what in the world

[bikeindy]

I have a guy who wants me to provide 3 phase power for this..

I haven't seen it he sent me this picture.

Any help would be great.

 

[iwire]

Looks like a power distribution for stage equipment.

 

[charlietuna]

Stage equipment panel --- these guys are crazy and hardly ever consider an overload--just keep adding load. Had one movie set where they had so much lighting their cables were smoking!!!

 

[JES2727]

Looks like a power distribution for stage equipment.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[electricalperson]

ive seen a large temp chiller that had connectors like those on the inside for temp power to connect too. they gave us 4/0 cord (dont remember what exactly it was it was rated over 300 amps and was very flexable but very durable) and they just snapped into those connectors. iwire is probably correct

 

[480sparky]

Stage equipment panel --- these guys are crazy and hardly ever consider an overload--just keep adding load. Had one movie set where they had so much lighting their cables were smoking!!!

The same crazy guys who just pull the cover off the panel and take automotive-jumper-cable alligator clips onto the lugs to tap power?

 

[iwire]

The connectors are 'cam locs' and can be used for many things we use them for generators as electrical person mentioned.

In this photo the road case and multipin connectors on the top tip this off as stage equipment

If I had to guess I would say we are looking at the rear side of some dimmers, the 'cam locs' have a 'in' and 'out' set so you can daisy chain the feeders to a number of these cabinets and the multipin connectors would be running out to groups of lights.

 

[bikeindy]

The connectors are 'cam locs' and can be used for many things we use them for generators as electrical person mentioned.

In this photo the road case and multipin connectors on the top tip this off as stage equipment

If I had to guess I would say we are looking at the rear side of some dimmers, the 'cam locs' have a 'in' and 'out' set so you can daisy chain the feeders to a number of these cabinets and the multipin connectors would be running out to groups of lights.

Yes this is for stage equipment he wants me to supply the camlocks on a panel from the breaker panel. so do I run conduit to a j box and mount these camlocks to the front of it? he wants 200Amps. thanks for the help so far.

 

[charlietuna]

He probably wants you to connect the camlocks to the panel lugs or somehow jump directly from a breaker to feed his distribution panel

 

[iwire]

You need to provide a disconnecting means at the point you provide the cam locs. You can get disconnecting means with cam locs from some sources but I would probably just get a 200 amp disconnect and a set of panel mount cam locs, hubbell sells them.

Grainger has them.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2XB50

 

[iwire]

He probably wants you to connect the camlocks to the panel lugs or somehow jump directly from a breaker to feed his distribution panel

They are not all hacks, some are very professional.:smile:

 

[electricalperson]

Yes this is for stage equipment he wants me to supply the camlocks on a panel from the breaker panel. so do I run conduit to a j box and mount these camlocks to the front of it? he wants 200Amps. thanks for the help so far.

so he wants these same plugs thats in the picture on the wall so he can get power from that to power up that piece of equipment? why not install a cord with a 200 amp pin and sleeve cap and a receptacle on the wall? will that be too expensive?

 

[iwire]

so he wants these same plugs thats in the picture on the wall so he can get power from that to power up that piece of equipment? why not install a cord with a 200 amp pin and sleeve cap and a receptacle on the wall? will that be too expensive?

That would be reinventing the wheel, most good sized stages will have either panel mount cam locs for or a set of cam loc pigtails hanging out of a disconnecting means.

 

[electricalperson]

That would be reinventing the wheel, most good sized stages will have either panel mount cam locs for or a set of cam loc pigtails hanging out of a disconnecting means.

i never worked on a large stage like that. this must be a good sized venue?

 

[electricalperson]

http://www.wireandcableconnection.com/connectors/camlocksee10162.htm

would these help?

 

[iwire]

http://www.wireandcableconnection.com/connectors/camlocksee10162.htm

would these help?

Exactly :smile:

 

[charlietuna]

Usually they have all types of jumpers with different lengths -- i have bought them thru a welding shop near my warehouse. When i mentioned they were "crazy" it was because their method of distribution is crude, basically running maybe a three phase extention cords(made up from camlocks) wherever they need power. The buildings we worked in required them to have a licensed electrical contractor overseeing them for liability($3million) purposes! And at times we had to step in and explain they needed another power source. One particular movie was shot at night and had these guys jumping off the roof of the building and we had to rig lighting at different levels to see the jumpers as they came down the building. They wanted to pull all the power off the roof power source when we had panels close by on the other floors. Once they got to know us, we were called to many sets. they pay good and provide the best food!!!

 

[iwire]

i never worked on a large stage like that. this must be a good sized venue?

Even the smaller place I worked (2000-5000) people, had a 400 amp and 200 amp 208Y/120 supplies for lighting and sound use. This was back a few years ago when every lamp was 1000 watts. They could use 400 amps pretty easily. Another place I worked with about 20,000 seats had one 600 amp, three 400 amp and a couple of 200 amp supplies back stage.

 

[electricalperson]

That would be reinventing the wheel, most good sized stages will have either panel mount cam locs for or a set of cam loc pigtails hanging out of a disconnecting means.

now let me ask this, if somebody had 4 single wires hanging out of a disconnect with cam locs on the end wouldnt you have to cut slits inbetween the KO's to remove the eddy currents in the metal so it doesnt heat up?. i know the code requires this for seperate conductors entering seperate holes. i dont remember the article

 

[wireguru]

Here is a pic of the mating connectors that go into the panel mount ones on his dimmer rack. There are a couple things to consider:

is the dimmer rack all he has? or does he have a set of cables to connect it to panel mount cam devices if you install them?

there are basically two ways to provide this power. One is to have a set of panel mounted connectors and a disconnect. This can be accomplished either with a factory made 'company switch' $$$$$! or with a disconnect and a piece of gutter below it with the connectors installed. The other way is to set a fused disconnect switch and leave it at that. The companies that come in will (or should) have camlock 'tails' they will tie into the switch. When doing this, i prefer to have a seperate cabinet next to the disco with a terminal block in it the tails are tied into. This keeps the roadies from destroying the lugs on the switch, and it keeps them out of a box with energized parts.

Careful where you shop for the connectors, the price on these things can vary by a couple hundred percent -PM me if you want some further advice on sourcing them.

The panel mount connectors come in two varieties. One has a 1/2 threaded stud on the back, you crimp a lug on your wire. The other type is called double set screw, you stick the wire in it and tighten two set screws (theres more to it see instructions) the stud type are better and dont protrude as far into whatever theyre mounted in.

On the guy's dimmer rack, he needs the spring loaded covers over the feed through hots since those give you a finger sized energized hole to kill yourself with. You will need these covers too if you install panel mount ones.