Power Questions

[houseofmax]

Hello all,

I am trying to understand something here about power, hopefully someone can help me...

My first thing is that I want to power Elation Platinum Beam 5R's with L6-20 connectors and cable that is 240v (or probably 208v I guess?) from the 3-phase 100A distro. The specs on the unit say that it will accept power from 110v to 240v so I would think this would be ok BUT, is it ok since the 208v connection has H, H, and Ground instead of H, N and Ground? Is it ok that the unit will see power on the neutral as well as the hot?

Second, I could put all 6 of my Elation Beams on one 20A circuit as they would fit but I would have to use three L6-20 "twofers" to make it happen. Does anyone see any trouble with that? The total cable run would be less than 100', probably 75' at most.

Third, is there any problem keeping the edison 5-20 connector on the unit and using adapters to the L6-20 since I will most likely not be using these driven by the 208v that often?

Just not sure and I dont want to melt anything (or worse). Help!

Thank you!

 

[len]

If you have a distro, what are the outputs on it? Typically, it's a multi-pin connector like this Lex Products EverGrip 6-Circuit Multicable, 12/18, 25' . If so I would just get a length of socapex (2 x 50 is easier to manage than 1 x 100') and get a fan out to edison, assuming the output on the distro is 110v. Save the L6-20 for something which requires higher power.

If the distro is 208v only, then I'd probably swap the connections to L6-20 and continue as above, only with an L6-20 fan instead of edison.

 

[ship]

Yes
Yes
No

Power sensing units can use hot/hot or hot/neutral from 110v to 240v.

Yes, believe each is like 180 or 190 Watts each for lamp so all around you are well under capacity no matter the voltage (assuming wiring gauge sufficient.)

No, not acceptable to have a 125v recepacle on something that can in your case feed 208v. Sorry but there are idiots in the work place that will plug something rated for 120v into it and it will later cost you money in replacing zenior diodes and stuff like that which will explode - like while testing before the show, for gear needed for that show. Very expensive and have to explain to your client why some of your lights won't be available on-time for the show. In general, bad Karma to cross fixture voltage types in a plug unless dual rated. If you find it often you are crossing voltage types, switch to something rated for both voltages such as stage pin. Than it's a question of you marking it properly and all about you. Someone if even the chance of being hurt given a L5-20 outlet that has 208v power fed to it is your liability in problem witing to happen say in opening up the plug and touching the neutral that's now live. No... not their fault - yours. In other words, just avoid the situation and stick with the proper rated plugs or switch to something dual voltage rated.

 

[houseofmax]

If you have a distro, what are the outputs on it? Typically, it's a multi-pin connector like this Lex Products EverGrip 6-Circuit Multicable, 12/18, 25' . If so I would just get a length of socapex (2 x 50 is easier to manage than 1 x 100') and get a fan out to edison, assuming the output on the distro is 110v. Save the L6-20 for something which requires higher power.

If the distro is 208v only, then I'd probably swap the connections to L6-20 and continue as above, only with an L6-20 fan instead of edison.

its a 3phase 100A Lex pagoda with (6) L6-20 and (3) 5-20 duplex outlets. No socopex outs.

I do have 4 Atomics (208v) that will use 4 of the L6-20 outlets. I also have the 6 Beam 5r's and 6 JB Lighting A7's and some 100W and 210W LED's.

 

[houseofmax]

No, not acceptable to have a 125v recepacle on something that can in your case feed 208v. Sorry but there are idiots in the work place that will plug something rated for 120v into it and it will later cost you money in replacing zenior diodes and stuff like that which will explode - like while testing before the show, for gear needed for that show. Very expensive and have to explain to your client why some of your lights won't be available on-time for the show. In general, bad Karma to cross fixture voltage types in a plug unless dual rated. If you find it often you are crossing voltage types, switch to something rated for both voltages such as stage pin. Than it's a question of you marking it properly and all about you. Someone if even the chance of being hurt given a L5-20 outlet that has 208v power fed to it is your liability in problem witing to happen say in opening up the plug and touching the neutral that's now live. No... not their fault - yours. In other words, just avoid the situation and stick with the proper rated plugs or switch to something dual voltage rated.

I completely agree! I feel silly for even thinking that now...

 

[ship]

Never feel silly to ask, post or comment on any post. Ask Less, Len or Derek amongst many others how many posts I did in the past taken back and or I learned about something I should have known but did ask. Heck, even some big official like apologies I have made over the years over bad advice given.

Confirmed what you asked about - nothing to be worried about in asking to confirm what you were thinking about as to why or why not. Welcome to the forum and at times now to pay back that info you know about to others in at times wrong and learning more but mostly in knowing your field to the best you know it and helping others to learn from your own experience. Big tent, the more people's thoughts on a subject, the better the wealth of knowledge shared.

And the overall concept is "the only stupid question is the one not asked."

 

[danTt]

I completely agree! I feel silly for even thinking that now...

Note that adapting the male plug from 5-20 to 6-20 (on the fixture) is different, and in general more acceptable, than adapting the female receptacle from 6-20 to 5-20. If the adaptor is "permanent" (and by that I don't mean forever, but even just taped so that it stays with the unit instead of the breakout) and the fixture is self switching/can handle it, you don't present any misleading information at the receptacle end, and therefore people won't be plugging in 120 to a 208 outlet. All the "misleading" information is at the fixture end, and because the fixture doesn't care which voltage it gets, theres no worrys there.

 

[len]

its a 3phase 100A Lex pagoda with (6) L6-20 and (3) 5-20 duplex outlets. No socopex outs.

I do have 4 Atomics (208v) that will use 4 of the L6-20 outlets. I also have the 6 Beam 5r's and 6 JB Lighting A7's and some 100W and 210W LED's.

If you have 3, 5-20 duplex outlets, you should have plenty right there. Each duplex should be circuited separately. That fixture only draws 350 watts. Put 3 per circuit, or even 2 since you have 3 outlets and be done with it. The 12/3 edison cable will be far less expensive than running soca.

It would be more $$, but you could get fan-in made with L6-20 male to soca, then run that as needed. That would take more advantage of your distro.

However, I think Pagodas were more designed to be positioned close to the action, not somewhere off 100 feet from the load. Why not just move that closer to the stage or whatever and not have multiple long runs of cable?