Daisy Chaining mains power

[Ricesnaps]

Been meaning to ask this for a while.

How best can I daisy chain the power to lights?

Say I wanted to space my LED PARS out around the edge of the room, can I send power from a 13 amp socket to the first lamp, then out of the first to the second and so on?

I was thinking it may be possible to have an IEC plug with a lead to an IEC socket (to plug into the PAR) and then another lead coming out of this IEC with another IEC socket on the end. and so on...

Or would I need a junction box?

[groovy-nights]

Hi Rice
We do this with 16amp plugs and sockets makes it much easyer to wire up.

[Vibrant Sounds]

You would need to use some IEC socket to 2 IEC plug Y leads. Plug the socket into a normal IEC to mains lead and one plug into the first light fixture, the second plug would go into the socket of the second IEC Y lead. You continue like this as required

Now, this is okay with LED PARs as they draw very little power, but I would not suggest that more than four 250 watt fixtures were powered like this as the current draw at the initial connection would be close to the maximum 10amps usually specified in the Y leads details.

[Vectis]

16A is the way to go for mega installs, but if like me you've got a shedful of 6A or 10A IEC cables amassed over the years, then These (http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=44399&doy=1m8) are a godsend.

[Vectis]

four 250 watt fixtures ... would be close to the maximum 10amps

Eh? :confused:

Watts = Volts * Amps

Therefore 250W = 240V * 1.04A

So 9 x 250W fixtures could run off of one 10A cable safely.

Unless there's an overhead for transformers, motors etc. pushing up the rating. But even so, 4 is way low an estimate.

[Danno13]

If you're fairly competant with electrical wiring.. then you could use a load of these..

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Electrical,+Lighting+&+Security/Electrical/BRITISH+GENERAL/491/displayProduct.jsp?sku=PL03429

Along with a big reel of 10A cable and plenty of IEC plugs/sockets.

It would be a more permenant than the Y-lead option, but quicker to setup, and all the wires could be cut to size.

With regard to the above post, remember discharge lighting draws a massive amount of current when the light strikes, so if all four were plugged in and turned on at once, then the 10A restriction could be a problem.

[Vibrant Sounds]

Eh? :confused:

Watts = Volts * Amps

Therefore 250W = 240V * 1.04A

So 9 x 250W fixtures could run off of one 10A cable safely.

Unless there's an overhead for transformers, motors etc. pushing up the rating. But even so, 4 is way low an estimate.

Maybe, but if you check the power rating of many 250 watt fixtures you will see that the manufacturer usually quotes around 2 amps. If you exceed this and have a problem then the HSE might have something to say.

The 250 watt applies to the lamp, not the fixture. This alone is 250/24 if an elc lamp and takes no account of transformer inefficiency (nothing is 100% efficient) and motor power etc.

The 150 watt 12 volt fixtures actually draw more current.

Still, each to their own.

[sleah]

If you're fairly competant with electrical wiring.. then you could use a load of these..

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/Electrical,+Lighting+&+Security/Electrical/BRITISH+GENERAL/491/displayProduct.jsp?sku=PL03429

.

Noooooo! Those junction boxes are designed for permanent installations.
They are not suitable for temporary installs, for a start they don't have any form of strain relief. They are also quite brittle and would shatter if stood on.

IEC Y adaptors are the way forward, or at least just daisy chain 13A extensions that have 2 or more gangs on the end.

[kilmeedyman]

If you have four 13a extension leads daisy-chained with a light plugged into each, the draw on the first plug in the chain is just the same as having the four lights plugged into the one four-way.

The fact they are daisy chained is irrelevant except that with four daisy-chained extension leads you have 12 sockets and you must not be tempted into plugging a 250w light into each !!!

The watts to amps calulation from VectisVibe is correct.

[Vectis]

With regard to the above post, remember discharge lighting draws a massive amount of current when the light strikes, so if all four were plugged in and turned on at once, then the 10A restriction could be a problem.

Yes, agreed, inrush current can be a problem if you switch on a bunch of lights at once (esp. discharge) and transformer inefficiencies etc. must be catered for.

[Tom]

also just to ask can you apply this to speakers. the db sub 15 has a power input and output so im guessing that u could run 2 subs from 1 plug and link the subs via a power cable???

[Larry B Entertainment]

also just to ask can you apply this to speakers. the db sub 15 has a power input and output so im guessing that u could run 2 subs from 1 plug and link the subs via a power cable???

Depends on the power consumption of the subs. If they are no more than 1500 watss each then this shouldnt be a problem as you can run upto 3000 watts on a 13 amp fuse.

[Tom]

really. cool. that solves me problem. in time i want to get 4 sub 15 (800 watts rms each) and daisy chain them up on one plug. saves plugs. so i can have on plug just for subs instead of 4. cheers larry

[spin mobile disco]

Dont forget to allow for signal peaks which can be much higher.

[Tom]

yep. all the buttons and led's are on the back of the subs so i can monitor them all the time just to be on the safe side