CD80 (Portable) Power Input?

[rapscaLLion]

Hi,

Just a quick question, what kind of power input options are there on a 12 dimmer 2.4kw CD80 pack? I assume it can't simply be plugged into normal household outlets. Would anything larger work... say a stove plug?
I've not had experience with portable dimmers, I've always used pre-existing dimmers.

Thanks!

[Radman]

Your pack will probably have cam loc power connectors. You cannot plug that sucker into any standard wall plug, just one of the channels is rated higher than most of the circuits in your house. Do a search of the forums there's bound to be a more detailed description, if not I'll explain more when I'm not dead tired.

[sound_nerd]

It's been a while since I've used those packs, but I think it needs a 60A 208V 3 phase tie in (us and canada). If it's already a portable pack, there should be camloc connectors on the back side of the rack it's in, and you'll either need an electrician to tie in some tails for you, or you'll have to find an exsisting camloc disconnect wherever you plan to setup your dimmer rig.

[rapscaLLion]

It's going into a commercial building with a much higher service than a house. The 2.4kw dimmers can run single phase. I guess I'll have to get the electrician to tie in some tails then. We've done similar before so it probably won't be a problem.

Thanks.

[Radman]

Let us know how it ends up getting done. A theatre company I sometimes work for has one of those but its not portable. It bothered me that they had that and a Strand MX, yet used a homemade board cause they couldn't wire up the CD 80.

[dbn]

I've rented these on a number of ocasions, and the rental units always come with a Cam-Lok tail. I think that from the factory, they come without a tail or connector, just an internal terminal block.

The CD-80 portable packs can be internally strapped for 120/240V single-phase (2-pole) or 120/208V three phase (3-pole). The 12 x 2.4 KW packs require a total of 12 * 20 = 240 amps of feed. For single phase that's a 120 amp circuit and for three phase that's an 80 amp circuit. That assumes you want full power capacity to be available on all channels.

Be careful when your talk to the electrician. I've seen cases where the circuit provided was 208 volt three phase "delta" and not 120/208 volt three phase "wye". Dimmers always require the "wye" configuration.

[SHARYNF]

It depends on how portable you want it to be. Some of them as mentioned just had direct connection inside expecting you to add a 4 wire or 5 wire cable to it. If you derate it to 100 amps single phase Hubbell makes a 4 pin and sleave connector that you can get but it is expensive about 250 -400 dollars for EACH end of the connector and wire it to a 100 amp two pole breaker, you can de rate the 3 phase connection to 60 amps and there is a 5 pin Hubble.

In a standard wall electrical panel getting camlocks is a bit tricky from a mounting standpoint unless you get a camlock disconnect. Remember that with camlocks you are supposed to use independant cable for each of the lines.

Sharyn

[Van]

You could install any of a variety of plugs. As long as the plugs are rated for the amperage draw. At the rental House I used to manage we would change out tails for the individuals rental. If the wanted bear claw they got bear claw, crows foot, hubbel 60, hubbel100, But the base is that the plug is rated for the current. Throwing a 30 amp 3-pin twist on there would obviously be a no-no but a 60 amp Welder plug would work. Check with your electrcian to see what he has available, but if he's going to drop temp tails out of the disconnect then chances are you best go with camlocks, or hubbel.

[Chris15]

And this is where I love being down here in Australia. For us a 2.4K x 12 dimmer pack (which is much more common that I understand them to be in the states), we only need 40 amps a phase, so it is a simple matter of plugging into a 40 amp per phase 5 pin socket, or, more commonly, a 32 amp version - see the other thread currently running about derating. 32 amp 3 phase connectors can be found in the vast majority of venues and other places (eg for welders, kilns, etc.)

Just thought of it, do not they make 125 amp per phase connectors, they seem to be more popular in the UK/ Europe than anywhere else, but they might work. But I would tend yo think that if you are having a sparky tie you in, then why not just hard wire? (Or is this looking to become a semi regular sort of place to connect?)

[dbn]

Originally Posted by Chris15

And this is where I love being down here in Australia.

Having 240 volt mains is an advantage in terms of the decreased ampacity requirement of conductors and connectors. It is a disadvantage in terms of the increased fragility of indandescant lamp filaments, however.