Are IECs safe to use for lighting?

[springgrove]

I have to register my complaints about the standard of those connectors as well - most specifically the lot I had had no real holding of the pins in place - even with the connector assembled they wobbled. They were simply held in place by the closing of the case and the cable.

For my situation - mostly 500/650W lanterns, Pulsar minipacks (or lookalikes) and setting up in different venues/situations - I have found IEC connectors ideal, but ... you must buy the more expensive ones, such as these, as recommended by smalljoshua above. They do have the pins firmly fixed and use good cable connecting screw fittings, which easily take 1.5mm2 cable. They are not as brittle as the cheaper ones, although it's not a good isea to stand on them!

Nigel

[aidso]

Cheap 16a ceeforms check out KES. Ring and ask for paul. I have got very good quotes from him in the past. <£1 for a male and they are good quality PCE ones. http://www.kes.co.uk/

[Biro]

All of our gear has just been converted to 16A, our users were primarily Marquee companies and the local hire firm's dimmers (betapacks + Soca) was all in 16A, hence the change was much easier for us.

[Aidan]

Ive got to agree with all the others, Ive just upgraded all of our stock to 16a. It is becoming the new standard. there dead easy to wire aswell.

Also the powercon suggestion was good, we've put that on all our our pars instead of the cable coming out of a gland. Its to stop the cable getting damaged during transport. So we just have a 1m powercon to 16a fly lead that goes with the can.

check out essentialsupplies for 16a's thats where we purchase ours from. google essential supplies.

 

Also with the showtech equipment, I do alot of work for a theatre that stupidly brought the 4ch IEC dimmers. and they are a pain in the backside. Constantly having channels flickering, sometimes reseting there address back to 001. Just a warning for you bud.

 

hope the addvise helps dude xx

[tokm]

So we just have a 1m powercon to 16a fly lead that goes with the can.

.. That can also go walkies very easily too :D. To me that's overcomplicated the process by far.. To many bits/parts! I can understand where your coming from/see the logic behind your thinking, but IMO, lanterns should have fixed/perminant tails.. much quicker, simple as!

 

Anyways..

 

I've found IEC's to only be of use on small (mostly never used on theatre jobs) type lanterns such as par56s.. a 15a would be ok, but cost a fair bit, a 16a is too big & bulky for a unit like that, so the IEC's fill the gap nicely.

 

Other than that, some of the ML's I on have IEC inlets.. Soon to be swapped to powercon mostly for the locking feature.

 

T

[lightsource]

I have to register my complaints about the standard of those connectors as well - most specifically the lot I had had no real holding of the pins in place - even with the connector assembled they wobbled. They were simply held in place by the closing of the case and the cable.

 

 

We got a few cheap IEC's from Electrovision, they had metal cable strain relief and the casing broke if you were a little heavy handed on the screw. Their Chinese (or whatever) 16A connectors, are just a few pence more expensive, and I swear by them. Been using them for over a year now, and not a single failure......Unlike the Lewden's I could mention.

[emsgeorge]

I second the info about KES. Considering they are the uk importers of the PCE connectors, then you wont find cheaper (as long as you are buying more than one !!). Essential supplies buy their pce connectors off kes !.