Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

F

frank kayser

Junior
Jan 11, 2011
290
1
18
Maryland suburbs of DC
Good morning, all,

I have read a number of postings here as to not using normal Home Despot quad boxes on a cord to extend power for the stage. The general recommendation was those hard rubber - type boxes - from I don't remember who (but I have it in links).

I've also read here that one should spend the cash on SOOW cords vs something like SJOOW or lesser rated cords.

So my question is about some of the multiple tap extension cords on the market - some of them from what look to be reputable theater production supply places. Specifically, I want to know if anyone has experience with, or has a reason not to use, this product:

E-String (6) NEMA 5-15 Receptacles Black
Multiple Receptacle Extensions
Description
2P3W, 20A, NEMA 5-20 straight blade plug with (6) NEMA 5-15 Edison receptacles. All black construction. 50' overall length.
Catalog Number
50112BA
Markets Served
Theatrical, Motion Picture Filming, Live Events, Convention Centers, Industrial Temporary Power
Application
Ideal for plugging in numerous low wattage instruments such as photography equipment, laptop computers, display lights, ect.
Features & Benefits
Extra hard usage cord.
Green LED power indicator helps in locating receptacles.
Outlets have dust covers attached to protect them or to douse indicator light.
Suitable for outdoor use.
All black construction blends into scenery.
Specifications
12/3 STOOW-A extra hard usage cord.
Molded male plug, cord end, and female receptacles.
Green LED power indicator on each receptacle.

http://www.lexproducts.com/galleries/product_document_public/Estring Web.pdf

Any comments - opinions?

thanks

frank
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Frank,

I have one 2 20 amp circuit stage stringer from the Amp Shop that rarely gets used. I also have a large number of drop boxes I made with the rubber boxes from OA Windsor. Ken (888) 674-8228 [SIZE=+1]
[/SIZE]at Windsor is great to deal with and if you tell him what you are trying to do he will get you hooked up correctly. I am not as fond of the Lex Products mostly due to price.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Hi Frank-

As Jay points out, Lex is expensive as are most of the pre-fab places. The reason is product liability and that they are dealing a product with limited market demand.

The suggestion to use O.A. Windsor (Ken) is a good one, whether you buy outright or order components and DIY.

Have fun, safe power.

Tim Mc
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

The LEX stringer is a good one. I have one and use it all the time. I also have some stringers that are almost identical but are yellow and came from Home Depot. Some may lamb baste me here for using them, but you know what? They are rated exactly the same as the LEX, and have the very same insulation, STOOW. The T stands for thermoplastic instead of the rubber more commonly used. The best part is that I bought 10 of them one day for 5 bucks each on closeout. I paid a bit more than 50 bucks for that one LEX stringer I have!

The only downside I see to this is that they are yellow....
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

One January I picked up a few 25 footers with taps at 8 and 16 at Lowes for $5 each on Xmas closeout and they are 14 gauge and green :) . I use green cube taps (also Xmas closeouts) on each tap and the end. A bit of a kludge but works well enough for backline. My PR12D mains draw little enough that I often plug those into it too. I have black 25 foot 14 gauge IEC cords for the mains I bought for $7 each new from monoprice.com :).
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

I have one like you mentioned - from a different manufacturer. It's good quality, but the single outlet at each spot got annoying for band work.

ST--- cable is a little different from SO--, shinier...

I second the OA Windsor stuff. I built 5 singles and 1 multi-drop that are rock-solid.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

"I have read a number of postings here as to not using normal Home Despot quad boxes on a cord to extend power for the stage."

Why?

I have never meet a musician that wasn't happy to see a good old fashioned "Home Despot" type quad box conveniently placed on stage for him.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Chuck Simon said:
"I have read a number of postings here as to not using normal Home Despot quad boxes on a cord to extend power for the stage."

Why?

I have never meet a musician that wasn't happy to see a good old fashioned "Home Despot" type quad box conveniently placed on stage for him.
Click to expand...

They are designed to be screwed to the wall and the knockouts won't stay un-knocked-out, among other things. With electrical equipment, it's not enough to be listed - it has to be listed for the application you are using it for.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Marlow Wilson said:
They are designed to be screwed to the wall and the knockouts won't stay un-knocked-out, among other things. With electrical equipment, it's not enough to be listed - it has to be listed for the application you are using it for.
Click to expand...
That's my biggest concern about ordinary quad boxes. The outdoor weatherproof boxes don't have this problem, they have screw-in closure plugs that stay securely in the threaded holes.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Chuck Simon said:
"I have read a number of postings here as to not using normal Home Despot quad boxes on a cord to extend power for the stage."

Why?

I have never meet a musician that wasn't happy to see a good old fashioned "Home Despot" type quad box conveniently placed on stage for him.
Click to expand...

They're not the ones that count in this case. The weather-proof boxes with screw-in covers are much better, but depending on the opinion of the local inspector du-jour, may still not be acceptable since they are a custom build.

In my experience, if the rest of the rig is done professionally - nothing hung by bailing wire and duct tape, heavy SO cords instead of 16ga orange ones, proper distribution, clean setup with no trip hazards, etc., the weather-proof boxes are fine.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

I replaced weather proof boxes with the rubberized ones. I am never going back. I think for the slight increase in the initial investment, it is well worth doing it correctly the first time.

The rubberized ones look better on stage, are easier to move around, and I prefer the way the outlets sit on the sides rather than on top. The waterproof ones are actually usually fairly brittle pot metal and can shatter or crack if dropped hard.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Thanks Jay, and others for the O.A. Windsor tip. I learn something new here every day!
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

It is my feeling that these little details are what separate a varsity member running a small system from a junior varsity setup. I also think that JV shouldn't be a race to the bottom and where we can apply big league principles we should (especially one like this that are not that costly). My personal goal is that when I bring in a rig or set up for a show, no one can tell if I have done it once that week or six times that week.

And I have been in the online sound community for about three years now, and I learned many of these details from the people who are right here in this community.
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

Marlow Wilson said:
I sensed sarcasm, but who knows I guess!
Click to expand...

No not sarcasm......what i have seen here is in Aussie of this sort of stuff is that the "knockouts" are all threaded and so they wont fall out, hence my question as i didnt understand. Just noticed Mikes post above and obviously i have only seen outdoor ones. thanks Tim for the explanation, i am now a little bit more knowledgable LOL.

cheers dave
 
Re: Mutiple Power Taps - Backine Power...

David Luscombe said:
No not sarcasm......what i have seen here is in Aussie of this sort of stuff is that the "knockouts" are all threaded and so they wont fall out, hence my question as i didnt understand. Just noticed Mikes post above and obviously i have only seen outdoor ones. thanks Tim for the explanation, i am now a little bit more knowledgable LOL.

cheers dave
Click to expand...

It was the sentence structure that caused me to sense sarcasm more than the question itself (e.g: "Electrical code, what's an electrical code?"), though I guess I was ASSuming you were from the US. I have an Aussie staff-member with whom 99% of our conversations are crystal clear, but the occasional word doesn't translate across the pacific AT ALL.
 
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