TNasty
Active Member
So right now I'm working on designing a power cord of sorts for running fixtures, since all the fixtures I'm setting up next week lack powercon, and there's only static/relay'd power on the stage left end of each batten. Here's a picture to show what I'm thinking:
So here's the idea. There's the three sets of receptacles, which will be evenly spaced over the stage, which should be sufficient for now and any small fixture upgrades in the future. I like that with this design I can replace the standard 120v receptacles with powercon ones down the line if need be.
I'm currently planning on using this 14/3 cable for the wire. I would have opted for a heavier gauge, but I don't see there being a need for a whole lot of current capacity, as the only two non-LED fixtures that'll be running off of one of these don't use over 300 watts. (The cable's ideal max is 120 volts * 5.9 amps = 708 watts, so I'm trying to limit it to 650 continuous)
Each junction box will be steel, partly for durability reasons, but if I remember correctly it's code to have a metal box if it's not being flush mounted (which happens to be the case here).
I'm also making sure to get all the strain reliefs needed going in and out of the boxes, along with other odds and ends such as the faceplates.
I've got two main questions here, and one small one. I'm considering adding GFCI protection to these guys. I feel like it's a good idea from a safety standpoint being around a stage and such, but I'm sure one of you guys can tell me if it's a good idea or not, and whether I should just use a GFCI receptacle or one of those GFCI plugs.
The second question is about circuit breaking. You probably noticed that I left a blank gang on the first junction box. I'm wondering if there's a way to put a breaker or something like a breaker there to prevent overloading the cable. (Bringing this up reminds me that I could also go for a GFCI breaker for the previous question).
One last question. Is there any apparatus I can integrate into these things to add some degree of surge protection? Just erring on the side of caution here, and I also wouldn't need to plug into a random power strip if I was running directly out of the wall instead of a relay on the dimmer rack.
As a side note, I'm trying to keep the total cost for all three units under $200.
So here's the idea. There's the three sets of receptacles, which will be evenly spaced over the stage, which should be sufficient for now and any small fixture upgrades in the future. I like that with this design I can replace the standard 120v receptacles with powercon ones down the line if need be.
I'm currently planning on using this 14/3 cable for the wire. I would have opted for a heavier gauge, but I don't see there being a need for a whole lot of current capacity, as the only two non-LED fixtures that'll be running off of one of these don't use over 300 watts. (The cable's ideal max is 120 volts * 5.9 amps = 708 watts, so I'm trying to limit it to 650 continuous)
Each junction box will be steel, partly for durability reasons, but if I remember correctly it's code to have a metal box if it's not being flush mounted (which happens to be the case here).
I'm also making sure to get all the strain reliefs needed going in and out of the boxes, along with other odds and ends such as the faceplates.
I've got two main questions here, and one small one. I'm considering adding GFCI protection to these guys. I feel like it's a good idea from a safety standpoint being around a stage and such, but I'm sure one of you guys can tell me if it's a good idea or not, and whether I should just use a GFCI receptacle or one of those GFCI plugs.
The second question is about circuit breaking. You probably noticed that I left a blank gang on the first junction box. I'm wondering if there's a way to put a breaker or something like a breaker there to prevent overloading the cable. (Bringing this up reminds me that I could also go for a GFCI breaker for the previous question).
One last question. Is there any apparatus I can integrate into these things to add some degree of surge protection? Just erring on the side of caution here, and I also wouldn't need to plug into a random power strip if I was running directly out of the wall instead of a relay on the dimmer rack.
As a side note, I'm trying to keep the total cost for all three units under $200.