Lighting run length

[morpaul]

Hi,

We have just acquired about 24 new lights for our stage. We are taking all the old stuff down and will reconfigure. All the new lights have kettle connectors on the fitting going to 5A plugs. Our dimmer racks, and existing lights use 15A plugs/sockets.

 

Should we as a matter of principal use a single cable run to connect one light to the dimmer (kettle plug to 15A plug) or keep the existing short cable to the light, change the 5A to a 15A plug and then use a 15A trailing socket back to the dimmer?

Some lights will be more 'flexible' than others in terms of placement so maybe we mix both appraches?

Thanks!

PAul

[rossmck]

Personally I'd want all the (generic) lights in one venue to have the same plugtops - and generally in most places I've worked they've standardised on 15A for generics and 16A for movers etc. If the rest of your kit is 15A then just change the plugs :)

 

As an aside are they just normal IEC kettle plugs - I can't think of that many fixtures that use them although many older Strand lights (Prelude / Quartet era) used something very similar but not quite similar enough to be interchangeable ;)

[paulears]

With doubt whatsoever, remove the 5A plugs and replace them with 15A. Then, as long as you have enough 15A Plug to 15A sockets, that is that.

 

I'm assuming you've bought either some unusual new kit with real IECs, or second hand kit ex-school, as they were pretty well the only people who have 5A still in service for lighting.

 

Just be aware that if this is the case - so we're talking probably Strand Preludes, Cantatas, etc etc - these are not kettle plugs, they're special versions that look similar but are rated for hot kit and have a keyway that makes a normal IEC (Kettle) connector incapable of plugging straight in.

 

As long as you standardise, all will be well. Short cable from the actual hung equipment is the norm. The idea of a lantern, up in the air that is cabled back to the dimmer in one length is crazy - don't do it. Keep each lantern with it's own power cable. Most people (if these are Strands) cable tie the cable to the rear handle because the plugs fall out far to easily, and losing the cables is a real pain. They are also horrible things to actually wire too, so the notion of making up lots of these isn't fun!

[david.elsbury]

DTS also use IEC connectors on the fittings.

[adamharman]

Just be aware that if this is the case - so we're talking probably Strand Preludes, Cantatas, etc etc - these are not kettle plugs, they're special versions that look similar but are rated for hot kit and have a keyway that makes a normal IEC (Kettle) connector incapable of plugging straight in.

 

If you need more of them, the best price I've found is Farnell. They're listed as "extra hot iec" and are available in straight (1216336) or angled (1216335). The angled one is incorrectly listed as 16A, but is in fact 10A as stated in the description.

[nickb12345]

ex-school, as they were pretty well the only people who have 5A still in service for lighting.

 

I have two holiday park venues with them in still (as much as I'm trying to get rid of them)

[morpaul]

Great. Thanks for the replies.

P