# Distribution: connector strip's outlets



## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

Hello,

I am a student and I run the lighting for my middle school, but I am a beginner in the field. We have these big horizontal boxes that are apparently called "connector strips" and their made by ETC. Here is the link to that product's page: Lighting solutions for Theatre, Film & Television Studios and Architectural spaces : ETC . We have these directly above a row of lights, but on the bottom of these connector strips, there is some weird connector that I am not familiar with. All of our lights use stage pin, and they plug into these connector strips, but we have more lights than there are cables going to these unknown ports. Here is what I know: the light (e.g. source four) has a male stage pin cable. Assuming that it is connected to the connector strip, the male stage pin would go into a female cable, which goes directly into the connector strip. Our problem is that there are more lights then cable's coming from the connector strip, so we can't hook all of our lights into the system. What I need to know is what kind of cable is the one on the connector strip so that we can buy more of them and hook up the rest of our lights.


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

It's hard to follow what you mean when you speak of "unknown connectors."

The standard system is constructed in the following manner. You have connector strips. These are large, metal boxes with connectors every xx amount of inches from each other. These can be 2P&G (aka Stage Pin), 5-15 (aka Edison), L5-20 (aka Twist-lock), or pretty much any other connector, provided the connector is UL listed.

The connectors can be configured in any number of ways, with receptacles recessed into the strips like standard wall outlets, or with pigtails. Pigtails are just short, flexible cables that allow the end-user from flexibility in where they plug things in. Simply more pigtails does not mean you would be able to have more dimmable circuits.

Each circuit (be it a pigtail or flush-mount receptacle), will have its wires run back to a terminal strip. All of the wires from all of the circuits terminate here. These then connect each given circuit with a circuit on a multicable. A multicable can have any number of circuits on it, all in a single cable. For my theatre, we have three multicables supplying the circuits to each electric, except for the fourth electric which only has two.

Long story short, the wires then go back to a dimmer rack, where the the wires from each circuit at the connector strips land on the terminals for corresponding dimmers.

Adding circuits for you to plug in more lights requires new, higher-capacity connector strips be custom-fabricated, more wires be run back to your dimmer racks, and more dimmer racks be added.

Now what I do not understand is what exactly your problem is. If you need more 2P&G extension cables, any theatrical supplier can provide those. There's plenty of websites you can purchase them from, or I'm certain someone closer to Boston than myself can recommend a local supplier.

If you what you need is more circuits for your lights to plug into, then you're looking at a very expensive project costing tens of thousands of dollars.


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

The problem isn't lack of stage pin cables, but our school doesn't have any pigtail connectors with stagepin on one end, and then going into the connector strip on the other end. Basically, what I need is more cable's that plug into the connector strip on one end, and then are a female stage pin on the other. Also, our connector strips have plenty of open ports for these cable's to plug into, so I am also wondering if our supplier would've shipped more cable's like the one's I'm looking for with the connector strip's.


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

Do the connectors look something like this?


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

jpachter said:


> ... We have these directly above a row of lights, but on the bottom of these connector strips, there is some weird connector that I am not familiar with. ...


Hi jpachter, 

Could you pick those mystery connectors out of a lineup?




MNicolai is correct in that depending on what you are trying to accomplish, it can be a very expensive proposition to add more circuits. There are other, less expensive options such as a two-fer or three-fer that may allow you to connect more lights to your existing circuits depending on what types of lamps you are using and what that circuit is rated to handle. You would not gain additional control of the added lights, but you would be able to connect more to your system. 

Another option if you have Sensor Dimming racks is to purchase dimmer doublers. They are a special type of two-fer that uses a special lamp in your Source 4 to allow you to have individual control of each side of the split. 

As for adding circuits to connector strips, that is a bit of a no-no to do in the field because each connector strip is UL listed for factory assembly only and modifications made on site to the connector strip are not covered by the UL listing unless a site inspection has been made by a UL inspector.


