Belt Lighting Wiring Question

Why bother with 4 neutrals if they all go to the same buss bar as would normally be the case? As long as that one is as big as the one in the flat multi-cable assembly, which is the weakest link, it can only cause problems.
Have to agree with Bill. As soon as you bring the neutral into play, then your neutrals are no longer "home runs." Yes, stage pin connectors with one hot would work better as there is 75% less of a chance of getting into trouble if something is wired backwards. Now, about that other 25% ... It the connector that actually has the neutral is reversed, and is on a different leg than the other circuits, then you have the potential to put 208 volts across the lamps. (Assuming 120/208 Y)
Your best bet is a shoebox so all of the sources come from the same, simple one phase plug. Most shoeboxes are also fused at 10 amps per channel as well, and are rated to work on a single 15 amp plug. Considering that belt doesn't look like 14 or better, current limiting is your best friend! Remember, although the load is important, there is also the potential of someone putting a staple or nail through the belt itself. Last thing I would want is to see if a 20 amp breaker will trip when a 100 foot loop (both directions) of #18 gets shorted.
EDIT: And yes, I did mean to say "plug" as the 15 amp parallel blade Edison on most shoebox dimmers is the weak link as far as ratings go.
 
So, I just received a practical sign today (rental) that has the same belt light pictured, wired with 4 "Edison" 2 pin plugs. One has the neutral and each of the others only has a hot. I had a lot of the same concerns raised here, but the people I'm renting from assure me it works. I'm having a different problem though, and I may be missing something obvious. I plugged the connector with the hot and neutral into a standard wall outlet, which powered up 1/4th of the sockets. I could meter the correct ones and get 120v AC no problem, but I tried 6 or 7 different style of A base (Medium) bulbs and NOTHING would light up... Bulbs tested, sockets metered, can't explain why nothing will light, any thoughts?

Also, the 4 dimmers I was planning on using would be consecutive, which means in my Sensor racks, probably 2 cards on 2 phases. Do I need to try and split them better? or make them one phase? I don't think I have a spare Shoebox right now, but if that's the safest way, I could try to free one up...
 
So, I just received a practical sign today (rental) that has the same belt light pictured, wired with 4 "Edison" 2 pin plugs. One has the neutral and each of the others only has a hot. I had a lot of the same concerns raised here, but the people I'm renting from assure me it works. I'm having a different problem though, and I may be missing something obvious. I plugged the connector with the hot and neutral into a standard wall outlet, which powered up 1/4th of the sockets. I could meter the correct ones and get 120v AC no problem, but I tried 6 or 7 different style of A base (Medium) bulbs and NOTHING would light up... Bulbs tested, sockets metered, can't explain why nothing will light, any thoughts?

Also, the 4 dimmers I was planning on using would be consecutive, which means in my Sensor racks, probably 2 cards on 2 phases. Do I need to try and split them better? or make them one phase? I don't think I have a spare Shoebox right now, but if that's the safest way, I could try to free one up...

ask them if they chased it or not. If they didn’t then they shared a neutral on what they plugged it into.

A shoebox dimmer would be the easiest solution cause of the share neutral across the dimmer.

If not then you will need to rewire your plugs to all have the neutral from the strip then plug into your sensor dimmers.

Or

You get creative and make yourself a breakout box.

Quad box with all the neutrals tied together connected to new tails hanging out that are all wired properly then you plug it into any dimmer you got.
 
Update to my experiments. After a night of sleep, I confirmed that it was indeed the lamps that weren't making contact with the center pin. The actual wiring was fine (and yes, measured 120v in the socket). I could either bend the center pin (and risk breaking a few), or I just started adding extra solder to the end of every bulb and that seems to be working. 4 hot and 1 neutral works at least in my dimmers.
 
The belt device says it is manufactured for E27 lamps. Pretty good chance you have E26 lamps - as that is the US common variant of eth Edison screw base. There are very slight dimensional differences - one being the length. The E27 is longer because it's for higher voltage. Should be interchangeable usually but sloppy tolerances might come into play. Also a 1 mm difference in diameter FWIW.
Length of screw (min):
E26 - 19.56 mm
E27 - 22.0 mm

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PS: More than you cared to know about E26 vs E27:

https://www.waveformlighting.com/home-residential/e26-vs-e27-bulbs-are-they-interchangeable
 
Used the above product in 24' lengths, break out boxes (think plastic in ground only run to box) with shared neutral whips on all & wire rope support of it. Not the best system and above E-26/E-27 note, but no real problems on tour into a three phase dimmer when sequential.

https://tmb.com/ims/ TMB system is better but certainly not cheaper. Looming 3 stringers together with wire rope support is probably in the end most cost efficient having done this given you don't have to make the wiring box and cord grip it all. That said, stringers are normally 24" on center, and the best Buhl in-line lamp socket for a stringer is discontinued. This system does have the advantage of applying the lamp socket where wanted and to channel it as wanted, if I remember correctly. Much safer (or dependable), less combersome and better designed than what Leviton single circuit has available for such lamp sockets stringer mounted in at times not getting a good connection.

Assuming LED or wattage designed for the load... can't tell you how many black and gray MTW wires I twisted in long length with a cordless drill, than applied lamp sockets to years ago. This as an upgrade to the past of THHN stranded black and blue - both with the Levition stringer lamp socket. A much more fragile thing to tour with.

I only used the above four channel system for one tour a few years ago, and I note they are in storage now, but there were not problems in their use.
 

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