cybergibbons Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Hello, Good idea these forums really. Anyway, I have a question to ask. We have a large collection of Prelude (profiles, PCs and Fs) and Starlette 1kW Fresnels. Most of them have the notched and squared off IEC lead. Some have been fitted with captive leads, but it has been bodged and most require re-wiring. Because these lights have the "feature" that you cannot open then without unplugging the lead, a lot of the IEC inputs on the lights have become cracked or have broken off entirely. We had a few spare, but because of the way that the bolts aren't held in place once the connector breaks, all the bolts are missing as well. It leaves us with perhaps 10 lights with broken input connectors. Also, a lot of out 15A -> Strand IEC connectors have gone walkies. We need about 10 more and still we will need to swap them round. Problem is, the cost of the connectors. They are £8.50 from Whitelight (just for the connector) and £13 from Stage Electrics (for made up lead). I haven't looked into the cost of input connectors. So, what I am proposing is fitting all of the lights with standard IEC connectors. I would have to find some with suitable temperature ratings (would 100 degrees C be high enough?). I could then make up the leads cheaply myself. Are there any problems with this? They wouldn't be standard, but then we only use them. Is there a reason Strand are so awakward? There is of course the possibility of fitting captive cables, though that seems to have been a failure on the ones I have checked, with the gland damaging the cable. Again, finding high enough temperature glands is a problem (100 degrees max). Thanks for any ideas, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stuart B Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Problem is, the cost of the connectors. They are £8.50 from Whitelight (just for the connector) and £13 from Stage Electrics (for made up lead). I haven't looked into the cost of input connectors.Stone the crows!! We buy these things from Specialist Theatre Services in Nottingham: 0115 985 4062 Latest price list has:10A IEC plug: £2.1010A IEC socket: £1.5010A IEC "Hot" plug (for lanterns) £3.1010A IEC power inlet (for lanterns) £6.00 1.5mm 3 core silicone cable: £1.20 per metre. I suspect the top two are for audio applications and the like, but £3.10 is a lot better than £8! Even accounting for the wage of the bod making them up, its a better deal than £13 for a made-up lead. Temperature? Haven't a clue, I'm afraid, but while the cases of our Starlettes don't get hot enough to boil water, they do cook the connectors over a period of years, so that eventually the pins break off. I'd guess a higher temperature tolerance will lessen that effect. Make up your leads a tad longer and cable-tie them to a convenient bit of luminaire (somewhere on the yolk, for instance) and your casual thief has to put the whole lot up his jumper to smuggle the lead out! Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Hi, The following web site gives a list of the IEC connector standards: IEC connectors Thanks, Stuart, for the useful supplier contact. One of the big mysteries of life is who actually makes the "super hot" IEC connectors used by Stand and CCT. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybergibbons Posted February 28, 2003 Author Share Posted February 28, 2003 See, these are the super hot ones, the IEC c15A ones, with notch and squared off top. Some of ours are marked "Strand", so it may be a possibility that they make them themselves, or by special order. I'm seeing if anyone else supplies them, seeing as they seem to be part of a standard specification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybergibbons Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 Well, we needed 4 of them for today, as well as some gels and lamps, so I went off to Stage Electrics to pick the stuff up. I whinged about how expensive the Strand cables were and got a 20% discount on them, taking them down to £10 each. Not bad considering the connector by itself is £8 direct from Strand. Only one minor whinge.... Stage's 1.5m varies between 1.4 and 2.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James C Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Only one minor whinge.... Stage's 1.5m varies between 1.4 and 2....I guess their tape-measure is as elastic as their hire prices ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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