Floor Box Connectors

B

Brad Weber

Junior
Jan 12, 2011
417
1
0
Marietta, GA
www.museav.com
Looking for feedback on experiences and preferences regarding the orientation of connectors in floor boxes, especially those that involve operating a spring loaded tab or button to insert and/or remove them.

I generally prefer to use pockets that have the connectors on a slant and to keep the connectors oriented vertically but find that if I have to 'stack' connectors with one above the other then the lower connector can be difficult to access. In those situations would you prefer the floor box:

1. Kept the connectors vertical and in the standard orientation?

2. Kept the connectors vertical but inverted the lower ones so the tabs would be at the bottom rather than between connectors?

3. Rotated the connectors to be horizontal? Is there a reason to not do this? Is there a preferred orientation for any release tabs or buttons?

4. Some other orientation or solution?


Thanks in advance for any input!
 
Re: Floor Box Connectors

Brad Weber said:
Looking for feedback on experiences and preferences regarding the orientation of connectors in floor boxes, especially those that involve operating a spring loaded tab or button to insert and/or remove them.

I generally prefer to use pockets that have the connectors on a slant and to keep the connectors oriented vertically but find that if I have to 'stack' connectors with one above the other then the lower connector can be difficult to access. In those situations would you prefer the floor box:

1. Kept the connectors vertical and in the standard orientation?

2. Kept the connectors vertical but inverted the lower ones so the tabs would be at the bottom rather than between connectors?

3. Rotated the connectors to be horizontal? Is there a reason to not do this? Is there a preferred orientation for any release tabs or buttons?

4. Some other orientation or solution?


Thanks in advance for any input!
Click to expand...

Given that floor pockets can be tough to see into, I'd keep everything the same orientation. Especially since a user may be plugging in the bottom row by feel. That rules out number 2.
Option 1 is viable if you can allow enough room between the rows.
Option 3 is a good one, but increases the width required if you are using XLRs (or other Neutrik D cutout items). Locking tab should go to the left for easy access with the thumb of your typical right-handed user.
 
Rob Timmerman said:
Locking tab should go to the left for easy access with the thumb of your typical right-handed user.
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I don't know about typical right hander, but my thumb is off te top of my hand, not the side .....

Keep ALL tabs, locks, etc the same orientation, and highly visible (ie, towards the opening or better yet, up)
 
Re: Floor Box Connectors

Rob Timmerman said:
Sure. But grab an XLR connector with your right hand and tell me that the lockng tab on the right side of the conenctor is easier to push...
Click to expand...

i never use my thumb to release locking tabs. It's always my index finger. Thant way I can rotate my hand in any orientation to release it except for maybe upside down...

frankly I think locking tabs are overrated. Back a few years ago we built our new splitters and subs snakes with switchcraft female XLRS, but without ANY locking tabs. I honestly cannot think of a single time it presented a problem in literally over a thousand shows and many thousands of connections. I CAN think of quite a few times when broken tabs caused me to have to disassemble an entire stage box in order to remove a trapped XLR cable.

while we're on the subject of floor pockets and XLRS. If the connector is never going to be seen, Please don't use a black connector on a black plate in a black floor pocket. Yes, it looks clean and nice. It's also a devil of a thing on a dark stage. The good old fashioned switchcraft green with the chrome surround works great. Ugly, yes. But much easier to see in the dark.
 
brian maddox said:
frankly I think locking tabs are overrated.
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+1 except on cable assemblies... That is my biggest complaint about Rapcos IsoBlox among others that follow a non locking female connector in a small non rack unit item.

while we're on the subject of floor pockets and XLRS. If the connector is never going to be seen, Please don't use a black connector on a black plate in a black floor pocket. Yes, it looks clean and nice. It's also a devil of a thing on a dark stage. The good old fashioned switchcraft green with the chrome surround works great. Ugly, yes. But much easier to see in the dark.
Click to expand...

+1 even better would be like the utility compartment on your car, open the cover, and it lights up ...
 
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