Questions about a stage plug.

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Red5

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Questions about our stage plugs

I am curious about some of the stage plugs we use at my school that are currently being phased out and replaced with stage pins. I am told that they are not "legal" or safe. I can't seem to find any info on them. Does anyone know just how safe and common it is to use them today?

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Re: Questions about our stage plugs

Red5 said:
...Does anyone know just how safe and common it is to use them today? ...
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If you want to know how unsafe, just hold onto the copper when plugging one in live.:shock: As for common, I've never seen a version quite like yours. Most were like the one pictured in post#3. The Mole-Richardson variety pictured in the wiki entry stage plug may still be in use on some Hollywood sound stages. At least it's still in the current catalog.

I'm glad you're replacing them. Any markings or manufacturer's name on them? Send one to ship for his museum. He'd like that. See also http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/question-day/9970-real-stage-pin.html .
 
I'm quite surprised and a little dismayed that these are only now being phased out at your school. On a scale of 1 to 10 the safety factor on these is about minus three. It has probably been 40 years since these plugs were up to code.
 
I grew up with these and still have a few of them in my shop as display items. Newer versions have a hinged copper blade on the spring side so only about an inch of copper was exposed as they were plugged in. These were the plugs used on the face of old piano boards for re patching during a show. These plugs are still used in the film industry for location shooting, as they are virtually indestructible.
 
Red5 said:
Okay, I looked today, the plugs were made by century...
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Must have been either a proprietary design by Century Lighting, or an earlier version of the standard stage plug (impossible, as the stage plug as pictured in post#3 is in the 1913 Kliegl Catalog, and Century Lighting wasn't formed until 1929). It's a shame there's no Century Lighting Archive (The Strand Archive doesn't quite cut it sometimes).

NevilleLighting said:
...It has probably been 40 years since these plugs were up to code.
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Forty years sounds right. My college theatre, built in 1969, had them only in the floor pockets.
 
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derekleffew said:
Must have been either a proprietary design by Century Lighting, or an earlier version of the standard stage plug (impossible, as the stage plug as pictured in post#3 is in the 1913 Kliegl Catalog, and Century Lighting wasn't formed until 1929). It's a shame there's no Century Lighting Archive (The Strand Archive doesn't quite cut it sometimes).

Forty years sounds right. My college theatre, built in 1969, had them only in the floor pockets.
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We had them in my high school auditorium, built in 1955. I attended from 56-59. The school has been torn down and replaced with new buildings. The school is Murray High School in Murray, Utah and was used in part, in all of the Disney "High School Musicals".

Tom Johnson
 
Red5 said:
This is all really comforting. I'm surprised the fire marshal hasn't said anything when he inspects.
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Most fire marshal's aren't as well versed in Theatrical equipment. Hey may be looking at what could cause issues do to a fire breaking out not so much causes. I know the Fire marshal that inspected a local high school had no idea about theaters because he looked at the fire curtain and said "What's that for?". This is the same one that said we had to keep our red doors clear because they are "fire doors" but said nothing about how our paint was stored nor how much of a fire hazard our costume room was. (short version costume racks go higher than the fire suppression system.)

So missing the "stage plug" is the least of the fire marshals issues. since its only really going to cause problems to the supposedly trained technician.
 
Yea, they usually look for things that have changed as compared to the stuff that has been there for years, as well as all the current inspection reports such as sprinkler system etc. Set up a new production and they might give it a closer look. Once in a while you get a really good one, or one that's out to prove a point and that's when all the issues come up.
 
FMEng said:
No safety ground through that!
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Hmm, Safety ground ain't gonna save you if holding the plug wrong. That's a thing I saw long ago, used and have in the collection already - but never in the dark, and replaced ASAP. Not mentioned also is no polarity.

Good thing is normally they were breakered for 30A. Have the other version of this also, have it's panel mount but don't think I have this panel mount yet. Plug recycle for the copper, if you have an extra panel mount and want to send it... contact me off line. Such wall of shame items are currently in my ceiling, but at some point will become part of the museum.
 
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Re: Questions about our stage plugs

They are also know as "suicide plugs" because they are bare brass on the outside and would sometime be plugged into live sockets. If you hand slipped and touched the brass on the plug... well we all know the rest.
 
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