PowerCon Wall Plate

[Hanthorn]

I am looking to convert 6 of my Edison circuit wall plates to PowerCon Out (these 6 circuits are on CC22 Constant Current cards in a Sensor 3 System), the reason for the change is so that a technician does not accidentally connect a LED to a dimmer card or a conventional to a constant current card (i.e. PowerCon = Constant Current, Edison = Dimmer)

Has anyone attempted this or have any feedback?

 

[STEVETERRY]

The PowerCon is an appliance connector and not listed for the "general purpose" application you describe. In addition, it has no standardized NEMA or ANSI configuration for a specific voltage and current. Yes, it is rated 16A or 20A up to 250V but is used at 120, 208, 230 and 240V.

A better solution would be to pick an appropriate NEMA connector.

ST

 

[RickR]

I routinely set dimmed and non-dim circuits as different connector types. Mostly stage pin and 'edison' but you might look into L5-20 twistlock if it's not used elsewhere. Don't use a connector under your breaker rating!

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

So, is it the same for the True Power connectors, not a listed device?

And is portable distribution an "appliance"?

With do much out there with Powercon seems like we're in for a lot of adapters again.

 

[MikeJ]

LOTS of companies make power distribution using powercon. ETC won't sell it to you but plenty of other companies will. Check with anyone who makes power distribution, what you want may not be a standard product, but can probably manufactured.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I believe that Bill's question was about PDUs with things like PowerCon/TruePoweras the *upstream* connector; inlet, not outlet.

I don't know if a PDU is an "appliance"; I suspect not, but I haven't read the NEC in about 3 decades...

I'm pretty sure that the argument that any connector which is not *specified* to a certain voltage can't be used as a general receptacle, though, is valid.

[ Bill? What *is* TruePower; I'm not getting any reasonable looking Ghits on it, and I'd never heard of it before... ]

 

[danTt]

If you saw a powercon output on the wall, what voltage would you assume it would be? In a perfect world anything that had a powercon input would work with the range of voltages powercon supports, but that is very much not true.

 

[Chris15]

What *is* TruePower; I'm not getting any reasonable looking Ghits on it, and I'd never heard of it before... ]

Neutrik PowerCon True1
http://www.neutrik.com/en/power/powercon-true1/powercon-true1-cable-connectors/

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

LOTS of companies make power distribution using powercon. ETC won't sell it to you but plenty of other companies will. Check with anyone who makes power distribution, what you want may not be a standard product, but can probably manufactured.

Sure it can be fabricated, but it would not comply with codes and standards that have been made law in most of US.

 

[STEVETERRY]

If you saw a powercon output on the wall, what voltage would you assume it would be? In a perfect world anything that had a powercon input would work with the range of voltages powercon supports, but that is very much not true.

Precisely!

ST

 

[danTt]

1

Precisely!

ST

Not that I want any more connector options to deal with, and given that we won't know until someone tries, do you think we'll ever see a connector approved by appropriate standards bodies that guarantees a range of voltages? With the prevalence of self switching power supplies these days I could see a lot of uses for such a thing.

 

[Chris15]

Not that this is constructive, but oh boy does reading this make me thankful for the Aussie power system. I don't think I've ever seen a wall outlet that wasn't 230V or 400V(3 phase). We only deal in one plug type because we're only dealing in 1 voltage, and 10, 15 & 20A plugs and sockets intermate in the permissible direction but not reverse.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Not that this is constructive, but oh boy does reading this make me thankful for the Aussie power system. I don't think I've ever seen a wall outlet that wasn't 230V or 400V(3 phase). We only deal in one plug type because we're only dealing in 1 voltage, and 10, 15 & 20A plugs and sockets intermate in the permissible direction but not reverse.

I think Dan's point isn't that we have different voltages within US, but that it would be nice to use same here and where you are. Increasingly, the only difference is the plug.

 

[MNicolai]

LOTS of companies make power distribution using powercon. ETC won't sell it to you but plenty of other companies will. Check with anyone who makes power distribution, what you want may not be a standard product, but can probably manufactured.

That's not the point. It's not a suitable connector to use as part of your building's electrical infrastructure for the reasons others have listed.

Doesn't mean I haven't seen it done, but the only reason anyone can get away with it is because you've got about a 50/50 chance your AHJ won't notice what you've done and most electricians won't be familiar enough with what your application and the connector to raise a flag on the play.

 

[STEVETERRY]

1


Not that I want any more connector options to deal with, and given that we won't know until someone tries, do you think we'll ever see a connector approved by appropriate standards bodies that guarantees a range of voltages? With the prevalence of self switching power supplies these days I could see a lot of uses for such a thing.

Never going to happen, IMHO. Not only is there the voltage issue, but also the issue of two ungrounded conductors vs. one grounded (neutral) and one ungrounded. Putting both these on the same connector creates too many safety issues to mention here.

ST

 

[Jay Ashworth]

To enumerate the problem specifically, the PowerCon outlet does not specify a voltage -- it could be 100-250VAC, probably -- and there is no guarantee that whatever's at the other end of a PowerCon wall cord (especially a non-attached one) could accept 250VAC (say), rather than exploding.

This is why NEMA receptacles are voltage-specific -- and, importantly, it's related to why IEC320 inlets are *not*.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

To enumerate the problem specifically, the PowerCon outlet does not specify a voltage -- it could be 100-250VAC, probably -- and there is no guarantee that whatever's at the other end of a PowerCon wall cord (especially a non-attached one) could accept 250VAC (say), rather than exploding.

This is why NEMA receptacles are voltage-specific -- and, importantly, it's related to why IEC320 inlets are *not*.

Whats the voltage when used on a speaker? Is that just power or signal? (Never a squeak.)

 

[MikeJ]

A) What not have some connector, like an L21/30 installed, and use something like a Motion Labs Rack Pack for power distribution. Plop a box down where and when you need it, put it out of the way on a shelf when you don't.

B) can anyone explain why Socapex is okay to install, when it could be 120-240v, dimmed, or constant power? Or Is it not okay to install, but everyone does it anyway?

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I think the answer to Bill's kinda-troll and Mike's questions are the same: "

In neither case is the connector *billed as supplying mains power to portable devices*, so it's not held to NEC standards.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I think the answer to Bill's kinda-troll and Mike's questions are the same: "

In neither case is the connector *billed as supplying mains power to portable devices*, so it's not held to NEC standards.

The fact that its a UL recognized component in a UL listed assembly means it complies with the NEC.