cables

[marting]

Set my full rig up tonight in the lounge no pics as it looked a right mess couldn't get my starcloth to hang properly and cables everywhere despite velcro cable ties other than physically cutting every cable to size any suggestions for keeping my rig tidy and cable out of sight

[Booche]

I suppose if you posted a pic of what your rig looked like front and a close up of the bar it might be better

Also have you thought about pre-wiring your bar with a few dmx cables (if you link you lights) and a few longish iec cables ?

I have and all i have to do now is fasten lights to my bar and then plug the iec's in on the other end.....

I'll try and get a few pic's of my bar soon but i can honestly say it took me about 1hr to get the cables all sorted and neat and now it cuts about 1hr-1.5hr setting up time :D

[marting]

was thinking of making some custom length iec leads and then running them from an iec distribution panel and then leaving it prewired and see how i go from there my first gig is on the 21st so hopefully will have it done by then, unless any one can suggest any other way.

[Andy Goodtimes]

I guess all systems are a bit different but I would have thought that your starcloth should hide all or most of the wires. I don't pre-wire bars as I tend to do different lighting arrangements depending on venue and what the client has requested by way of lighting.

You can buy wires more or less the correct length from the like of CPC, the DMX ones appear to go from .5m upwards in .5m and 1m stages and so too the IECs. I use the Ultimax trusslight and the wires can quickly thread in-between the criss cross bits and also be secured with velcro and assuming they are the right length there shouldn't be too much mess. I use rubber treads for anything that goes outside the booth such as wires to speaker stacks and mains...guess its just a case of getting a system and getting used to it really.

[Vectis]

was thinking of making some custom length iec leads and then running them from an iec distribution panel and then leaving it prewired

Don't forget to get all the custom work PAT'ed :)

This is the route I took; I ended up with two or three 'looms' for different configurations and just pulled the appropriate one out of the van.

Later I migrated to an Ultimax Powerlite bar which was an absolute godsend - I wired it with an IEC socket every 50cm and so just needed short ie. 50cm IEC M-F to drop down to the hanging light below. You can't buy these any more, but it's essentially a length of 50mm x 75mm aluminium box trunking and a couple of Ultimax top castings. Might be worth investigating if you're handy.

Pics here partway down the page: http://www.djheaven.co.uk/en-gb/dept_97.html

Others have successfully used products such as the Show Director, which has a single power and a single data feed running up to a distribution unit on the overhead bar, controlled by a low voltage switch pack at console level.

I'm 99.9% certain they're discontinued as an Ultimax product.

[marting]

i have a rhino 4ft with twin bar had a switched 6 socket extension lead at the top in the centre with cables running from that but some cables far too long others not long enough....

http://www.cookies.co.uk/product.aspx?productid=23947

[Andy Goodtimes]

A cheap and easy option is for you to use IECs and have a PC08 on a shelf below the console, that way all the slack is on the floor behind the front starcloth.

[chrisj]

I use an 8 way switched panel near my decks with iec cables running down to it and as Andy says the excess cable is on the floor behind my starcloth. Even dmx link cable is done the same way for the Twister HP4's on ends of gantry, cable down one side and up the other, excess cable behind starcloth again.

[marting]

going to make some additional longer length iec leads up, i have 3/4 of a roll of 5mm three core flex do you think this would be sufficant all the lights i use are led low draw 18w etc not 250w halos

[DeckstarDeluxe]

A cheap and easy option is for you to use IECs and have a PC08 on a shelf below the console, that way all the slack is on the floor behind the front starcloth.


I use an 8 way switched panel near my decks with iec cables running down to it and as Andy says the excess cable is on the floor behind my starcloth. Even dmx link cable is done the same way for the Twister HP4's on ends of gantry, cable down one side and up the other, excess cable behind starcloth again.

Its what I use too. IEC's are the way to go. I've seen people use 4 way blocks up on their overhead and just hate seeing that.

Get yourself some cable ties or as I use my black deckstand use black gaffa (surprisingly doesn't take the paint off and you can see it unless you look for it)

[marting]

:Censored: :Censored: cables have been out and brought a reel of cable and have all the male and females ends i need they are suppposed to be easy wire my :Censored: , at least to a standard i think is acceptable maybe im being to picky, have managed 1 of 9 so far and resorted to soldering it, onto no 2 and i have i given up my soldering skills dont seem to be that cleaver grr, a friend is meant to be coming to help hope his soldering is better than mine

[Vectis]

:Censored: :Censored: cables have been out and brought a reel of cable and have all the male and females ends i need they are suppposed to be easy wire my :Censored: , at least to a standard i think is acceptable maybe im being to picky, have managed 1 of 9 so far and resorted to soldering it, onto no 2 and i have i given up my soldering skills dont seem to be that cleaver grr, a friend is meant to be coming to help hope his soldering is better than mine

:whistle:

[Excalibur]

:whistle:

Agreed. I can't remember where, but didn't a number of us advise CPC ready mades, only to be shot down in flames, cos the cable was stiff and shiny?

[marting]

pleased to say cables have been made up and are the exact length i want them.
ready to be pat tested just need to string them up to the lighting bar now, it looks tider already.
Happy but next time might think of buying ready mades:whistle: .

Will put some pics up sunday of rig from gig on saturday. where of course i will happy to accept comments good and bad.