A, and 50A OCPD to protect your feeder (this is needed even if you have a 50A main beaker if your feeder is longer than 10').

Solving the former requires male camlok connectors mounted on some kind of enclosure, and the wires from that enclosure going through suitable conduit to a small load center with one or more 50A breakers each protecting 50A receptacle.

You would then need single-conductor camlok to camlok feeder either fully rated for the size of the disconnect (200A or whatever), or you could get away with smaller #4 SC wire if your step-down box is less than 10' from the venue camlok disconnect.

NEC 2017 requires all distro equipment to be listed, so whatever you make may not solve all your issues.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2017, 05:09:09 PM »

Jamin, it depends on how picky your AHJ and if you need UL/CSA listed assemblies...

Tom L hits the first important point - the ampacity of the feeding connection.  NEC (520) allows short tails or feeders to be under-sized; how much is determined by the length of those tails or connecting feeder.  Depending on the ampacity of the feeding connection you might get away with single cam conductors as small as #2, but might have to move up to #0.

You need an intermediate overcurrent protection device (50 amp beaker) between the Cams and the CS.  Exactly how you'd do this is up to you, but you need to get the feeder conductors into the box and a panel mount CS outlet.

You could probably build it yourself for $250 or so or pay Motion Labs or LEX or someone else $750 to build it for you and know it will have a UL sticker on it.
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Jamin Lynch

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2017, 05:35:01 PM »

Jamin, it depends on how picky your AHJ and if you need UL/CSA listed assemblies...

Tom L hits the first important point - the ampacity of the feeding connection.  NEC (520) allows short tails or feeders to be under-sized; how much is determined by the length of those tails or connecting feeder.  Depending on the ampacity of the feeding connection you might get away with single cam conductors as small as #2, but might have to move up to #0.

You need an intermediate overcurrent protection device (50 amp beaker) between the Cams and the CS.  Exactly how you'd do this is up to you, but you need to get the feeder conductors into the box and a panel mount CS outlet.

You could probably build it yourself for $250 or so or pay Motion Labs or LEX or someone else $750 to build it for you and know it will have a UL sticker on it.

My distro has a 50amp main breaker built in.

I'll need to see what size breakers the venue is using for the cam lock feeds. The feeder cable run would be about 50ft. I'll need to go measure.

So I would need to build or buy some kind of "device" that will get me from the house cam locks to my 50amp California plug?

Would I need cable sized for the house feeder breaker even if I have a 50amp main breaker in my distro?



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Rob Spence

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2017, 12:29:20 AM »

My distro has a 50amp main breaker built in.

I'll need to see what size breakers the venue is using for the cam lock feeds. The feeder cable run would be about 50ft. I'll need to go measure.

So I would need to build or buy some kind of "device" that will get me from the house cam locks to my 50amp California plug?

Would I need cable sized for the house feeder breaker even if I have a 50amp main breaker in my distro?

If any part of the feed to your distro is rated for less than the next upstream breaker (like, for instance, the California connector) then there needs to be a proper breaker protecting the downstream (California )connector.


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Jamin Lynch

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2017, 08:00:11 AM »

If any part of the feed to your distro is rated for less than the next upstream breaker (like, for instance, the California connector) then there needs to be a proper breaker protecting the downstream (California )connector.


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Thanks Rob. Makes since.

I'm just trying find a good/safe way to get from the house cam locks to my distro which has a 50amp California plug
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2017, 11:35:16 AM »

Thanks Rob. Makes since.

I'm just trying find a good/safe way to get from the house cam locks to my distro which has a 50amp California plug

In a nutshell, CamLok ins to 50 amp breaker to CS outlet. 
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Mark Cadwallader

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2017, 11:51:07 AM »

The Indu-electric "Cube" model 18 looks like it is another pre-made camlock to Calif. 50A device meeting your needs.
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Jamin Lynch

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Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2017, 01:38:16 PM »

I'm going to be working there often, so I think what I'll do is get them to install a 50amp California connector for me to plug into that's on a 50 amp breaker in the service panel.

That should solve the issue wouldn't it?
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Power Distro Cabling Question
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2017, 01:38:16 PM »


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