Turning 120v into 208v

I am getting some new moving lights and I would like to get vl 3000's but I need 208v to power them up. I do not want to spend the money on a distro and a bunch of cable. So I was thinking of modifying some of my breakouts and making 3 208v circuits out of them. Has anybody done this and does this sound like a bad idea? I have etc sensor racks and I will be putting ac relay modules in them. I know I have to use hots that are out of phase to get the 208v and I know the breakers will not throw both sides if one side goes and I need to too check if the pin out config will be the same if I move the 208v breakouts around. This is a professional road house and I don't want to feel like I am jury-rigging the place just to make something work. Thank you.
 
I guess I need to buy the nec code book. I am guessing that the problem is not having a double throw breaker. If I can't get 208v economically I can still buy 120v movers not a big deal. Was just looking for more options.
 
Your looking at adding less than 5% of the cost of the lights to the order with a proper distro and L6 cable.

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I have read other posts and I saw a quote that probably applies here. "Just because it works does not mean its right." I am sure it will work but I would like to know why it is not right. For my own education.
 
I have read other posts and I saw a quote that probably applies here. "Just because it works does not mean its right." I am sure it will work but I would like to know why it is not right. For my own education.

Whenever you have two hot legs, you need a common throw breaker so that both legs are cut if there is an error. Also, 208 connectors must be unique when in the same venue as 120 connectors, thus the NEMA designations. Now you may ask about socapex.... many have... ;)
 
Adding 208v power to a $150000.00 lighting package may not be that much in the grand scheme of things but it is not going to be that easy to add a distro. It needs to be a semi permanent installation. Plus other problems that I probably have not thought of yet. I could go into detail but I don't want to bore everybody with the power distribution system in my venue. I am happy to talk about it but I think I would rather get mac vipers instead of running hundreds of feet of cable for 208v.
 
Adding 208v power to a $150000.00 lighting package may not be that much in the grand scheme of things but it is not going to be that easy to add a distro. It needs to be a semi permanent installation. Plus other problems that I probably have not thought of yet. I could go into detail but I don't want to bore everybody with the power distribution system in my venue. I am happy to talk about it but I think I would rather get mac vipers instead of running hundreds of feet of cable for 208v.

By all means, get into it. We love talking about boring power distribution issues (seriously, we do).

Also the Vipers are pretty sweet. We just got two of them to replace the Mac 700's we've rented several times. What kind of throws are you looking it?
 
I am a typical road house. With a house plot that I have been developing over the years. I have a 3 color wash with 2 systems of high sides plus specials over 4 electrics plus 60 pars upstage for music acts. There are times that the act wants movers that we rent along with a grand ma. I finally got the money to get a new console and movers so we did not have to rent anymore.

All my power comes from the grid in the form of socopex on each side of the stage. I could either put the distro on the grid or on the stage right pin rail. Still a long way from a power source. My trims are mostly 22 to 24 ft. The proscenium opening is 30 ft by 60 ft. 80 ft grid. Almost 1800 seat theater.

The easy way is to get new mac vipers. But as I was looking at used vl 3000's it is almost 2 to 1. I think I would rather have 16 used vl3000's instead of 8 new mac vipers.
 
I am a typical road house. With a house plot that I have been developing over the years. I have a 3 color wash with 2 systems of high sides plus specials over 4 electrics plus 60 pars upstage for music acts. There are times that the act wants movers that we rent along with a grand ma. I finally got the money to get a new console and movers so we did not have to rent anymore.

All my power comes from the grid in the form of socopex on each side of the stage. I could either put the distro on the grid or on the stage right pin rail. Still a long way from a power source. My trims are mostly 22 to 24 ft. The proscenium opening is 30 ft by 60 ft. 80 ft grid. Almost 1800 seat theater.

The easy way is to get new mac vipers. But as I was looking at used vl 3000's it is almost 2 to 1. I think I would rather have 16 used vl3000's instead of 8 new mac vipers.

Etc does not make a 208 module to my knowledge. You can not just tie the breakers together, that would void Ul and be illegal in so many other ways. You would also have to build cheaters which are also illegal to use the power.

How do you intend to get the power to the units if you go 120? Your already picking cable to the electrics so we what's another cable.

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They will most likely go on my house electrics but I am not sure so I would like to be flexible with power. So I just switch my dimmer module to a relay module. Holy crap this is hard. Ok how about a certified 20amp double throw breaker in the junction box between the socopex and the dimmer rack. I could make it 15 amp to be on the safe side. This reminds me of Mythbusters. Trying to find a way it could possibly work. I think I need to call the applications engineer at etc so they can make me double throw breakers.
 
I guess I need to buy the nec code book. I am guessing that the problem is not having a double throw breaker. If I can't get 208v economically I can still buy 120v movers not a big deal. Was just looking for more options.


Good Morning Lightguywcl

Both breakers in an ETC module gets it’s power from the same phase so bridging them wom’t get you anything. You’d have to jump several modules to get to another phase.

BTW
I tried to get my boss to buy me the 2014 NEC book, he told me the state of FL just adopted the 2011 code.
 
I knew I needed to check that. I should have probably have done that before I started talking about stuff I could not possibly do. One of the future upgrades is to change the back plates on the dimmers to accept the new ecm's. Maybe they could change a few wires around for me. So how many mac vipers can I get for $100000.00 dollars?
 
I want to thank all the comments. It is helping me figure out what to do. It looks like I will just do what everybody else did in my position at different venues in the area is get the hottest fixture in that time period. Creativity is good in lighting but not in electricity. It would be great though if the racks were wired in such a way that would accept 208v modules that etc would make in my alternate reality. Yeah, wouldn't that be great. Is it really that bad of an idea. And would it really be that hard to do? Although led's might make 208v less important in the future.
 
It would be great though if the racks were wired in such a way that would accept 208v modules that etc would make in my alternate reality. Yeah, wouldn't that be great. Is it really that bad of an idea. And would it really be that hard to do? Although led's might make 208v less important in the future.

Issue there is what do you do on the other end of the rack? If you still have a stagepin plug, you now have a stagepin plug with hot 208 on it instead of 120. You then have to build stagepin Y cables to L6-20 adapters... which are illegal because stagepins are not rated for 208 AND you run the possibility of having a free hot if something gets unplugged.

This really is not that hard of stuff. A 100 amp distro to socapex will run you 1500 bucks or so. Swap a few socapex cables over, label them well, put on new fanouts, and your set to go.
 
Maybe I'm missing something but you have a male end of that so apex somewhere. Somewhere they all come out to where you have a sort of patch panel into your dimmer. What is keeping you from buying a 208v soca distro and jumping that into your feeder that goes to your dimmer? Get the proper breakouts and label the soca runs on 208 well and you're good to go.
 

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