4 pin connector in a marquee?

bobgaggle

Well-Known Member
I'm not a lighting guy, but because my company doesn't have a full time ME it has fallen to me to wire up a marquee for a faux proscenium I'm building. We want to keep the piece to use in the future, and as such it is being built in segments. The idea is to have a 3 circuit chase effect. My plan is to have all the wiring concealed within the thickness of the piece, and to have leads (pigtails, whatever yall call them) with Edison connectors exposed so when the segments are screwed together all I have to do is plug the 3 male ends of one segment into the females of the adjoining segment, and daisy chain all the segments in the same way. I know this idea will work but ive been pondering a simpler alternative and wanted some feedback.

instead of 3 connectors dangling free on both left and right sides of each segment, I was wondering if there was a 4 prong connector I could use. 3 hots (one from each circuit) would connect to three prongs, and the return from each circuit could be connected to the fourth prong. This would make life a little more organized and easier during the install and build. It seems like this idea would work, but I don't know if such a connector for power transmission even exists (I know not to use an XLR or something weird like that), or if it would be safe to do something like this.

Also this is a store bought string of light sockets wired in parallel and doesn't have a ground.

If I haven't given enough detail for any of you guys to answer this question let me know.

thanks for the help
 
NEMA L21-20 if line voltage.

I think someone will pipe in that the circuits feeding this have to be a single 3 pole breaker or at least breakers tied together, so depends on your chaser control connection.

Piece of scenery basically? Use low voltage and do whatever you want probably including a 5 pin switchcraft. Do they still make cinch-jones connectors?
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NEMA L21-20 if line voltage.

I think someone will pipe in that the circuits feeding this have to be a single 3 pole breaker or at least breakers tied together, so depends on your chaser control connection.

Piece of scenery basically? Use low voltage and do whatever you want probably including a 5 pin switchcraft. Do they still make cinch-jones connectors?
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I think its going to be one circuit per house dimmer, with all the effects programmed at the board, rather than using a specific chase controller. But that L21-20 looks like itll work. thanks for the input. As long as the first connection after the dimmer are three separate circuits it should work I think.
 
I'm going to leave this to others but which neutral do you use? This could all get ugly, as dimmers are not usually designed for common neutrals. If this was a dedicated 3 pole circuit from dimmer rack to L21-20 receptacle, I can see how it might almost meet code. There could be no option of using two dimmers on the same phase or your neutral is undersized. Multiple disconnects for one three pole device is I fear not allowed - and three dimmers would do that. Whether or not you could feed a 3 pole breaker from dimmer outs and then keep all wiring as a 3 pole 4 wire plus ground circuit or not and meet code - I'm not sure.

Put a Smart Bar in the piece and run a single constant 20 amp circuit to it and a dmx line to it and be done.
 
The Winsta Mini connectors are hugely popular in New York scene shops for applications like this, and I'm a huge fan of them. They're cost-effective and very small, and relatively easy to work with. http://www.wago.us/products/4301.htm
 
I edited to delete rochem's post that I had quoted. Seems this only happens when it's a "reply with quote" post. (Am I the last one to figure that out? :!)
 
... Seems this only happens when it's a "reply with quote" post. (Am I the last one to figure that out? :!)
Yes and no. :confused: It has something to do with linked URLs, but not all. At least once it has happened with a link to another CB thread, but I don't think it's ever happened to a post not containing a URL. It seems to have gone back to at least 2006 and made a previously visible post invisible. Dave is working diligently on the issue.
 
If at line voltage, I would stay away from "common neutral." If you have a shoebox dimmer around and can mount it on the back of the first segment, then you only have to feed one AC and one DMX line to the prop. (As long as each of the 3 circuits adds up to more than 50 watts.) Since there would now be a "known" neutral at the pack, neutral current would be limited to whatever goes to the pack.
 
A number of options and variables but do you really mean fifty watts per each of three circuits John?
 
A number of options and variables but do you really mean fifty watts per each of three circuits John?

I think he means that the shoebox will need a minimum of 50W per circuit to dim properly.

And, yes, according to the specs the Winsta connectors are rated for 600V, 14A. I'm definitely bookmarking those guys as that seems like an awesome little connector for these kind of applications.
 
The Winsta Mini connectors are hugely popular in New York scene shops for applications like this, and I'm a huge fan of them. They're cost-effective and very small, and relatively easy to work with. WAGO Corporation - Products - Terminal Blocks and Connectors - WINSTA® Connectors for Building Installation

Hello!

Note the 22 - 16 gauge wire range.
I wonder if they offer a 14 or 12 gauge version or do you move up to Amp PowerCons at that point?

Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard

Hello!

Note the 22 - 16 gauge wire range.
I wonder if they offer a 14 or 12 gauge version or do you move up to Amp PowerCons at that point?

Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
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This may be OK for 120 volts when it is all inside a box or cabinet or fixture, like inside a fluorescent fixture as they suggest, but I'm pretty sure this would not be up to code hanging off a piece of scenery or a prop. Will it work - probably - and probably won't start a fire or injure anyone - but most often neither will zip cord with electrical tape.
 

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