Running Motors on Multicore

[Glyn Edwards]

Greetings,

 

As part of a project over the summer we are looking to use a set of lodestars to lift a box truss. We have plenty of loomed power & control extension sets, but these could be a pain to have to run in.

Knowing that various firms & controllers use multipin connectors to simplify the process, I was wondering if anyone knew of a standard wiring scheme, preferably for socapex that would make my life easier. I'm ideally hoping that it'll be possible to leave the controller on the floor, run a multi up one leg of the truss, and then distribute it all from a point aloft.

 

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance

 

Glyn

 

EDITED Just after posting to remove excess signature

[Pete McCrea]

Never having looked too closely at the actuall pin-out I couldn't tell you. It depends on whether your going to use a splitter box at the top with soca input at the bottom, or just spiders.

 

If so you can run the three phase out to the spliter box, and have 4 control lines in the mult, where as if you use a 16A/3 on each end (i.e. Spider) you can only run 2Mains/2Control per multicore, so need two seperate socas for the 4 motors:

 

Seperate 3Phase:

2x16/3 + 2control --->Soca-->2x16/3 + 2 Contol Out

 

or

 

Common Three Phase:

4xControl +E,N,L1,L2,L3 -->Soca -->4XControl + E,N,L1,L2,L3

 

Might be worth contacting someone who hires them out- utopium in Bristol do them with the control boxes, and Possibly Stage Electrics. Or speaking to one of the companies who make them. Can't remember who made the soca and tails for the centaur. TomCat did the install, so might be worth trying them.

[peter]

utopium in Bristol do them

When I did a gig for Utopium, they sub-hired their hoists from Sounds Commercial. They might have their own by now, but Sounds Commercial might be a good bet too.

[ianl]

it is fairly standard to use two socapex runs to control 4 lodestars . one socapex provides 4 lots of power and the other (running the oposite way round) does 4 lots of control

 

power socapex are often wired

 

pin1 motor 1 live 1

pin 2 motor 1 live 2

pin 3 motor 1 live 3

pin 4 motor 2 live 1

pin 5 motor 2 live 2

pin 6 motor 2 live 3

pin 7 motor 3 live 1

pin 8 motor 3 live 2

pin 9 motor 3 live 3

pin 10 motor 4 live 1

pin 11 motor 4 live 2

pin 12 motor 4 live 3

pin 13 motor 1 earth

pin 14 motor 2 earth

pin 15 motor 3 earth

pin 16 motor 4 earth

 

that way pins used as earth in standard socapex wiring are still used as earth

 

at least mine are!

 

can't remember control wiring cos I mainly use verlindes

 

I have hired socapex motor breakouts before from lots of companies, neg earth, outback rigging (I think)amongst others .

[ianl]

a quick google later gives:

 

 

http://www.ibexuk.com/Download/HC8%20User%...ual%20V1-02.pdf

[Glyn Edwards]

Thanks for all the comments so far.

I'd already found the two pinouts mentioned so far on the web, and have spoken to various firms, I was just wondering if anyone knew of a standard.

At the moment, my preference is to have two socas, one for power, and a second for control, but I'm still open to advice.

 

Glyn

[Ian Ferguson]

The standard has become two separate socapex multicores to control 4 motors, one used for power the other for control. The spiders should all be male to female so you will end up with the two socapex cables running in opposite directions just as your 16a red and yellow cables do now.

 

Whatever you do do not try putting both mains and control down the same cable as you will need a spider with both plugs and sockets at the same end. This could, if plugged into a dimmer by mistake, leave live plugs with live pins ready for someone to get an electric shock.

[Pete McCrea]

Some hire companies might need to evaluate their equipment I think......

[gil-galad]

Everyone I know combines three phase and control down the one socapex.

 

Some use a single three phase supply for three motors and then individual control for each motor (tomcat and outboard)

 

Where as others PCM and Stjrongberg all use separate mains and control cores for each motor giving two motors per soca.

 

 

There is no defined standard and I know several companies who are running yet more variations on pin configuration.

 

My advice would be to pick a standard that works for you and matches the local companies around you so you can sub-hire compatible gear.

[gil-galad]

Sorry almost forgot!

 

Be very careful when using socapex cable for running motors and some hire companies buss together the earth pins and this shags the motors!!!

[Ike]

Doesn't best practice state you should only buss together earths at the dimmer/dimmer end spiders?

 

That doesn't mean everyone will folow it mind

[gil-galad]

It depends.

 

If you want the biggest earth possible then you could buss them together.

 

However if you are using a big touring dimmer like an Avo Art2000 then you have the ability to patch different racks to one socapex outlet and therefore if you bussed you earths together a single fault would trip two bays not one!

 

It's one of those that could be debated for ever

[Ian Ferguson]

Everyone I know combines three phase and control down the one socapex.

 

You should point out to them the potential danger of this.

 

Do you want to be on a truss and grab hold of live pins on the yellow connectors because the motor multicore has been plugged into the dimmer by mistake?

[gil-galad]

You should point out to them the potential danger of this.

I agree completely about the live pin issue but the manufacturers sell them like this and they pass British Standards (which they would to be sold in the UK) then the risk must be classed as small enough based on the "used by competent persons" argument.

 

In theory accidental misplugging of cables should not happen as they should be marked clearly with their purpose.

[TomLyall]

on the subject of earth bussing... how do you ensure the casing of the connector is earthed if you dont buss the earths?

 

although ike's point about only bussing at the plug end spider would work...