2P&G/Stage Pin vs. Edison vs. Twist-Lock

[waynehoskins]

2PG all the way.

In college we had L5-20 Twist everywhere. Those six years made me hate Twist for lighting applications (L6 for mover constant 208 is fine though .. or less bad, one or the other). All of the reasons everybody's said against Twist I agree with. I lost count of how many cables I reterminated and how many bad connectors I threw away.

 

[church]

My favourite plug is actually the 15A plug used in the U.K. especially the Duraplug version which is made from rubber and is virtually indestructable. Lots of nice features including partially insulated Live and Neutral pins and there is plenty of brass in the pins so they never bend.

 

[TimMiller]

That does look like a very good connector. Makes me think of what would happen if a edison and a stage pin were to mate .

 

[Sony]

My favourite plug is actually the 15A plug used in the U.K. especially the Duraplug version which is made from rubber and is virtually indestructable. Lots of nice features including partially insulated Live and Neutral pins and there is plenty of brass in the pins so they never bend.

That picture is odd, I've never seen round pin plugs in the UK...and I'm writing this from my Hotel in London England right now. You sure that's the 15A UK Plug? I'm looking at mine right now and all the pins are rectangular.

EDIT: Nevermind, the 13A plugs are rectangular, the 15A plugs are round. Such a huge change for just 2 amps, you would think they would just boost the rating to 20A and have a more versatile plug.

 

[Footer]

=Such a huge change for just 2 amps, you would think they would just boost the rating to 20A and have a more versatile plug.

These are also the same people that think 50 cycle is a good idea.

 

[fredthe]

These are also the same people that think 50 cycle is a good idea.

Not to mention 240v mains. Which is probably why they pay more attention to plug design and safety... 240 hurts more than 120.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I'm not even gonna start on voltage...

 

[avkid]

I seem to be having power problems.

 

[church]

The 13A plug shown in the picture has an internal fuse under the red cover. When you pull out the cover the fuse comes with it. The fuses are available in different amp sizes to allow the correct fuse for the load. The outlets also include a spring operated shutter. The ground pin is longer than the others and it operates the shutter to allow the live and neutral pins to enter the socket - stops kids poking fingers and things in. The 15A plug does not include a fuse - there is also a smaller 5A version. These plugs as far as I know have only been used on stage since the 13A plug was introduced in the 1960s along with the Ring Main wiring requirements for outlets. The plugs are rugged and the nice thing is that you can run three 1kw fixtures through them or six Source 4s with the 575W lamp

Personally having lived in the UK and Canada I would rather use 240V circuits with half the current than 120V circuits with double the current for the same load. Less problems with the connections and less I2R. Both 120V and 240V kill you if you do not follow safe work practices.

 

[avkid]

I don't think you looked hard enough....
The outlet is a New Zealand plug.


It's supposed to be amusing.

 

[church]

I got the joke the U.K. - a 13A fused U.K. plug and the New Zealand/Australia outlet strip.

 

[willbb123]

Just shove it in, It will work...









kidding.... Please dont...

 

[Sony]

Just shove it in, It will work...









kidding.... Please dont...

That's what she said?



Sorry...I had to
Straight off a 7.5 hour flight from London to Boston...I'm a little loopy right now, ignore everything I say

 

[Soxred93]

Still waiting for the proper stage lighting connector to be invented!!

[...]

A simple locking system like an XLR connector. There's a fortune to be made out there for the company that finally makes them!

The closest I can think of is PowerCon. Not quite the XLR connector, but it's sorta close...

(oh yeah, sorry for the thread hijack... )

 

[mstaylor]

The theatres in my area use mostly stagepin but some of it is twistlock. I remember years ago, the newest theatre was a twistlock house. I needed to borrow some instruments for a show. They said I could use them as long as I didn't pull the plugs off. My choice was to buy a bunch of females and make adapters or just change the plugs out. Since I put the originals on I did the easy thing.
I don't really care in the twist/2pin w/ground fight. I find twistlocks easier to assemble but stagepin more convinent to use. I have never seen the failure rate others have mentioned. I have seen guys not twist them which will get them an ear full.

 

[Dionysus]

We took out a rig of twistlock, and it was a nightmare. After about a month and a half (probably 24 shows or so) the twist locks began to fail. We spent more time on that tour replacing plugs than anything else.

Mike

There is a theatre very near here (I used to work there) that has been using the same twist-lock connectors since the 80s with no problems at all. They are still all original. And it's not like they are driving 500w loads. The majority of fixtures are 2k, there are two-fers, and it's a rep house so things are being plugged in and out all the time.

I really don't understand how after a month and a half there are failures.

Are twist connectors just made on the cheap in the USA?

 

[cdub260]

I really don't understand how after a month and a half there are failures.

Are twist connectors just made on the cheap in the USA?

It really has more to do with an attitude that a lot of people have towards anything they themselves did not pay for. They didn't buy it, therefore they can abuse it without consequences and unfortunately, twistlock connectors, due to their pin design are simply more vulnerable to damage when they're abused. When properly taken care of, twistlocks will last every bit as long as a 2P&G. In my experience, a 2P&G subjected to the same abuse will survive considerably longer. Unfortunately in many venues, especially college and high school theatres, equipment is subject to abuse beyond normal wear and tear.

 

[frostgfx]

I am currently refurbishing ETC Pars, Parnels, and Source Four and SF Jr. fixtures all lamped with 575w long life bulbs and L5-20 Plugs. All cable is 12/3 SOOW cable and I have only cracked one strain relief with too much torque on the screw in a power drill.

My ETC dimmer racks have Socopex and L5-20R, so I can use Socopex fan outs with 2P&G females. I also have commercial twofers/threefers all L5-20 Twistlock.

As long as you are using quality materials i.e. SOOW Cable for indoor/outdoor use rated for 20A, Hubbell and Leviton Connectors, and you take your time in making your fixture ends and cables, you shouldn't have to much to worry about. Treat your equipment with care and it will reward you with consistent operation.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Treat your equipment with care and it will reward you with consistent operation.

Truer words have yet to be spoken.

 

[nic1993]

I'm personally a bigger fan of twist lock, when your highschool cheaps out on cables runs that require heavy tension on the dimmer packs, having stagepin connectors falling out isn't fantastic by any means. I just find twist locks to be much safer, and they save TONS of money instead of having to gaf together your connections just to keep them from coming apart!

There is a theatre very near here (I used to work there) that has been using the same twist-lock connectors since the 80s with no problems at all. They are still all original. And it's not like they are driving 500w loads. The majority of fixtures are 2k, there are two-fers, and it's a rep house so things are being plugged in and out all the time.

Mine too!