DMX Wall Plates for lighting

[dlucks]

We're turning our 850sq ft attic into a little party room, equipped with an elevated dj booth. I have identified some DMX controlled lights that I want to purchase/install when the project gets to that point.

 

When planning for wiring, I'm thinking I need 1 DMX cable running from the booth to the position of the first lighting fixture. I want it to look half-way decent so I was hoping to have a wall plate/receptacle in the booth and one in the ceiling at the first light location with a DMX cable running between them.

 

Is there anything special I need to consider when doing this? Are there cost-effective receptacles out there for this purpose? I basically want to be able to run a small DMX cable from my DMX Controller board in the booth to the receptacle in the booth and then connect the first fixture to the ceiling receptacle. From there, I'll probably just run exposed cables from fixture-to-fixture.

 

I found the following wall-plate products...one is a "passive XLR plate" and the other is a "buffered DMX512 plate". I have no idea what the differences are...or if I even need to buy something like this (vs making one...but with what "parts"?). Any advice?

 

http://www.dfd.com/wp.html

http://www.dfd.com/net.html

 

Thanks,

DLucks

[emsgeorge]

My god, they are $110 each !!!!!

 

A few problems I can forsee ...

1 - cost of these plates !

2 - I assume you are in the UK, if so, these are based on the american style face plates, so you will have a real mare getting american style backboxes (at least I did when we installed in an american airforce base!)

 

Would be a lot easier for you to go to B&Q, and get some MK blanking plates, (pladtic, or sexy brushed metal if you so wish), pop to Maplin, get some 3 or 5 pin XLR's (one male, one female), and drill a hole in the plate, fitting the sockets into them.

 

We use this method in nearly every club / pub install we do. We used to put the DMX coming out of the bottom of a wall plate, with an IEC socket on the plate. The DMX would be 2 flying leads to some 3 pin XLR or 5 pin XLR's, which went straight into the lighting effect. If you need to take the effect away, simply mate the XLR's together, keeping the DMX chain going.

[Ynot]

Would be a lot easier for you to go to B&Q, and get some MK blanking plates, (pladtic, or sexy brushed metal if you so wish), pop to Maplin, get some 3 or 5 pin XLR's (one male, one female), and drill a hole in the plate, fitting the sockets into them.

I'd wholeheartedly agree with that - we used MK metal blanking plates (single & doubles) for all sorts of cabling feeds - DMX, mic, video,strobe, etc.

Cheap as chips!!

TD

[Yorkie]

I think that Canford sell standard UK plates with D type cut outs in them.

[dlucks]

I actually am in the U.S. I just haven't found an American-based forum board with the kind of great information and help as this one. Nonetheless, it sounds as though you're saying it's much better to just buy the blank plates and the connectors and make your own, eh?

 

DLucks

[Ynot]

I actually am in the U.S.

** laughs out loud **! :)

Would sorta help if your profile showed us that! :) :( :) :)

[bruce]

As everyone else says, drill a hole on a standard blanking plate, and fit a chassis socket. Or even (not my preference, but I can see the advantage) some captive leads.

 

But...

We use this method in nearly every club / pub install we do. We used to put the DMX coming out of the bottom of a wall plate, with an IEC socket on the plate.

 

Are you saying you have a mains IEC and DMX connectors on the same plate? That worries me - I would be very concerned about the lack of separation....

[paulears]

The iec insulating boots would solve the problem, wouldn't they? Actually, I rather like the idea of DMX and mains coming from one place.

[CPlater1]

What is the problem with mains next to DMX? I know this is slightly different, but if mains and DMX couldnt go next to each other, then CDM cables wouldnt be used. The idea of having the two next to each other is good, would make everything look nice

[emsgeorge]

In some installs, not any problems with putting flying DMX leads coming out of the bottom of the face plate. Cable comes in the bottom of the back box, and is straight out the front at the bottom. Looks neat.

 

I do know of some venues where we had to put mains totally seporate to DMX, as it was specified by the venue owner (used to charge an arm and a leg extra through!!).

 

Someone kept telling us in one venue that it wasn't legal to put both cables in the same area / backbox. Was told by the boss that they are both (mains and DMX) classed as 'low voltage' cables, and thus could be put in the same conduits.

 

Anyone know any different (bearing in mind, that half of the south coast have been installed this way, without complaint!) ??

 

And in reply to the OP, the advice stays the same, just swap 'B&Q' for 'Home Depot' and 'Maplin' for 'Radio Shack' !!!!!!

[Tomo]

Well, household mains is "Low Voltage", but DMX is "Extra Low Voltage".

 

Although I can't think of any reasons off-hand why you can't have them both in the same box, you should definately insulate each (possibly doubly) - normal IEC sockets have exposed lugs, as do normal XLRs.

 

Make it so a random flying metal strand in the box cannot possibly make contact with any of the IEC connections, and that should satisfy.

 

I'm not a qualified electrician though - I just read british standards for fun.

[Andrew C]

I think you'll be alright providing the lowest rated insulation is good for the highest voltage present. Additionally you need to ensure all insulation (including air gaps) between terminals inside the box are up to standard,

[bruce]

I'm no expert on this area, but I do know that on a recent install at work, which had mains, audio and data in floor boxes (3 panels in same box), the installation failed its acceptance test because there wasn't sufficient separation between the services in the floor boxes.

 

The various cables ran through separate channels in dual-compartment trunking to get to the box, so the routes were separated. But there was no separation within the floor box, so it was rejected.

 

Solution was to install the separation plates which had been supplied with the floor box, and were lying in a corner....

[SteveD]

If you want to keep DMX and mains on two separate plates you could always use a Dual mounting box, looks like a 2 gang box but has a divider in the middle. Mount one single gang mains outlet on one side and a single gang plate drilled to take the extra low voltage 5 pin XLR's on the other.

 

Screw Fix do a plastic dry linning box ref 22772, you can also get them in galvanised steel for flush mounting or plastic for surface mounting (not found these in Screw Fix). Have specified them a few times for the day job.

 

Not sure what you would call them in the US.

 

Hope that helps.

[robloxley]

As posted above, if your DMX cable is insulated to at least the mains voltage (practically, 500V cable with ~415V 3-phase) there's no problem running it in the same containment as the mains, safety-wise.

As far as panels go, if you're doing more than a few then get a metal fabricator to make them up: it'll cost much less than the canford ones and make it look that bit better as the holes are always in the right place.