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<blockquote data-quote="Steve Kirby" data-source="post: 145575" data-attributes="member: 9411">Re: Power Distro unitsAs Tim&#039;s articles will point out, at the JV level there are basically two kinds of &quot;distros&quot;.&nbsp; One is colloquially called a &quot;poor mans distro&quot; (Tim may have even coined that term) and is for where you only have standard 110-120 outlets to work with.&nbsp; It&#039;s basic function is to tie the grounds on multiple power circuits together so that things plugged into the branches don&#039;t suffer from ground loop noise.&nbsp; It doesn&#039;t make any more power or improve the stability of it.The second would be a proper small distro that takes higher power in and operates like an electrical sub-panel distributing it to multiple conventional 20A circuits and outlets.&nbsp; The most common JV system would have a 50A 240V &quot;California&quot; plug feeding a length of 4 conductor 6 gauge cable to a box having several circuit breakers and sets of outlets.&nbsp; Higher end systems involve independent conductors for each leg of 3 phase power, often at 100A which gets into really needing to know what you are doing.&nbsp; Done right this will give you more and more stable power than just running extension cords off of various outlets.&nbsp; And if you&#039;re running a large rig or lighting, it becomes part of the job.However these are only useful if you have access to an outlet for them.&nbsp; The California plug is commonly used on generators and some venues will have them available.&nbsp; On the campus of the fairly large company I work for in my day job there are several scattered about for events they do.&nbsp; Another town in the area runs summer concerts on a downtown street and they have CA outlets at either end of the block they close off that I&#039;ve used.Sometimes there may be power there but not on a standard CA outlet.&nbsp; 2nd most common in some hotels would be a range or dryer plug which are 50 or 30A respectively.&nbsp; You can buy adapters to convert these to the CA plug but that won&#039;t make 50A out of a 30A range plug.&nbsp; From there it gets into power panels and various more flaky things that you really need to know what you&#039;re doing again.Providing sound reinforcement is typically 30% trying to find enough electricity, 30% moving heavy things around, 30% winding up cables, and only 10% twisting knobs during a performance.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Steve Kirby, post: 145575, member: 9411"] Re: Power Distro units As Tim's articles will point out, at the JV level there are basically two kinds of "distros". One is colloquially called a "poor mans distro" (Tim may have even coined that term) and is for where you only have standard 110-120 outlets to work with. It's basic function is to tie the grounds on multiple power circuits together so that things plugged into the branches don't suffer from ground loop noise. It doesn't make any more power or improve the stability of it. The second would be a proper small distro that takes higher power in and operates like an electrical sub-panel distributing it to multiple conventional 20A circuits and outlets. The most common JV system would have a 50A 240V "California" plug feeding a length of 4 conductor 6 gauge cable to a box having several circuit breakers and sets of outlets. Higher end systems involve independent conductors for each leg of 3 phase power, often at 100A which gets into really needing to know what you are doing. Done right this will give you more and more stable power than just running extension cords off of various outlets. And if you're running a large rig or lighting, it becomes part of the job. However these are only useful if you have access to an outlet for them. The California plug is commonly used on generators and some venues will have them available. On the campus of the fairly large company I work for in my day job there are several scattered about for events they do. Another town in the area runs summer concerts on a downtown street and they have CA outlets at either end of the block they close off that I've used. Sometimes there may be power there but not on a standard CA outlet. 2nd most common in some hotels would be a range or dryer plug which are 50 or 30A respectively. You can buy adapters to convert these to the CA plug but that won't make 50A out of a 30A range plug. From there it gets into power panels and various more flaky things that you really need to know what you're doing again. Providing sound reinforcement is typically 30% trying to find enough electricity, 30% moving heavy things around, 30% winding up cables, and only 10% twisting knobs during a performance. [/QUOTE]

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