Distribution: connector strip's outlets

[jpachter]

Hello,

I am a student and I run the lighting for my middle school, but I am a beginner in the field. We have these big horizontal boxes that are apparently called "connector strips" and their made by ETC. Here is the link to that product's page: Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC . We have these directly above a row of lights, but on the bottom of these connector strips, there is some weird connector that I am not familiar with. All of our lights use stage pin, and they plug into these connector strips, but we have more lights than there are cables going to these unknown ports. Here is what I know: the light (e.g. source four) has a male stage pin cable. Assuming that it is connected to the connector strip, the male stage pin would go into a female cable, which goes directly into the connector strip. Our problem is that there are more lights then cable's coming from the connector strip, so we can't hook all of our lights into the system. What I need to know is what kind of cable is the one on the connector strip so that we can buy more of them and hook up the rest of our lights.

 

[MNicolai]

It's hard to follow what you mean when you speak of "unknown connectors."

The standard system is constructed in the following manner. You have connector strips. These are large, metal boxes with connectors every xx amount of inches from each other. These can be 2P&G (aka Stage Pin), 5-15 (aka Edison), L5-20 (aka Twist-lock), or pretty much any other connector, provided the connector is UL listed.

The connectors can be configured in any number of ways, with receptacles recessed into the strips like standard wall outlets, or with pigtails. Pigtails are just short, flexible cables that allow the end-user from flexibility in where they plug things in. Simply more pigtails does not mean you would be able to have more dimmable circuits.

Each circuit (be it a pigtail or flush-mount receptacle), will have its wires run back to a terminal strip. All of the wires from all of the circuits terminate here. These then connect each given circuit with a circuit on a multicable. A multicable can have any number of circuits on it, all in a single cable. For my theatre, we have three multicables supplying the circuits to each electric, except for the fourth electric which only has two.

Long story short, the wires then go back to a dimmer rack, where the the wires from each circuit at the connector strips land on the terminals for corresponding dimmers.

Adding circuits for you to plug in more lights requires new, higher-capacity connector strips be custom-fabricated, more wires be run back to your dimmer racks, and more dimmer racks be added.

Now what I do not understand is what exactly your problem is. If you need more 2P&G extension cables, any theatrical supplier can provide those. There's plenty of websites you can purchase them from, or I'm certain someone closer to Boston than myself can recommend a local supplier.

If you what you need is more circuits for your lights to plug into, then you're looking at a very expensive project costing tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[jpachter]

The problem isn't lack of stage pin cables, but our school doesn't have any pigtail connectors with stagepin on one end, and then going into the connector strip on the other end. Basically, what I need is more cable's that plug into the connector strip on one end, and then are a female stage pin on the other. Also, our connector strips have plenty of open ports for these cable's to plug into, so I am also wondering if our supplier would've shipped more cable's like the one's I'm looking for with the connector strip's.

 

[MNicolai]

Do the connectors look something like this?

 

[starksk]

... We have these directly above a row of lights, but on the bottom of these connector strips, there is some weird connector that I am not familiar with. ...

Hi jpachter,

Could you pick those mystery connectors out of a lineup?

MNicolai is correct in that depending on what you are trying to accomplish, it can be a very expensive proposition to add more circuits. There are other, less expensive options such as a two-fer or three-fer that may allow you to connect more lights to your existing circuits depending on what types of lamps you are using and what that circuit is rated to handle. You would not gain additional control of the added lights, but you would be able to connect more to your system.

Another option if you have Sensor Dimming racks is to purchase dimmer doublers. They are a special type of two-fer that uses a special lamp in your Source 4 to allow you to have individual control of each side of the split.

As for adding circuits to connector strips, that is a bit of a no-no to do in the field because each connector strip is UL listed for factory assembly only and modifications made on site to the connector strip are not covered by the UL listing unless a site inspection has been made by a UL inspector.

 

[jpachter]

the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin? Also, the issue is not lack of connector strips, we have plenty of circuits with open ports to plug these wires into, we just need the cables.

