Quad Boxes

S

Sean Hewlett

Freshman
Nov 25, 2012
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NJ
sounddesignentertainment.weebly.com
For DJing and my small band setups, I will be making 3-4 quad box extension cords. I already have 14/3 SOOW in hand that I got at a yard sale (250ft for $20) :lol:. I plan on using outdoor 1 and 2 gang boxes since they are going to be used outside sometimes, along with a watertight compression strain relief. This way they can safely sit in the grass.

Let's see some of your pictures of your creations......
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Technically, using outdoor quad boxes wouldn't be code for several reasons.

Personally, I hate quad boxes on the ends of my extension cords. All of my 120V cable is terminated with standard Edison connectors. I do have quad boxes that I built that have stub in and out tails on them that I can then attach to the end of the extension cords where needed. Pretty sure this is against code as well, but it is solid and works quite well. Having the in AND out tail lets me drop quad boxes where I need them, and continue with an output to the next box. Across the front of a stage, I usually have 4 quads, spaced 5 or 10 feet apart, depending on the stage. Having power everywhere the musicians need it on stage without them running their gawd aweful orange snakes of extension cords is well worth it.
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Brian jojade said:
Technically, using outdoor quad boxes wouldn't be code for several reasons.

Personally, I hate quad boxes on the ends of my extension cords. All of my 120V cable is terminated with standard Edison connectors. I do have quad boxes that I built that have stub in and out tails on them that I can then attach to the end of the extension cords where needed. Pretty sure this is against code as well, but it is solid and works quite well. Having the in AND out tail lets me drop quad boxes where I need them, and continue with an output to the next box. Across the front of a stage, I usually have 4 quads, spaced 5 or 10 feet apart, depending on the stage. Having power everywhere the musicians need it on stage without them running their gawd aweful orange snakes of extension cords is well worth it.
Click to expand...

Hmmm......well, with my 3-4 cords, it wouldn't be too heavy/cumbersome to move around and use, so that won't be much of a problem.
As far as the outside terms go, they wouldn't be "left outside", but, of course when I DJ and do small bands, I'm outside for a while. It would have to be better than me using those crappy little power strips that get stepped on, broken and dirt inside of them. That's probably not code either, but, I'm trying to go a more safer and professional route.

Along with the weatherproof box, I also plan on putting flip down weatherproof cover on them to cover unused ones.
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Silas Pradetto said:
they are dramatically more than your budget. A complete assembled quad with the box from oa will be about $50 not including wire.

Sent from my DROID RAZR
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, okay. I think I'll stick with my weatherproof boxes homemade. I saw a band made them in my area once, and they coated the outside and plate with "Flex Seal" to rubberize it and make it not stick, not scratch. Pretty nice actually.
 
Sean Hewlett said:
Ahhhh, okay. I think I'll stick with my weatherproof boxes homemade. I saw a band made them in my area once, and they coated the outside and plate with "Flex Seal" to rubberize it and make it not stick, not scratch. Pretty nice actually.
Click to expand...

By the time you are done hacking something together with home depot parts, it's going to cost the same as the oa Windsor setup anyway.

Sent from my DROID RAZR
 
Re: Quad Boxes

I am a little gun shy at saying 14 GA is fine; but if it’s for light-duty* application, then it shouldn’t be a problem. The issue I see coming up with the power cable is that 14ga is only rated at 15amps of power draw.

When I am building Quad Box Drops I have short tails for "thru power" and I use 12 ga for everything (rated to 25amp). For an example, see picture I snagged of the internet.

cableorder1.jpg


*Light-Duty means: short power drops on stage for individual band member power, LED lighting trees, mixer & effect rack power.
 
Re: Quad Boxes

NMS (Romex) clamps are not listed for the manner you are using them for.

Some additional reading, this from the 2005 version of the NEC:

520.69 Adapters. Adapters, two-fers, and other singleand
multiple-circuit outlet devices shall comply with
520.69(A), (B), and (C).
(A) No Reduction in Current Rating. Each receptacle
and its corresponding cable shall have the same current and
voltage rating as the plug supplying it. It shall not be utilized
in a stage circuit with a greater current rating.
(B) Connectors. All connectors shall be wired in accordance
with 520.67.
(C) Conductor Type. Conductors for adapters and twofers
shall be listed, extra-hard usage or listed, hard usage
(junior hard service) cord. Hard usage (junior hard service)
cord shall be restricted in overall length to 1.0 m (3.3 ft).
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Tim McCulloch said:
NMS (Romex) clamps are not listed for the manner you are using them for.

Some additional reading, this from the 2005 version of the NEC:

520.69 Adapters. Adapters, two-fers, and other singleand
multiple-circuit outlet devices shall comply with
520.69(A), (B), and (C).
(A) No Reduction in Current Rating. Each receptacle
and its corresponding cable shall have the same current and
voltage rating as the plug supplying it. It shall not be utilized
in a stage circuit with a greater current rating.
(B) Connectors. All connectors shall be wired in accordance
with 520.67.
(C) Conductor Type. Conductors for adapters and twofers
shall be listed, extra-hard usage or listed, hard usage
(junior hard service) cord. Hard usage (junior hard service)
cord shall be restricted in overall length to 1.0 m (3.3 ft).
Click to expand...

Weatherproof compression fittings would be? Correct?

Thats what I plan on using, with weatherproof gang boxes, and possibly weatherproof covers.
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Matt Vivlamore said:
I am a little gun shy at saying 14 GA is fine; but if it’s for light-duty* application, then it shouldn’t be a problem. The issue I see coming up with the power cable is that 14ga is only rated at 15amps of power draw.

When I am building Quad Box Drops I have short tails for "thru power" and I use 12 ga for everything (rated to 25amp). For an example, see picture I snagged of the internet.

cableorder1.jpg


*Light-Duty means: short power drops on stage for individual band member power, LED lighting trees, mixer & effect rack power.
Click to expand...

The more connections, the more chances on a failure though.
 
Re: Quad Boxes

Rob Timmerman said:
And the quicker to swap out if there is a failure. Weren't you complaining about the lack of connectors inside some piece of equipment?
Click to expand...

No, I was complaining about a costly fix due to lack of connectors.

As a lineman I see a lot of failures dealing with a lot more current then a edison plug.

Do this, plug a hairdryer in and crank it up full blast for 5 minutes, see whats the hottest part, the plug or the wire. It will be the plug, why its only contacting on a small part of the blade.

Take a 600 amp disconnect switch on a 13.2 kw feeder. What part of the circuit do you think will fail,,? The contact points at the end of the blade.

Take a sub transmission line 69 kv or transmission line 230 kv, barring lightnining strikes, where will it fail first, the wire, or a connection at a loop? , the connection. Point, make a connection as positive as possible, edison vs. wire nut,, wire nut!

Had a guitar player get a wack off the vocal mic this weekend, we got 32 volts from strings to mic, problem was, the ground on his iec cable was busted off in the moulding, going to his amp.

I can go on forever, but if you want to daisy chain a bunch of quad box's and rely on a press fit of high resistant edison plug vs. a wire nutted and well twisted pair of wires, have at it.

Also, never use the push in terminals on a receptical.
 
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