iec cables

[marting]

Following on from my thread about cables was looking at making some custom length iec cables i have a real of 5mm three core flex left over from some project or other, all the lights i would be powering with it would be individually plugged into an iec distribution board and are led such as mega bars think most power hungry light i have is a adj revo 4 so drain would be low.

Will of course be pat testing them


thoughts please

[Supreme Soundz]

go for it i make all my own iec's and test them i use heat resistant cable as its silicon and really nice and flexi too

[chrisj]

I make all mine too and love (not) connecting the cables in the iec's. Always test them myself as all the other gear.
Hopefully I have made enough as it did get rather boring.

[Vectis]

When half-decent ready made moulded cables cost from just over a quid depending on length, what's the point? :confused:

I used this brand for years without any issues.

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pe00058/lead-iec-plug-to-iec-socket-2m/dp/PL09622

[Supreme Soundz]

i tend not to use the ready made ones as the flex is plasticy and horrible, when making my own i can use nice flexible silicon flex, that bends where and how i want and dosent have a memory as to say :)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Never ever dream of making my own, as Martin said for the price they cost why bother?

[marting]

Never ever dream of making my own, as Martin said for the price they cost why bother?

for instance im daisy chaining two lights together 10m or 15m apart and there is no accessible power point or in the case of my rigging my light bar when im daisy chaining two lights one at the top bar and one on the bottom i don't want 2m or 1m i really only want about 30cm in which case i will chop a lead down.

the essence of the thread is will 5mm flex be adequate or is it going to catch fire because of the power drain of of approx 18w for a mega bar wouldn't be plugging my 800w smoke machine in to it.

[Excalibur]

When half-decent ready made moulded cables cost from just over a quid depending on length, what's the point? :confused:

I used this brand for years without any issues.

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pe00058/lead-iec-plug-to-iec-socket-2m/dp/PL09622
And available in so many lengths in (half? ) metre increments.


Never ever dream of making my own, as Martin said for the price they cost why bother?

What they said. Yes, cables made to an exact length from high grade flex would be lovely, but the benefits are so small that even a cheerful DIYer like myself wouldn't even consider it.




for instance im daisy chaining two lights together 10m or 15m apart and there is no accessible power point or in the case of my rigging my light bar when im daisy chaining two lights one at the top bar and one on the bottom i don't want 2m or 1m i really only want about 30cm in which case i will chop a lead down.

the essence of the thread is will 5mm flex be adequate or is it going to catch fire because of the power drain of of approx 18w for a mega bar wouldn't be plugging my 800w smoke machine in to it.
This reference to 5mm is worrying me. It's normal to categorise cable by the cross sectional area of the conductor. I could weld with 5mm cable.;) :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

More info please. Is there a rating sticker on the reel?

And shortening cables is a doddle if you loop the excess, and cable tie it.

And the current draw from most LED fixtures is so low that I don't expect many wires to be incapable of carrying it.

If you're at all unsure, check with a tame sparky.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

for instance im daisy chaining two lights together 10m or 15m apart and there is no accessible power point or in the case of my rigging my light bar when im daisy chaining two lights one at the top bar and one on the bottom i don't want 2m or 1m i really only want about 30cm in which case i will chop a lead down.

the essence of the thread is will 5mm flex be adequate or is it going to catch fire because of the power drain of of approx 18w for a mega bar wouldn't be plugging my 800w smoke machine in to it.

I have all sorts of lengths from .25m to 10m iec cables. Useful when you have active speakers and provide uplighting services.

[marting]

More info please. Is there a rating sticker on the reel?

And shortening cables is a doddle if you loop the excess, and cable tie it.

And the current draw from most LED fixtures is so low that I don't expect many wires to be incapable of carrying it.

If you're at all unsure, check with a tame sparky.


http://www.electronicsspecialist.co.uk/cables-parts-power-supplies/3-core-3a-mains-cable-2183y-3-core-3a-white-.asp
i believe this is the stuff only its black lol and i aslo have a reel of white yuk

[Excalibur]

http://www.electronicsspecialist.co.uk/cables-parts-power-supplies/3-core-3a-mains-cable-2183y-3-core-3a-white-.asp
i believe this is the stuff only its black lol and i aslo have a reel of white yuk

Bingo. As it says in small writing at the top, approx 750w total power capacity. If the figure of 18w consumption for a Megabar is accurate, you could in theory chain nearly forty of them from that cable. :eek: :eek: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ( I wouldn't recommend it, for two reasons. )

It should do what you want, but a word of caution. If you ever use Halogen or other non LED fixtures, You can't safely chain them with such cable.


Many sweeping generalisations there, but I'm trying to err on the side of caution. Good luck.

[Vectis]

So, off to buy some IEC connectors then the sudden realisation that they're dearer than buying a ready-made cable :p

... especially ones that don't fall apart on first use :o

[marting]

It should do what you want, but a word of caution. If you ever use Halogen or other non LED fixtures, You can't safely chain them with such cable. .

I wouldn't dream of plugging a high drain item such as my powered speakers or smoke machine into it, all my lights apart from the lasers are led of one form another.

So, off to buy some IEC connectors then the sudden realisation that they're dearer than buying a ready-made cable :p

... especially ones that don't fall apart on first use :o

have about dozen male iec sockets sat doing nothing that i brought for this exact purpose especially making the longer leads fortunately i have the reels of cable already other wise yes think i would be purchasing the ready made ones.

[Excalibur]

I wouldn't dream of plugging a high drain item such as my powered speakers or smoke machine into it, all my lights apart from the lasers are led of one form another.
.


A wise and cunning plan, Baldrick. However: what about the person who borrows a cable from your box? How will they know of its limitations? There are no fuses in IEC connectors. They use it to extend a short cable running a device drawing nearly ten amps. See where I'm coming from?


( And don't say nobody borrows my cables. If it can happen, it will happen. ;)

[Mark Wild]

i tend not to use the ready made ones as the flex is plasticy and horrible

I have to agree with that, anyone got any links for more flexible, less plasticy ones? Por favor :D

[Takeiteasy]

CLD will make you a 5 meter flex IEC for around £6 :)

[chrisj]

When half-decent ready made moulded cables cost from just over a quid depending on length, what's the point? :confused:

I used this brand for years without any issues.

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pe00058/lead-iec-plug-to-iec-socket-2m/dp/PL09622

As I mentioned ealier, I make my own and most are 3m but I do have 0,5m, 1m, 2m and 5m. I often have the lights 3m aprt so 2m ready made cables would be no good and as mentioned earlier they are ususally very stiff especially in cold conditions.
I also have my par56's in wooden black boxes and any spare cable tucks inside after passing through the cutouts on either side of the box. When the lights are near the wall and the tables very close to the wall also being in a box the lights are safer as people kick the box and not the light itself.
This will happen at the weekend as the tables/chairs will be set up before I arrive mid-day to set up mood lighting and disco. I have asked for 1m space between tables and wall as it will be in a village hall.
Sorry to go off main subject.

[Takeiteasy]

Do those CPC IEC cables really wind up nicely though ?

[Mark Wild]

CLD will make you a 5 meter flex IEC for around £6 :)

Any chance of a link boss?

[Creature]

i have a mixture some Ive brought ready made, some Ive made.

Altho I find myself making more n more of them especially for the gantry.

with using 5 or 6 trusses i find if you loop cables that are too long its a mess, especially near my Prolight Show directors, were the all the wires join up to.

So am slowely making up shorter ones to make things a bit tidier.

I thought we had done a good job of feeding and velcroing the cable inside the truss, but if you look at the pic top right You can see were we had looped cables that were too long :(