 

[starksk]

the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin?

Sometimes consultants specifiy different types of connectors for different types of power. (ie: Dimming, Relays for Moving Lights, Constant Power for Accessories, etc...)

Are there labels over these connectors to denote which circuit or dimmer they connect to? (Numbers, Letters, or a Combination)

 

[Sean]

the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin?

So, you have some stage pin circuits, and some of these 'look like twist lock' circuits, correct?

Tell us what the labels say on those outlets.

In many situations, dimmed circuits (that you would plug theatre lights into) are one type of connector....in your case stagepin. Other types of power: 208v circuits, non-dim power, etc are terminated in a different connector to avoid cross-plugging.

Does that make sense?

 

[jpachter]

There are numbers indicating the circuit. I won't have access to the system for two days, but I'll check if the ports look like twist lock. They're definitely not stage pin or Edison.

 

[MNicolai]

I posted this in another thread a few days ago. It's context is slightly different, because we were talking about 2P&G to 5-15 cables, but L5-20 to 2P&G cables are the same concept. The summary is that connectors don't do anything special, they just change what you can or can not plug a cable into. If you don't want people plugging your really expensive widget running a special type of electricity, put different connectors on it so that only you can plug it into the correct power source.

There's no problem with using 2P&G (aka Stage Pin) connectors with 5-15 (aka Edison) connectors. The connectors don't do anything special, they just provide different forms for the conductive path between an electrical source and an electrical load.

We, in the entertainment industry, prefer the 2P&G for conventional lighting because almost always our lighting fixtures are connected to dimmers and really only ever need to be. Sometimes a standard wall outlet will do, but for the most part we use dimmable circuits.

What we don't want is someone who doesn't know our power is dimmable to connect their loads to our receptacles. If someone connects a vacuum or an amplifier to a dimmable circuit, even if the dimmer is set at full, it will likely damage the device.

In other words, your lights can be plugged into any 120v outlet and they'll work fine if it's a dimmer or if it's a standard outlet, but someone else could damage their equipment by connecting it to a dimmer. Thus, a different connector is used. Just be careful with your adapters when you get them; people who want to plug things in may find them and try plugging their $3,000 guitar amp into your dimmable circuit and watch the circuitry in their amp go up in smoke.

 

[jpachter]

Okay, I'll check on Tuesday to see if they are twist lock. Just incase I can't tell by looking at it, (sometimes it is hard for me to match something without an image in front of me) could you tell me how I might un-plug the other lights from the connector strip assuming that they are twist lock, so that if the method that you describe works, I will know that the ports are twist lock. Thank you all for you help -- it is very much appreciated.

 

[Sean]

Do you have a staff member there you can ask about all of this?

If there are already things plugged into these circuits, can you tell us _what_ is plugged into them?

 

[MNicolai]

Now that we've established that you have the circuits you need, we'll determine what to do with them. If you have pigtails, then it's really easy; if you have flush-mount receptacles, not so much.

Any electrician can replace L5-20 connectors on pigtails with female 2P&G connectors, and then you'd never have to worry about weird adapter cables again. On the other other hand, if you have flush-mount receptacles, which given the way you've worded things, you probably do, then you need to purchase a bunch of short Male L5-20->Female 2P&G cables. This is actually easier because then you don't even need to consult an electrician, but it does require funding that your school may or may not have. Any local theatrical supplier will have the cable and the connectors and should be able to make these cables for you in no time.

Let's talk about your school for a moment; is someone in charge of the theatre or building maintenance/operations who could afford to purchase these? They won't cost a lot, but expect to spend ~$20 per cable (SOURCE). You can get these for even cheaper if your district has a maintenance electrician who can purchase the cable, connectors, and wire them up on his own. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes for a qualified individual to wire each cable up.

