Dimming Receptacles for TV Studio with a Dimming Panel... what is legal?

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DownRiverGUy

Member
Location
Canton, MI
Engineering a TV Studio that wants to use ceiling mounted receptacles to plug in Theatres lights (around 650watts a pop).

All of the ceiling mounted outlets are going to be connected to the Dimming Rack.

However the building owner is now requesting that some of the wall outlets ALSO be on the dimming rack.... this just seems like a bad idea to me.


I know section 404.14E forbids the use of dimmers on receptacles HOWEVER this section does not apply to commercial/theatrical dimming systems.

I had no problems designing a system of ceiling mounted receptacles connecting lights because the only things that would ever be plugged into them would be the lights. Only authorized personal would ever touch them.

However I am trying to find a code reference to indicate that we cannot have wall mounted receptacles. Or if they are in place then the contractor has to provide appropriate signage/receptacle to reduce the risk of the wrong type of load being plugged in.

Let me know if more information is required!

Thanks guys! :)
 
mxslick

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
Easy..I would install twistlocks on ALL of the dimmable recepts, including the ceiling. That way it would be very unlikely that someone could plug in a load not made to be dimmed.
 
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zbang

Senior Member
Location
Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
mxslick said:
Easy..I would install twistlocks on ALL of the dimmable recepts, including the ceiling. That way it would be very unlikely that someone could plug in a load not made to be dimmed.
Click to expand...

Except that IME most video lights these days are factory equipped with regular edison plugs (5-15)*, so you're looking at lots of adapters and annoyed gaffers. Why not put the wall-mounted outlets on a well-labeled j-box? Likewise, the workers in most TV studios, expect for the public-access-type ones, are generally have knowledgeable about this stuff than the average joe/jane.

*'course, lots of the lights are florescent, now.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
You could also mount the dimmed receptacles with the ground opposite the non-dimmed receptacles, just so there's an additional visible difference.

(Please, no up-down-discussions.)
 
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