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin? Also, the issue is not lack of connector strips, we have plenty of circuits with open ports to plug these wires into, we just need the cables.


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

jpachter said:


> the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin?



Sometimes consultants specifiy different types of connectors for different types of power. (ie: Dimming, Relays for Moving Lights, Constant Power for Accessories, etc...)

Are there labels over these connectors to denote which circuit or dimmer they connect to? (Numbers, Letters, or a Combination)


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## Sean (Jun 12, 2010)

jpachter said:


> the closest to the one's at my school would be the twist lock, but I'm not sure why one end of the cable would be twist lock and the other end would be stage pin?



So, you have some stage pin circuits, and some of these 'look like twist lock' circuits, correct?

Tell us what the labels say on those outlets.

In many situations, dimmed circuits (that you would plug theatre lights into) are one type of connector....in your case stagepin. Other types of power: 208v circuits, non-dim power, etc are terminated in a different connector to avoid cross-plugging.

Does that make sense?


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

There are numbers indicating the circuit. I won't have access to the system for two days, but I'll check if the ports look like twist lock. They're definitely not stage pin or Edison.


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

I posted this in another thread a few days ago. It's context is slightly different, because we were talking about 2P&G to 5-15 cables, but L5-20 to 2P&G cables are the same concept. The summary is that connectors don't do anything special, they just change what you can or can not plug a cable into. If you don't want people plugging your really expensive widget running a special type of electricity, put different connectors on it so that only you can plug it into the correct power source.


> There's no problem with using 2P&G (aka Stage Pin) connectors with 5-15 (aka Edison) connectors. The connectors don't do anything special, they just provide different forms for the conductive path between an electrical source and an electrical load.
> 
> We, in the entertainment industry, prefer the 2P&G for conventional lighting because almost always our lighting fixtures are connected to dimmers and really only ever need to be. Sometimes a standard wall outlet will do, but for the most part we use dimmable circuits.
> 
> ...


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

Okay, I'll check on Tuesday to see if they are twist lock. Just incase I can't tell by looking at it, (sometimes it is hard for me to match something without an image in front of me) could you tell me how I might un-plug the other lights from the connector strip assuming that they are twist lock, so that if the method that you describe works, I will know that the ports are twist lock. Thank you all for you help -- it is very much appreciated.


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## Sean (Jun 12, 2010)

Do you have a staff member there you can ask about all of this?

If there are already things plugged into these circuits, can you tell us _what_ is plugged into them?


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

Now that we've established that you have the circuits you need, we'll determine what to do with them. If you have pigtails, then it's really easy; if you have flush-mount receptacles, not so much.

Any electrician can replace L5-20 connectors on pigtails with female 2P&G connectors, and then you'd never have to worry about weird adapter cables again. On the other other hand, if you have flush-mount receptacles, which given the way you've worded things, you probably do, then you need to purchase a bunch of short Male L5-20->Female 2P&G cables. This is actually easier because then you don't even need to consult an electrician, but it does require funding that your school may or may not have. Any local theatrical supplier will have the cable and the connectors and should be able to make these cables for you in no time.

Let's talk about your school for a moment; is someone in charge of the theatre or building maintenance/operations who could afford to purchase these? They won't cost a lot, but expect to spend ~$20 per cable (SOURCE). You can get these for even cheaper if your district has a maintenance electrician who can purchase the cable, connectors, and wire them up on his own. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes for a qualified individual to wire each cable up.


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

MNicolai said:


> I posted this in another thread a few days ago. It's context is slightly different, because we were talking about 2P&G to 5-15 cables, but L5-20 to 2P&G cables are the same concept. The summary is that connectors don't do anything special, they just change what you can or can not plug a cable into. If you don't want people plugging your really expensive widget running a special type of electricity, put different connectors on it so that only you can plug it into the correct power source.



The caveat there is to make sure that they are both 120V and it isn't a 208V twistlock that you are trying to connect to a 120V Stagepin.

