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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => AC Power and Grounding => Topic started by: Nathan Riddle on November 21, 2018, 02:15:16 PM

Title: XLR for AC
Post by: Nathan Riddle on November 21, 2018, 02:15:16 PM
I'm in an art museum in Austin.

Now tell me agaim what the dielectric strength for cheap old XLRs are...?
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mac Kerr on November 21, 2018, 02:35:26 PM
I'm in an art museum in Austin.

Now tell me agaim what the dielectric strength for cheap old XLRs are...?

Up to 15A at 125V according to Switchcraft. Or  about the same as that plugging strip.


Mac
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Caldwell on November 21, 2018, 02:49:53 PM
Lots of ways that could not end well!!

In looking at it I want to say that is the male XLR on the end of the cord.

If there's one you know there has to be more of those in the building, were are the rest of the cords going and what's on the end of them.

Make your self a note to check what's on the other end of an XLR cable someone hands you if you are ever working in there!
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Will Knight on November 21, 2018, 02:50:38 PM
Isn’t that “Exhibit A”?  (What NOT to do)...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Peter Kowalczyk on November 21, 2018, 03:57:16 PM
"...  wow, there sure is a nasty hum in this system...."

 ::)
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: John Roberts {JR} on November 21, 2018, 04:26:30 PM
just say no

JR
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Sokol on November 21, 2018, 07:13:40 PM
Interestingly, decades ago Ampeg used a 4-pin XLR connector on their SVT bass rigs between the 300-watt head and the 8x10 speaker cabinets. And so did Vox on some of their passive column PA speakers.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Caldwell on November 21, 2018, 08:21:09 PM
Interestingly, decades ago Ampeg used a 4-pin XLR connector on their SVT bass rigs between the 300-watt head and the 8x10 speaker cabinet . And so did Vox on some of their passive column PA speakers.

Actually 20 plus years ago Martin and Turbosound both used standard XLR connectors on their speaker cabinets.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mac Kerr on November 21, 2018, 08:51:16 PM
Actually 20 plus years ago Martin and Turbosound both used standard XLR connectors on their speaker cabinets.

As did Bose. Back then mic cable was usually 8412 which had 18ga conductors. The braided shield was about double that. Use pins 2+3 as hot and pin 1 as cold and you have about a 14ga speaker cable. In a world where a 200W amp was huge.

Mac
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: TJ (Tom) Cornish on November 21, 2018, 11:02:22 PM
As did Bose. Back then mic cable was usually 8412 which had 18ga conductors. The braided shield was about double that. Use pins 2+3 as hot and pin 1 as cold and you have about a 14ga speaker cable. In a world where a 200W amp was huge.

Mac
200 watts into 8 ohms is about 40 volts - slightly safer than line voltage. :)
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Steve M Smith on November 22, 2018, 03:07:32 AM
There are XLR connectors for power.

https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/42-011_NEUTRIK-XLR-LNE-FC


Steve.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Sokol on November 22, 2018, 06:41:49 AM
There are XLR connectors for power.

https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/42-011_NEUTRIK-XLR-LNE-FC

Wow! And I'm sure that would never be allowed in the USA. But I'm going to call my Neutrik guy and ask for a sample (just for giggles).
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Daniel Levi on November 22, 2018, 06:52:10 AM
Note that it is no longer manufactured and not allowed to be used in domestic situations.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Steve M Smith on November 22, 2018, 07:10:20 AM
Wow! And I'm sure that would never be allowed in the USA. But I'm going to call my Neutrik guy and ask for a sample (just for giggles).

I acquired a couple of old amps made by Recording Studio Design (a forerunner of Studiomaster) which have these connectors on the rear.

I have been meaning to get a connector to see if they work but haven't got round to it yet.

Ivan wants one of them for his office display, but they are a bit heavy to post across the Atlantic.  If I have a non working one, I was going to strip it of its heavy components to make it suitable for posting.


https://goo.gl/images/aUNYEe


Steve.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Sokol on November 22, 2018, 07:11:15 AM
Note that it is no longer manufactured and not allowed to be used in domestic situations.

But I want one just to freak out my crew.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Keith Broughton on November 22, 2018, 07:44:45 AM
I'm in an art museum in Austin.

Now tell me agaim what the dielectric strength for cheap old XLRs are...?
Now THAT's what you call Phantom Power!! ;D
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Erik Jerde on November 22, 2018, 09:33:11 AM
I'm in an art museum in Austin.

