Floor pocket requirements

[mstaylor]

Our local civic center is tearing the existing floor out of the arena to the dirt and replacing it. We will be getting many more floor pockets than we have now with what we actually need in them. I will be adding a mic send to each pocket and comm in selected pockets. I need to spec the wire size and connector type for each. I assume that the wire type will be the same for both mic and comm sends but wanted to ask somebody that knows more than me. We are using Clear Comm headsets.
They are once again asking the light guy to spec sound stuff.

[epimetheus]

The cable is generally the same for mic and comms. Or rather, the Clearcom party line system is designed to run on standard mic cable. The mic connectors will be panel mount female 3 pin XLR's. I'm currently a fan of the Neutrik DLX series. Do you use 2-channel belt packs or single channel? If you use single channel packs, the comm connector will be a panel mount male 3 pin XLR. If you use 2-channel packs, then you'll need a 6 pin XLR. If do use 6 pin XLR, be careful of which pin orientation you need, there are 2 different ones, Switchcraft and standard (I'm not sure if the standard config has a particular name or not).

One thing to consider with comm systems - if you are using single channel belt packs you might want to install an A and a B channel in your floor pockets. That way to can have some seperation and still use single channel packs.

One other thing - clearcom packs have male and female connectors on them, so in theory your comm connectors in your floor pockets could be either male of female. Generally speaking, a male connector is considered to be an output connector, a female an input. For this reason I like my comm panel connectors to be male. The outputs on the back of the clearcom main stations are male.

[museav]

Do you have any input into what the floor boxes are? If you let the Electrical Engineer select them you may not be happy as they often specify boxes that require custom plates for anything other than Edison receptacles or RJ jacks or boxes that do not handle connectors with any length very well or that have to have the lid open when in use. If the boxes are on grade or in slabs you will probably have to look at a backbox and insert arrangement, you won't be able to use typical stage boxes where they directly contact earth or concrete. And in an arena setting you may have to consider the weight the box can support. Something like this, FL-H20-1, can be nice where you have a number of services and require heavy duty load ratings.

You might also want to detail the box and the related conduit serving it. Especially if there are multiple compartments or different size plate areas, it can be important to get the right conduit coming into the right part of the box. Having the power come in where the mic jack will go and the mic line come in the power receptacle section can lead to problems.

[derekleffew]

Were it me, I'd also strongly consider installing CAT5/5e/6 in every floor pocket, running back to a patch panel in the control room.

[fredthe]

I second the suggestion for CAT5+ cable at each pocket, terminated in a patch panel. Given the wide variety of things that can be run over it (Video, Digital Snakes, DMX, in addition to normal computer or phone applications) it's a good way to plan for future unplanned needs.

-Fred

[jkowtko]

Anything you can put in there now will cost you ten times as much to put it in later

I'd add enough multi-strand to handle a couple more mic/return channels in each pocket, as well as cover in-wall breakages.

[cdub260]

Assuming of course, that you have some spare capacity in the floor pockets, have them run as many extra, empty conduits as they can for future use. Odds are that at some point down the road, you will need those extra conduits.

[mstaylor]

We are planning to to have a 50 amp and a 60 amp connector in each box. There will be water and drains in some of them. We also are planning for a mic line in all the boxes, headsets in part of the boxes, 110 receptacles in all boxes, and cat 5 in all of them. We finally convinced them to inconnect the boxes in case we need to pull something extra between them. Everything is going to return to box backstage. It isn't in the bid but when they pull everything to the sound booth, I am going to run a 5 pin for DMX. I didn't see any need for DMX in the boxes.

[Blah067]

Perhaps you could elaborate on the water/drainage in stage boxes...and possibly the 50-60 amp in each one?? Not quite clear...

[mstaylor]

We have two types of temp boxes that feed from the floor pockets, one is fifty amps and has a strange plug, the second is a five pin twist that happens to marry to many motor controlers. We are putting both sizes back in the new pockets so we don't have to buy a ton of new breakouts.
The water/drain is put in for trade shows. We have some shows that display hot tubs and are currently having to make long runs to water to fill and drains to empty. We figure to put this ability in a few of the boxes to cut down on the mess they make.
I forgot, we are also putting phone and cable in the boxes for the same reason. We have been dropping phone lines and cable hookups from the ceiling and it looks terrible. Now we can tie them in at pockets for TV and credit card machines.
Also we will be putting in a central trough to lay show snakes in to eliminate yellow jackets. People don't seem to be able to pick their feet up enough to clear them.