Also, jpachter, what do the labels read for those circuits? Are they sequential with the rest of your circuit numbers or are they in their own range (higher or lower)?

EDIT: Talk about a simul-post! Sean is right on the money with asking "what is plugged into them".


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## CSCTech (Jun 12, 2010)

Hey there, welcome aboard.

If what you need is extension cables to hook up your lights to flush mount circuits on your electrics, aka, connector strips, simply take one of your exsisting ones to your supplier and they will know what it is and get you as many as you need. 
If what you need is male twist lock to stage pin that is simple enough, your supplier should have them or will order them on request.

The reason this might happen is because either someone just wasnt thinking when they ordered the fixtures with stage pin plugs, or the fixtures where replaced and the person replacing them also did not take into account your connector strips are twist lock.

Either way if I understand what it is you need, you need some of these?-
BRTB Female Stage Pin to Male Twist 125V, 20A - 1 Foot [PXSF-TM-01] : AVShop.ca, Canada's Pro Audio, Video and DJ Superstore
(might lookc around for better price than that site)

Good luck!


Also, if you do not have a supplier, and are in the Boston area, We use

Immedia LLP
IMMEDIA LLP

Or

Worcestor Light and Sound
WORCESTER SOUND & LIGHTS - Concert Sound Systems & Hollywood Searchlights

Both are production companys but also resell and fix equipment. No products on there site, give them a call to see if they have any or go visit one of ones close to you, they will help you out, and are mostly friendly and give school discounts.

To answer your questions,
To disconnect a twist lock plug, simply grab the connector and turn it until it comes free and can be pulled out. If it is Stage Pin or some other plug it should just be able to pull out.


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

Okay, so twist lock looks a little big for what I remember being on the connector strip, but again, I will check soon. We do have pigtails, so I'm happy to hear that pigtails won't be as much as a hassle as a flush port. Unfortunately, there is no other staff member, custodian, or employee in my school system who knows anything at all about lighting. One teacher works on lighting with me, and she is the lighting designer, but the word source four is about as technical as she gets. I'm on my own :-(. But I do learn a lot when I have to figure things out for myself so I guess it is sometimes beneficial.


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## CSCTech (Jun 12, 2010)

Alright, if you cannot determin the plugs, take a pircture for us. Because if it is no Edison, Stage Pin, or Twist lock there might be a problem. 

Note however, there are different size Twist Lock plugs-


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

The different sizes of twist lock explains a lot. I'll take a picture on tuesday and post it if I still can't figure it out. Does anyone know how I would go about un-pluging a twist lock? Im guessing it has something to do with locking and twisting, but that's just a guess.


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

jpachter said:


> The different sizes of twist lock explains a lot. I'll take a picture on tuesday and post it if I still can't figure it out. Does anyone know how I would go about un-pluging a twist lock? Im guessing it has something to do with locking and twisting, but that's just a guess.



You are correct, twist then unplug. However, you should not do this when the circuit is powered on. (I know that we all have done it, but it is a better practice to have it powered off before disconnecting or connecting equipment.)


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

We can tell you what you'll need, but a qualified electrician will have to perform the work. Also, heed anything that starksk says, as he works for ETC in their technical services department. He knows what he's talking about.

If you can, take some photos of the connector strips, with some closeups on the labels, the cables, and the connectors/receptacles.

To unplug a twist-lock series connector, you just twist counter-clockwise(?) and pull. (It's been awhile since I've used an L5-20 connector). It shouldn't be difficult. If you're tugging and pulling and twisting really hard, you're either doing it wrong or it's not twist-lock. Plugging it back in would be the reverse process.


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## Sean (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks....

This situation troubles me a bit. Kirk, can you pull up the drawings and figure this out?

I think [user]jpachter[/user] needs to take this really slowly. Others have tried to answer his questions, but there is some potential danger in the volume of 'not quite the answers to the questions he's trying to ask.'

