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Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php?topic=164660.msg1516598;boardseen#new
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
How NOT to install CamLoks . . .
- Thread starterRonHebbard
- Start date
JerseyMatt
Member
LOL Whoooopsie!!
JerseyMatt
Member
theatricalmatt
Well-Known Member
theatricalmatt
Well-Known Member
BillConnerFASTC
Well-Known Member
Interesting. So many comments about it having passed inspection. When I explain why something can't be done, I'm continually faced with "but I saw it at this place so it must be legal". Not. There is simply a lot of construction done that does not comply with code.
My second reaction is "this is why I specify equipment that is manufactured by a reputable manufacturer and is labeled by a NRTL (UL or equal)". I was just asked if the electrician couldn't fabricate connector strips. Not on my job they can't . I hate they have to mount them since half the time the EC does it wrong. Recent example.
My second reaction is "this is why I specify equipment that is manufactured by a reputable manufacturer and is labeled by a NRTL (UL or equal)". I was just asked if the electrician couldn't fabricate connector strips. Not on my job they can't . I hate they have to mount them since half the time the EC does it wrong. Recent example.
Dionysus
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately far too often Ive found the AHJ is not familiar enough with what we do and the things we do it with. Several stories to this effect, and its even worse with contractors.
Chances are the people who installed and inspected the CAMS has never used them and possibly rarely if ever seen them before.
But still, both the cam lock installation and that batton are terrifying.
Chances are the people who installed and inspected the CAMS has never used them and possibly rarely if ever seen them before.
But still, both the cam lock installation and that batton are terrifying.
WooferHound
Well-Known Member
@WooferHound Judging by the sex of the Camloks, that's the loop-out end of your economy distro, correct?
Surely the input end is just out of the photo, right? That's an internally illuminated miniature 3 pole disconnect of course?
Toodleoo!
Ron
DavidJones
Well-Known Member
I have seen reversed cams more than a few times, even reverse gendered pin and sleeve connectors. Electrical contractors rarely have seen them, and the inspectors have not seen them either. You would still hope they could figure out which way the MALE connectors were supposed to go. I have a "house electrician" once not know that cams needed to turn when connecting them.
@DavidJones I did an automated A/V and show control install for Tussauds's Wax Museum in LasVegas back in 1999. The electrical contractor built the entire three story wing of the Venetian Hotel on a 200 Amp 3 phase 5 wire 120 / 208 Volt temporary service. Many times per day, the 200 Amp main breaker would be overloaded and the entire site would plunge into silent darkness. All of the main switch gear for the small 3 story tower was on back order from its supplier. As it drew closer and closer to Tussaud's published official opening date with their head honcho's scheduled to visit from England, we were informed a large trailer mounted (4 wheeled) "silent" generator would be brought on site to power our two 225 Amp panels and five 44 RU racks of Alcorn McBride, Leitch and Crown gear so we could proceed with programming the two floors of themed displays. A fifth year apprentice IBEW brother was assigned to run the CamLok cables and tails as supplied by the generator's owners then we were handed the keys to the gennie so we could program between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when the site was inactive. We were NOT permitted to touch the cams whatsoever however I can tell you with certainty my fifth year, authoritative and head-strong, IBEW brother began at the generator's output terminals with five MALE tails and went from there. It got "interesting" when he reached his "T" point and had to feed his five "T's" with males then continue with runs to one of our panels as males and the others as females. Again, we were instructed to stand aside and not delay his progress.
Things were proceeding well programming-wise until a laborer rolled in early with a wheel barrow and inadvertently opened the neutral from the generator where it supplied the 'T' feeding both of our panels. Five 2RU Best Power Products UPS's gave up their lives saving about a 1/4 $million of Alcorn McBride gear. The control board of our Lyn-tech sequencing panel spewed all of its "magic smoke" and that was the end of our programming until Fedex overnight Red could bring us new UPS's and a new PC board for inside the Lyn-tech panel. Not one of the CamLoks had been twisted. Not one. I know I've wrote of this in greater detail here before but that's the essence of it. I totally enjoyed my months in 'Vegas and found the majority of co-workers friendly and far less rude / abrupt than the majority of Broadway co-horts.
When you wrote of meeting a house electrician who didn't know to turn and lock the Cams, I couldn't help but recall. The Lyn-tech folks were great in getting a new control PC board to us overnight thus I spent the day installing the Lyn-tech board and UPS's so my boss and I could spend our next night shift continuing programming. Tussaud's were pleased as we made their published official opening date.
You also mentioned finding "reverse gendered pin and sleeve connectors" which reminded me that not all 3P&G's have their designated ground contacts in between their hots and neutrals. Don't believe me? Take a close look at 60 & 100 Amp 3 P&G connectors: You'll find the designated ground contact on the male connectors is slightly longer than its siblings. Honest'! Not even CB's @derekleffew had noticed this prior to my posting of it as a "Question Of The Day" some years ago.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
JerseyMatt
Member
@JerseyMatt Understood. On 20 Amp 2P&G connectors the designated ground contact is in the center betwixt the hot and neutral contacts. On the 60 and 100 Amp 2P&G connectors this is NOT the case. On the 60 and 100 Amp 2P&G connectors, you'll find the designated ground contact on one of the outer edges, from memory, I believe it's on the outside closest to the neutral but I MAY be incorrect in stating which outer edge it's located on. You MAY also note with some connectors the differential in contact lengths is within the females although I observe this primarily in signal level connectors such as Cannon's XLR series and their competitors intermateables.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
Delving even further, @RonHebbard how about the extremely rare, once upon a time 10 amp and 30 amp pin connectors.
@JohnD I remember the little 10's from the days of single conductor asbestos leads and thought they were cute. Heard about the 30's, can't recall ever actually installing any. I hear what you're saying and raise you: Flat paddle plugs, I/2 paddles and those new-fangled triangular grounded paddles which, to the best of my knowledge, were never offered in a 1/2 triangular version. Come to think of it, I can't recall 10 Amp 2P&G's, only the 10 Amp 2P sans G's.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
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