Now tell me agaim what the dielectric strength for cheap old XLRs are...?

I know a person with a fairly new powered wheel chair that has a xlr power connector.  I think it supplies a dc voltage, no idea how many volts or what the current draw is.  It’s a good reminder that our industry isn’t the only one that uses xlr.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Riley Casey on November 22, 2018, 09:34:39 AM
Ampeg used four pin XLRs on their B15 bass amps as long ago as mid 1960s but these were 50 watt amps.

Interestingly, decades ago Ampeg used a 4-pin XLR connector on their SVT bass rigs between the 300-watt head and the 8x10 speaker cabinets. And so did Vox on some of their passive column PA speakers.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Daniel Levi on November 22, 2018, 10:28:31 AM
I know a person with a fairly new powered wheel chair that has a xlr power connector.  I think it supplies a dc voltage, no idea how many volts or what the current draw is.  It’s a good reminder that our industry isn’t the only one that uses xlr.

And the video industry uses 4 pin XLR's for DC power on a lot of stuff.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: John Roberts {JR} on November 22, 2018, 10:40:48 AM
I know a person with a fairly new powered wheel chair that has a xlr power connector.  I think it supplies a dc voltage, no idea how many volts or what the current draw is.  It’s a good reminder that our industry isn’t the only one that uses xlr.
My older neighbor (now RIP) had one of those battery powered mobility chairs and I ended up repairing it multiple times (one time for leaving it out in the rain). Integrity of connections is an issue and XLR seems nice if a little pricey. One time I repaired it was a matter of disconnecting and cleaning a connecter that accumulated too much dirt and dust. It was not a power connector but one of the sundry sensors. They are remarkably well engineered for operational safety, and even include troubleshooting codes in their processor brain.

JR   
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Geoff Doane on November 22, 2018, 03:25:20 PM
Wow! And I'm sure that would never be allowed in the USA.

I'm pretty sure I remember these on the Yamaha CP-70 and CP-80 pianos, although they were probably the Cannon/JAE version.  Surely somebody else here had to deal with those things 30+ years ago, and can confirm or deny my recollection?

GTD
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Daniel Levi on November 22, 2018, 04:13:54 PM
I'm pretty sure I remember these on the Yamaha CP-70 and CP-80 pianos, although they were probably the Cannon/JAE version.  Surely somebody else here had to deal with those things 30+ years ago, and can confirm or deny my recollection?

GTD
My thought as well but after searching online they appear to use a 2 pin XLR with standard pins.

https://www.marutsu.co.jp/pc/i/6527/

(https://www.marutsu.co.jp/contents/shop/marutsu/img/goods/020/6527/0000000000010181_2.jpg)

Rather than the AC power connector,


(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/PICT6267a_XLR-LNE_PLug_and_Socket.jpg)
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Frank DeWitt on November 22, 2018, 10:03:50 PM
Our favorite XLR is the standard for charging wheelchairs and scooters.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mac Kerr on November 22, 2018, 11:53:59 PM
Our favorite XLR is the standard for charging wheelchairs and scooters.

As well as powering lots of portable video gear, usually the 4pin variety.

Mac
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: John Roberts {JR} on November 23, 2018, 12:16:12 AM
Our favorite XLR is the standard for charging wheelchairs and scooters.
Now that you mention yes,,, the mobility scooter I repaired multiple times had the popular XLR for that one connection... That XLR being indexed was useful to maintain DC polarity. All the rest of the internal wiring used conventional amp/molex type crimp and poke connectors.

For TMI One of the sundry repairs I made was repairing the battery charger when it stopped charging. I didn't have a schematic. Long story short I found a passive 1/4W resistor that went rogue*** (way high resistance). I replaced it with one I had in my parts bin that was close enough to work...

JR

*** In decades of repairing gear I never saw a resistor fail that way without being stressed somehow. This one was just too cheap to keep working. Apparently it worked when new.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Mike Caldwell on November 23, 2018, 08:28:38 AM
Our favorite XLR is the standard for charging wheelchairs and scooters.

Yep, I replaced one on a guys scooter charger here in town.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: Tiago Gomes on November 23, 2018, 12:26:02 PM
I would not trus a metal housing plug of whatever kind for any power current that would harm a human being.
Title: Re: XLR for AC
Post by: David Buckley on November 25, 2018, 02:32:39 PM
There are XLR connectors for power.

The BBC required these to be used on anything that was built for them.