There is likely a very good reason, especially given this is a school with an obvious a lack of oversight, for having different connectors. [user]jpachter[/user], it's very likely that these circuits are not able to be controlled by your light board, or will actually always be lit when the work lights are on in the space. There's more you need to figure out before you start changing plugs or building/buying adapters.




starksk said:


> The caveat there is to make sure that they are both 120V and it isn't a 208V twistlock that you are trying to connect to a 120V Stagepin.
> 
> Also, [user]jpachter[/user], what do the labels read for those circuits? Are they sequential with the rest of your circuit numbers or are they in their own range (higher or lower)?
> 
> EDIT: Talk about a simul-post! [user]Sean[/user] is right on the money with asking "what is plugged into them".


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

If you have any questions or problems while you're at the theatre on Tuesday that you want answered while you're staring at your connector strips, you can contact myself or Kirk directly at ETC. I don't know about Kirk, but I will be in the office on Tuesday. You can reach me at 608.831.4116, x5453. Kirk might be more useful, though, as he can probably pull up drawings from your install.


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

Sean said:


> Thanks....
> 
> This situation troubles me a bit. Kirk, can you pull up the drawings and figure this out?
> 
> I think jpachter needs to take this really slowly. Others have tried to answer his questions, but there is some potential danger in the volume of 'not quite the answers to the questions he's trying to ask.'...



Funny you should mention that... I was just drafting a reply to mnicolai's post requesting photos.

jpachter, at the end of the connector strip where the wires come into the terminal box, there was a white label that included the part number of that connector strip. If it is still there, please either take a picture of it, or write down the part number that starts with "TL". Every connector strip is custom built and has a unique part number that is associated with the job it was sold with. 

Alternately, you can PM me with the name of your school and where you are located and I can look this information up on Monday.


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## starksk (Jun 12, 2010)

MNicolai said:


> If you have any questions or problems while you're at the theatre on Tuesday that you want answered while you're staring at your connector strips, you can contact myself or Kirk directly at ETC. I don't know about Kirk, but I will be in the office on Tuesday. You can reach me at 608.831.4116, x5453. Kirk might be more useful, though, as he can probably pull up drawings from your install.



I was wondering how long that cat was going to stay in the bag... 

Yes, I will be in on Tuesday as well. 800-688-4116 is the ETC Toll-Free line. You can ask for either Mike or I directly, or you can ask to speak with Tech Services and any of our fine support staff (including myself) will be able to answer your questions.


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## MNicolai (Jun 12, 2010)

Yea, yea, yea. Cat's out of the bag. I work at ETC, too. Not permanently, just as a summer intern over in R&D. (Out the door, up the stairs, and around a few corners from where Kirk is in the factory.) I can't really talk about what I do, nor do many of my posts here represent the positions of ETC, but I'm available as a resource to answer simple questions or at least point people in the correct directions.


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## jpachter (Jun 12, 2010)

Sounds good. Thank you all very much. I will post back on this thread after Tuesday -- or around 5:00 pm eastern time.


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## derekleffew (Jun 13, 2010)

jpachter, were the connector strips and lights purchased at the same time? I'm betting not. Or that whoever ordered the fixtures made an egregious error, by not checking the connector strips.


MNicolai said:


> ... Any electrician can replace L5-20 connectors on pigtails with female 2P&G connectors, and then you'd never have to worry about weird adapter cables again. On the other other hand, if you have flush-mount receptacles, which given the way you've worded things, you probably do, then you need to purchase a bunch of short Male L5-20->Female 2P&G cables. This is actually easier because then you don't even need to consult an electrician, but it does require funding that your school may or may not have. Any local theatrical supplier will have the cable and the connectors and should be able to make these cables for you in no time. ...



As much as I, and virtually every other professional, prefer the 2P&G connector over the L5-20, I feel changing the connectors on the connector strips, or even building/buying L520-StagePin adapters is a bad idea. The venue in question is a *middle school*, used by students aged 12-15?, right? With no one other the the limited-experience OP and limited-knowledge teacher masquerading as "lighting designer."

