Socapex and breakout resources
- Thread starterjonliles
- Start date
highschooltech
Active Member
Soca is normally sold as a unit rather than by the foot as the most difficult part to deal with the the connector. It really isn't for permanent install and i personally wouldn't want to deal with the weight of a cable that is over 100ft. With that said you could probably contact any of the dealers and the dealers page of this website and get quotes on standard lengths (100',50',25',etc.).
epimetheus
Well-Known Member
We're pricing socapex at my church right now for a project and we're doing it just as highschooltech suggested, by units, rather than by the foot. We figured how many cables at each length and how many break-outs/break-ins and went out for quote on that rather than try to figure a per foot number. Per foot doesn't work so well when the connectors are as expensive as socapex are, especially if you're buying standard length cables that might be shelf items.
Electrical code says no part of a breakout can be longer than 20ft (6m). I'm looking at purchasing a few custom breakouts to use on our new truss installation. My dealer on the project put each tail at a different length, so let's say for this example you purchased a breakout with tails at 3', 6', 9', 12', 15', and 18'. You could then use it also as a poor man's connector strip, distributing the circuits in an orderly fashion across a distance. Chances are you'd have to order that custom, though.
Do you want even, staggered, or striplight Break-Outs? An even breakout with 20' tails would be rather ungainly. 11' tails is very manageable. I recommend getting a quote of Lex Products cable assemblies.
12/14 cable is standard, but some is much more flexible than others. Try to see a sample first. Some is plastic jacketed and so stiff it's even difficult to coil.
Avoid off-brands of 19-pin connectors. I worked a show yesterday that must have had six different styles/brands. Pain in the backside. Call me a purist, but I prefer Socapex brand (link to PDF), with Veam a close second. Crimped, not soldered. Do an advanced search for "socapex" by "ship"--he has some rather strong opinions, with experience to back it up.
12/14 cable is standard, but some is much more flexible than others. Try to see a sample first. Some is plastic jacketed and so stiff it's even difficult to coil.
Avoid off-brands of 19-pin connectors. I worked a show yesterday that must have had six different styles/brands. Pain in the backside. Call me a purist, but I prefer Socapex brand (link to PDF), with Veam a close second. Crimped, not soldered. Do an advanced search for "socapex" by "ship"--he has some rather strong opinions, with experience to back it up.
That would be a staggered break-out, Mike, as opposed to even, or the increasingly rarer striplight breakout.
"Balcony breakout" is synonymous with "staggered breakout"? Never heard them called that before. Learn something new every day.
You ought to be able to have a supplier quote you on a per unit length basis whereby the quote is something like:
$x per terminated plug
$y per terminated socket
$z per unit length.
I've seen 100+ metre Socas, I known this because they are labelled as such. The key to long cables is twofold; first up the wire gauge to cover the voltage drop and second, have the means to handle them properly. You don't wind a long cable on the ground, you roll it up straight into its packer...
$x per terminated plug
$y per terminated socket
$z per unit length.
I've seen 100+ metre Socas, I known this because they are labelled as such. The key to long cables is twofold; first up the wire gauge to cover the voltage drop and second, have the means to handle them properly. You don't wind a long cable on the ground, you roll it up straight into its packer...
Lightguy48
Member
epimetheus
Well-Known Member
It has to do with the type of cable used for the breakout and the National Electric Code. I wont attempt to quote code because I don't know it off the top of my head and my codebook is at work.
Lotos
Active Member
Well, for starters, your 100' "extension cord" has one connector on each end. Neither end terminates tightly into a soca-connector.
It's also not beaten up and tossed into a rolling trunk with large quantities of heavy metal and plastic connectors, and then pulled out by whatever port was easiest to grasp by a local hand.
I suspect none of that comes into play in the electrical code reasoning, however... So I'm curious what the real reason is. Something to do with heat at the soca-head perhaps?
Firstly, the cable is more versatile. If you're going to invest in a 100' 12/18 SO cable, it's always nice to be able to toss on whichever connectors you need with ease.
SO cable is allowed in theatres for only two purposes: as temporary wiring and as permanent wiring only when the physical flexibility of the cable is needed. Under the premise that the multi-cable is primarily temporary, it's preferable to keep it versatile. Also, it's important to remember that in some situations, you don't even need to use break outs. For example, a 19-pin connector on a portable dimmer rack carries the circuits from the dimmer rack to a 19-pin connector on a pre-wired lamp bar. You don't need a break out, and it's easiest that way. Because the cables are fairly standard, you can also easily rent and purchase additional multi-cables. Not every 100' cable needs to be completely custom when purchased, just the shorter break outs. So before you even get to the code, there are good reasons that it is the way it is.
STEVETERRY might know more than I about how break outs relate to code, but I'd suspect not allowing a 100' multi-cable with built-in breakouts on each end has something to do with the durability/practicality of insulation bridging the gap between the single cable and the six smaller cables. Note that most two-fers have a molded Y to divide the wires, but doing that on a 12/18 SO cable is not nearly as easy, especially given the length of the cables.
SO cable is allowed in theatres for only two purposes: as temporary wiring and as permanent wiring only when the physical flexibility of the cable is needed. Under the premise that the multi-cable is primarily temporary, it's preferable to keep it versatile. Also, it's important to remember that in some situations, you don't even need to use break outs. For example, a 19-pin connector on a portable dimmer rack carries the circuits from the dimmer rack to a 19-pin connector on a pre-wired lamp bar. You don't need a break out, and it's easiest that way. Because the cables are fairly standard, you can also easily rent and purchase additional multi-cables. Not every 100' cable needs to be completely custom when purchased, just the shorter break outs. So before you even get to the code, there are good reasons that it is the way it is.
STEVETERRY might know more than I about how break outs relate to code, but I'd suspect not allowing a 100' multi-cable with built-in breakouts on each end has something to do with the durability/practicality of insulation bridging the gap between the single cable and the six smaller cables. Note that most two-fers have a molded Y to divide the wires, but doing that on a 12/18 SO cable is not nearly as easy, especially given the length of the cables.
Ah, but your premise is flawed. All cable used on a stage must be Extra Hard Service. See SJO cable in a theater. Since it is impossible to fit six 12/3 SO cables in a Socapex-type connector, the code allows hard usage (junior hard service) for breakouts provided the four conditions in NEC 520.68(A)(4) are met. #2 says "The longest cord in the breakout assembly does not exceed 6.0 m (20 ft)."
epimetheus
Well-Known Member
Thanks Derek! That's exactly what I was refering to but haven't had time to find.
Here is another possibility, you could use a microbrick II and then run standard cable to your lights
MicroBrick II offered by DimmerRack, Unique items for the Audio and Lighting Professional
Sharyn
MicroBrick II offered by DimmerRack, Unique items for the Audio and Lighting Professional
Sharyn