 

[starksk]

I posted this in another thread a few days ago. It's context is slightly different, because we were talking about 2P&G to 5-15 cables, but L5-20 to 2P&G cables are the same concept. The summary is that connectors don't do anything special, they just change what you can or can not plug a cable into. If you don't want people plugging your really expensive widget running a special type of electricity, put different connectors on it so that only you can plug it into the correct power source.

The caveat there is to make sure that they are both 120V and it isn't a 208V twistlock that you are trying to connect to a 120V Stagepin.

Also, jpachter, what do the labels read for those circuits? Are they sequential with the rest of your circuit numbers or are they in their own range (higher or lower)?

EDIT: Talk about a simul-post! Sean is right on the money with asking "what is plugged into them".

 

[CSCTech]

Hey there, welcome aboard.

If what you need is extension cables to hook up your lights to flush mount circuits on your electrics, aka, connector strips, simply take one of your exsisting ones to your supplier and they will know what it is and get you as many as you need.
If what you need is male twist lock to stage pin that is simple enough, your supplier should have them or will order them on request.

The reason this might happen is because either someone just wasnt thinking when they ordered the fixtures with stage pin plugs, or the fixtures where replaced and the person replacing them also did not take into account your connector strips are twist lock.

Either way if I understand what it is you need, you need some of these?-
BRTB Female Stage Pin to Male Twist 125V, 20A - 1 Foot [PXSF-TM-01] : AVShop.ca, Canada's Pro Audio, Video and DJ Superstore
(might lookc around for better price than that site)

Good luck!


Also, if you do not have a supplier, and are in the Boston area, We use

Immedia LLP
IMMEDIA LLP

Or

Worcestor Light and Sound
WORCESTER SOUND & LIGHTS - Concert Sound Systems & Hollywood Searchlights

Both are production companys but also resell and fix equipment. No products on there site, give them a call to see if they have any or go visit one of ones close to you, they will help you out, and are mostly friendly and give school discounts.

To answer your questions,
To disconnect a twist lock plug, simply grab the connector and turn it until it comes free and can be pulled out. If it is Stage Pin or some other plug it should just be able to pull out.

 

[jpachter]

Okay, so twist lock looks a little big for what I remember being on the connector strip, but again, I will check soon. We do have pigtails, so I'm happy to hear that pigtails won't be as much as a hassle as a flush port. Unfortunately, there is no other staff member, custodian, or employee in my school system who knows anything at all about lighting. One teacher works on lighting with me, and she is the lighting designer, but the word source four is about as technical as she gets. I'm on my own :-(. But I do learn a lot when I have to figure things out for myself so I guess it is sometimes beneficial.

 

[CSCTech]

Alright, if you cannot determin the plugs, take a pircture for us. Because if it is no Edison, Stage Pin, or Twist lock there might be a problem.

Note however, there are different size Twist Lock plugs-

 

[jpachter]

The different sizes of twist lock explains a lot. I'll take a picture on tuesday and post it if I still can't figure it out. Does anyone know how I would go about un-pluging a twist lock? Im guessing it has something to do with locking and twisting, but that's just a guess.

 

[starksk]

The different sizes of twist lock explains a lot. I'll take a picture on tuesday and post it if I still can't figure it out. Does anyone know how I would go about un-pluging a twist lock? Im guessing it has something to do with locking and twisting, but that's just a guess.

You are correct, twist then unplug. However, you should not do this when the circuit is powered on. (I know that we all have done it, but it is a better practice to have it powered off before disconnecting or connecting equipment.)

 

[MNicolai]

We can tell you what you'll need, but a qualified electrician will have to perform the work. Also, heed anything that starksk says, as he works for ETC in their technical services department. He knows what he's talking about.

If you can, take some photos of the connector strips, with some closeups on the labels, the cables, and the connectors/receptacles.

To unplug a twist-lock series connector, you just twist counter-clockwise(?) and pull. (It's been awhile since I've used an L5-20 connector). It shouldn't be difficult. If you're tugging and pulling and twisting really hard, you're either doing it wrong or it's not twist-lock. Plugging it back in would be the reverse process.