Sean gives good advice about proceeding slowly, and that we need to know more about the installation. But given existing, limited information, I'd recommend, *with adult, qualified supervision*, removing the male TwistLocs from the adapters and using them to replace the male 2P&Gs on the fixtures, then buying more L5-20Ps as needed to replace the rest. This might be the least expensive route. The variables determining expense are: existing quantities of fixtures, adapters, cables, and outlets.

If the venue were a high school or performing arts center that regularly brought in outside equipment, I would recommend different, but in this instance, for this application, I'd work toward eliminating the stage pin connectors. Not that they are inherent unsafe, but I feel they don't belong on middle and elementary school stages.

Another alternative that I don't think has been mentioned is the two-fer, either Bates, Twist-Loc, or the tufer-adapter (one male Twist-Loc and two female stagepins).


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## jpachter (Jun 13, 2010)

I think they were purchased at the same time, but I can't be sure because the grant we got for the lights was all done through the town. Also, we already have lights that are stage pin that are connected via the pigtail cable to the connector strip. I agree that replacing the stage pin's for twist lock would be a good idea, there are a few issues with this in our school:

-For ANY purchases, it must be run by the town in the school's yearly budget (so I would have to wait until next year when I won't be there anymore)

- The teacher who is the "lighting designer" doesn't like to do anything that requires changing a fixture or something directly attached to it ( the stage pin cable) If we were changing that one row of lights to twist lock, she would want to change the rest of the lights to it as well.

I'm also not completely sure that the port on the connector strip is actually twist lock. If we can't figure it out, we were going to call in somebody from the company to come in and do it for us.


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## CSCTech (Jun 13, 2010)

So you are saying you have stage pin and other different connectors on the same connector strip ?-?


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## Sean (Jun 13, 2010)

jpachter said:


> I think they were purchased at the same time, but I can't be sure because the grant we got for the lights was all done through the town. Also, we already have lights that are stage pin that are connected via the pigtail cable to the connector strip. I agree that replacing the stage pin's for twist lock would be a good idea, there are a few issues with this in our school:
> 
> -For ANY purchases, it must be run by the town in the school's yearly budget (so I would have to wait until next year when I won't be there anymore)
> 
> ...



Forgive the question, but let me know if I understand your original question correctly:

You have stagepin connectors on all your lights
You have stagepin outlets/pigtails in your raceways
You have just a few of these mysterious connectors on your raceways
You would like to use these additional mysterious connectors to power more lights

Did I get all of that right?


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## Les (Jun 13, 2010)

Sean said:


> Forgive the question, but let me know if I understand your original question correctly:
> 
> You have stagepin connectors on all your lights
> You have stagepin outlets/pigtails in your raceways
> ...



This is how I understand it. Also, these "mystery connectors" are flush mount. 

My theory is that these are dedicated worklight (or similar) circuits. They may or may not have the ability to be driven by the board, and they may or may not be non-dim.


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## jpachter (Jun 13, 2010)

In response to Sean: All of our lights are stage pin. I have pigtails on the connector strips which are female stage pin on one end (the one that connects to the cable from the light) and then the "mystery" connector is the one on the connector strip itself. All of the connectors on the connector strip are these mystery ones. The stage pin is on the cable that has the "mystery" connector on one end and the stage pin on the other. I'll take a picture on Tuesday to make it easier to describe.

In response to Les: The connectors themselves are flush mount, but there are cable's that are connected to some of them that make it look like a pigtail.


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## mrb (Jun 13, 2010)

jpachter said:


> In response to Sean: All of our lights are stage pin. I have pigtails on the connector strips which are female stage pin on one end (the one that connects to the cable from the light) and then the "mystery" connector is the one on the connector strip itself. All of the connectors on the connector strip are these mystery ones. The stage pin is on the cable that has the "mystery" connector on one end and the stage pin on the other. I'll take a picture on Tuesday to make it easier to describe.
> 
> In response to Les: The connectors themselves are flush mount, but there are cable's that are connected to some of them that make it look like a pigtail.


ok, so it sounds like you have twistlocks (how old is this install?) on the connector strip and twistlock to stage pin adapters plugged into some of them, and your lights are plugged into these. Pretty straightforward. Looks like you just need to figure out which type of twistlock it is and we can help you source the appropriate adapters.


