For
stage usage it is code complaint these days to use a Commercial/Industrial grade 15A
Edison plug in place of a 20A
Edison plug - the two type are the same in specification and do at times confuse those that would be intended to use them. Once had a “Pro tech person with decades in the industry” re-plug all my 5-20P plugs to 5-15P at the expense of a few hours before a show because he didn’t realize that the 20A recepacles on the rack he was to
plug into would accept such a
plug properly. For this same
plug and standardization in general I believe for
stage usage the 20A
Edison plug has been waved in need/requirement. The 15A and 20A plugs if of the same grade between 15A and 20A are the exact same
plug only with slightly different pin configurations. It is in otherwords acceptable on
stage to pull 20A
thru a commercial grade 15A
Edison plug.
However, as general concept your
Quad box with
Edison cord feeding it is not code compliant both by way of using 1900 regular construction boxes, indicator lights on the boxes and the overall loading of the
cord that could melt down before a
circuit breaker could pop given a long length of cable due to
voltage drop, resistance by way of connections and taps.
Outlets facing up... (As per Steve B), believe I read the exact same memo in confirming it. This in addition to the general construction grade convience boxes with
knock out seals in general being allowed for use on a
cord and other than in a wall space. Much less beyond this any multi-outlet
receptacle box without indicator light. There are types of boxes that are compliant and Lex is not only on the
NEC board for rules but the cutting
edge for compliance - should visit their website for more details in what is what.
Woodhead is a great company especially for twofers.(only brand I buy.) Just bought more of the LEX (non-compliant)
orchestra stringers (4'-8" on center I do find use for) and while they were non-code compliant persay for a floor application, they while the industry gets itself up to standard did fulfill my needs. (This until I reform my CamLoc vulconizer into a custom
Edison outlet and screw
base tapping
stringer machine.) You can get various yellow most commonly or black
outlet boxes that are
cord mountable even in the quad configuration, this is the option that is compliant for the most part though I have issues with
strain relief on such things. And I do use such rubberized double and single sided boxes at times.
Problem with such cable companies making outlets is that they don’t easily do custom cable lengths so the making your own does comply to some extent. Also, in doing say an O’
Stringer, you only get one
outlet per segment and at times you need more than that. What would be more safe at that
point, tapping the
outlet for more such as with a
cube tap or factory installing a quad?
Overall, 1900 metal boxes bad. 15A commercial grade plugs for 20a loads ok these days. Sideways outlets and them only available in single or at most dual outlets at times fine but other times not sufficient. There are dual sided duplex or quad
cord mountable boxes on the market that will fill the bill of doing it yourself, but I am dubious about
strain relief for them. 12/3 if not 10/3 would be more proper given multiple outlets in any multi-tapping cable plugged into a 15 or 20a protecting
outlet due to resistance and
voltage drop. TBA is my own style which would be
wire rope core for
strain relief and vulcanized in molded outlets if not even lamp bases for stringers plus a three
circuit option.
For now, for
Edison stringers if not even just quad boxes attached to lengths of cable, where possible I will use a
power strip as opposed to 1900 box. Where not possible it is a bell box and an indicator light with a
cord feeding it no longer than 3' normally or in special exception of long term primary use with indicator light 25' of grade type SO 12/3. For stingers of
Edison outlets, still using the two cables into one cable mount
receptacle option which I despise and refuse to repair. Thus the
orchestra stringers so as to get as close of
outlet spacing but in a safer more compliant way. When I see a 1900 box, I
send it back to who owns it - often with wires cut for
safety, or assimilate it into my
stock parts storage. 1900 boxes are not safe to be using, this much less what is inside of them is normally just home owner grade in construction.