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## Sean (Jun 13, 2010)

mrb said:


> ok, so it sounds like you have twistlocks (how old is this install?) on the connector strip and twistlock to stage pin adapters plugged into some of them, and your lights are plugged into these. Pretty straightforward. Looks like you just need to figure out which type of twistlock it is and we can help you source the appropriate adapters.



And the fact that they're flushmounted on the raceway, while all the stagepin circuits are on pigtails leads me to believe they're worklight circuits.

Kirk... we're all waiting for the word on what's really going on there...you know, before someone tries to sell him something so he can plug into a circuit he might not be able to control (or at least dim).


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## starksk (Jun 13, 2010)

Sean said:


> And the fact that they're flushmounted on the raceway, while all the stagepin circuits are on pigtails leads me to believe they're worklight circuits.
> 
> Kirk... we're all waiting for the word on what's really going on there...you know, before someone tries to sell him something so he can plug into a circuit he might not be able to control (or at least dim).



The OP, jpachter, has PMed me the details of his location. I will pull drawings in the morning and advise as appropriate.

This is a pretty recent installation so there is likely a design intent in play here, but I will know more when I see the drawings in the morning.

Let's hold off the sales pitches until we can confirm what types of connectors, circuits, and programming are applicable to the installation.


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## MNicolai (Jun 13, 2010)

Sean said:


> And the fact that they're flushmounted on the raceway, while all the stagepin circuits are on pigtails leads me to believe they're worklight circuits.
> 
> Kirk... we're all waiting for the word on what's really going on there...you know, before someone tries to sell him something so he can plug into a circuit he might not be able to control (or at least dim).



There's a lot of confusion, and I'm going to speculate what I think is happening. I think his connector strips were originally specc'ed for twist-lock, but the lights were purchased with 2P&G connectors. What he's been referring to pigtails is an incorrect use of the term. In this case, pigtails would refer to hardwired SO cable that passes through the connector strip via strain relief and terminates on any number of connectors. What I suspect is actually the case is that:


> 1) All receptacles on the connector strip are twist-lock
> 2) There are no pigtails, not in the correct application of the term
> 3) What have been referred to as "pigtails," are actually twist-lock to 2P&G adapters, but as they are never unplugged, they might as well be pigtails.
> 4) Circuits not in use are not being used simply because there are not enough adapter cables.
> ...


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## derekleffew (Jun 13, 2010)

I've got a crisp new Washington that says MNicolai is correct in his assessment of the situation. 

OP has never used the term adapter, but has consistently misused the term pigtail.


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## Sean (Jun 13, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> I've got a crisp new Washington that says MNicolai is correct in his assessment of the situation.
> 
> OP has never used the term adapter, but has consistently misused the term pigtail.




After re-reading all of the OP's posts, I'm now inclined to agree.

But I can't afford to put any Washingtons towards that...


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## Soxred93 (Jun 13, 2010)

This is exactly what I was thinking.


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## starksk (Jun 14, 2010)

Mystery solved.

The OP has 3 connector strips. 2 of which have stage pin pigtails spaced every 4'. The third (3rd Elec.) has 4 circuits on 6" centers, 13ft of space, 3 circuits on 6" centers, then 13ft before the last circuit. It appears that this electric was designed for a strip light installation.

Here is the message sent to jpachter this morning:


> In looking at your drawings, there are no twistlocks in the installation. You have a total of 48 dimming circuits and a single relay module which can convert two circuits to a non-dim (on/off) state if you choose.
> 
> Therefore, the true answer to your question is that the plastic strain relief you are seeing at the base of the pigtail where it enters the connector strip is not actually a connector, but a method of holding the cable in place so when you pull on it a bit too hard, it doesn't rip out of the connector strip. There are lots of unused knockouts (about every 3 in) in the bottom of the connector strip. Those are there because we use the same metal for each connector strip and only knock out the holes where we need to put pigtails.
> 
> ...


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## MNicolai (Jun 14, 2010)

Ahh, so back to the original point; more circuits means a lot more money. More dimmers, more wiring, more outputs on the connector strips. It's an all-around nightmarish project that most schools won't do unless the system as a whole ceases to function and they are forced to rebuild from the ground up.

On the other hand, if you replaced a couple dimmer modules with constant-power modules, you could toss some Leppy ULD packs on your electrics and connect them to constant power and DMX. They could give you a few more circuits on each electric. It's not the preferred way to do it, but it's likely the only way you could swing getting more circuits on your electrics.


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## mrb (Jun 14, 2010)

wow were we all off with our speculation....


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## jpachter (Jun 14, 2010)

Thank you all very much for your help!! The idea about using some ULD pack's is a very good point. We have at least two of these, each with four stage pin connectors on them. Does anyone know if these pack's can be mounted on the bar where all of the lights are mounted?


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## CSCTech (Jun 14, 2010)

You can mount the packs however, zip tie them, screw it into it, the cieling if there are mounting holes, etc. I would put a saftey cable aswell.


And, wow, so weird. While I was driving home I thought of this thread and was thinking that what you where seeing was the plastic washer that held the pigtails on the raceway


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## MNicolai (Jun 14, 2010)

It's been awhile since I've rented ULD's, but as I recall they have one, maybe two points on them where you can affix c-clamps to secure them to lighting positions.


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## derekleffew (Jun 14, 2010)

jpachter said:


> Does anyone know if these pack's can be mounted on the bar where all of the lights are mounted?


The Leprecon ULD-series of "Tree Mount Dimmers" is intended to be mounted on a lighting position adjacent to the lighting fixtures it serves.

However, this product may not be the best solution to your problem. If you don't desire additional independent control than what is currently available, and just need to add fixtures to a location, using two-fers is a much simpler and less-expensive approach.


CSCTech said:


> ... was the *plastic washer* that held the pigtails on the raceway


See the wiki entry Heyco.


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## Les (Jun 15, 2010)

CSCTech said:


> You can mount the packs however, zip tie them, screw it into it, the cieling if there are mounting holes, etc. I would put a saftey cable aswell.



The dimmer in question weighs about ten pounds. Please do not zip tie it. _Using a safety cable doesn't give you the license to cut corners on hanging something safely and correctly in the first place._


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## CSCTech (Jun 17, 2010)

Ah sorry about that, Then if you will be using it only in the same location, hardmounting it most likely. Could have the maintenance department do it for you being in a school. And I know here, anything being installed needs to be done by them :/


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## DuckJordan (Jun 17, 2010)

okay so even though they have the solution. What troubles me is that the "most informed" person is a middle school STUDENT, and doesn't know enough information to ask the right questions. (no offense intended). I would talk to your Technical Director, Your Drama Director, or anyone who has any kind of power in your school and let them know that the theater is one of the most dangerous places in any building and that there should be at least one adult that knows what they are doing at ALL times. It frightens me to see that some school districts buy all these expensive and amazing pieces of equipment but they don't hire the correct people to use or teach about the equipment.


So on that note, since you are a student. I would definitely only use two-fers in your situation since getting the maintenance department to do anything (at least in our area) is a pain in the butt. Also I am betting with 3 electrics you are not needing any more individual fixtures just some more light in areas.


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## jpachter (Jun 21, 2010)

I agree that two-fers or three-fers would be the right decision for this situation. Unfortunately, the school year ends tomorrow and I probably will not ever use it again. However, I will explain to the "lighting-designer" (who is a teacher) that if she wanted to hook up the other lights, she could use this solution.


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