# Socapex and breakout resources



## jonliles (Feb 11, 2010)

I am looking for resources to price socapex cabling and breakouts (from Soca to stagepin) by the linear foot. Anyone have a good resource? Looking specifically to into 6 channels.

Thanks!


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## highschooltech (Feb 11, 2010)

Soca is normally sold as a unit rather than by the foot as the most difficult part to deal with the the connector. It really isn't for permanent install and i personally wouldn't want to deal with the weight of a cable that is over 100ft. With that said you could probably contact any of the dealers and the dealers page of this website and get quotes on standard lengths (100',50',25',etc.).


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## epimetheus (Feb 11, 2010)

We're pricing socapex at my church right now for a project and we're doing it just as highschooltech suggested, by units, rather than by the foot. We figured how many cables at each length and how many break-outs/break-ins and went out for quote on that rather than try to figure a per foot number. Per foot doesn't work so well when the connectors are as expensive as socapex are, especially if you're buying standard length cables that might be shelf items.


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## JD (Feb 11, 2010)

Also good to remember that break-outs and break-ins are limited in length due to the cable used. Six feet, if I remember right.


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## MNicolai (Feb 11, 2010)

JD said:


> Also good to remember that break-outs and break-ins are limited in length due to the cable used. Six feet, if I remember right.



Electrical code says no part of a breakout can be longer than 20ft (6m). I'm looking at purchasing a few custom breakouts to use on our new truss installation. My dealer on the project put each tail at a different length, so let's say for this example you purchased a breakout with tails at 3', 6', 9', 12', 15', and 18'. You could then use it also as a poor man's connector strip, distributing the circuits in an orderly fashion across a distance. Chances are you'd have to order that custom, though.


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## jonliles (Feb 11, 2010)

Thanks, everybody!


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## derekleffew (Feb 11, 2010)

Do you want even, staggered, or striplight Break-Outs? An even breakout with 20' tails would be rather ungainly. 11' tails is very manageable. I recommend getting a quote of Lex Products cable assemblies. 

12/14 cable is standard, but some is much more flexible than others. Try to see a sample first. Some is plastic jacketed and so stiff it's even difficult to coil.

Avoid off-brands of 19-pin connectors. I worked a show yesterday that must have had six different styles/brands. Pain in the backside. Call me a purist, but I prefer Socapex brand (link to PDF), with Veam a close second. Crimped, not soldered. Do an advanced search for "socapex" by "ship"--he has some rather strong opinions, with experience to back it up.


MNicolai said:


> ...I'm looking at purchasing a few custom breakouts to use on our new truss installation. My dealer on the project put each tail at a different length, so let's say for this example you purchased a breakout with tails at 3', 6', 9', 12', 15', and 18'. You could then use it also as a poor man's connector strip, distributing the circuits in an orderly fashion across a distance. Chances are you'd have to order that custom, though. ...


That would be a _staggered_ break-out, Mike, as opposed to _even_, or the increasingly rarer _striplight_ breakout.


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## BillESC (Feb 11, 2010)

Breakouts are available in the standard 6' even length style or as a balcony breakout which staggers the connectors on 18" centers. Custom breakouts are available and quoted as such.


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## derekleffew (Feb 12, 2010)

"Balcony breakout" is synonymous with "staggered breakout"? Never heard them called that before. Learn something new every day.


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## Sony (Feb 12, 2010)

if you go to the ALPS website (ALPS Home) to the Sales section, they have their sales catalog with prices for Socapex and breakouts listed.


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## Chris15 (Feb 12, 2010)

You ought to be able to have a supplier quote you on a per unit length basis whereby the quote is something like:
$x per terminated plug
$y per terminated socket
$z per unit length.

I've seen 100+ metre Socas, I known this because they are labelled as such. The key to long cables is twofold; first up the wire gauge to cover the voltage drop and second, have the means to handle them properly. You don't wind a long cable on the ground, you roll it up straight into its packer...


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## Lightguy48 (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm curious about the breakouts cannot be longer than 20' code? I've seen staggered breakouts 30' to 40' in length for intelligent fixtures spaced out across a truss?

What is the harm or danger in these?


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## epimetheus (Feb 14, 2010)

Lightguy48 said:


> I'm curious about the breakouts cannot be longer than 20' code? I've seen staggered breakouts 30' to 40' in length for intelligent fixtures spaced out across a truss?
> 
> What is the harm or danger in these?



It has to do with the type of cable used for the breakout and the National Electric Code. I wont attempt to quote code because I don't know it off the top of my head and my codebook is at work.


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## Lightguy48 (Feb 17, 2010)

So is the length then based on the type of wire? 

I can't figure out the rationale... if we can have a 100 extension cord using SO, SJO, etc why couldn't you have a breakout with that same cable?


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## Lotos (Feb 17, 2010)

Lightguy48 said:


> So is the length then based on the type of wire?
> 
> I can't figure out the rationale... if we can have a 100 extension cord using SO, SJO, etc why couldn't you have a breakout with that same cable?


 
Well, for starters, your 100' "extension cord" has one connector on each end. Neither end terminates tightly into a soca-connector.

It's also not beaten up and tossed into a rolling trunk with large quantities of heavy metal and plastic connectors, and then pulled out by whatever port was easiest to grasp by a local hand.

I suspect none of that comes into play in the electrical code reasoning, however... So I'm curious what the real reason is. Something to do with heat at the soca-head perhaps?


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## MNicolai (Feb 17, 2010)

Firstly, the cable is more versatile. If you're going to invest in a 100' 12/18 SO cable, it's always nice to be able to toss on whichever connectors you need with ease.

SO cable is allowed in theatres for only two purposes: as temporary wiring and as permanent wiring only when the physical flexibility of the cable is needed. Under the premise that the multi-cable is primarily temporary, it's preferable to keep it versatile. Also, it's important to remember that in some situations, you don't even need to use break outs. For example, a 19-pin connector on a portable dimmer rack carries the circuits from the dimmer rack to a 19-pin connector on a pre-wired lamp bar. You don't need a break out, and it's easiest that way. Because the cables are fairly standard, you can also easily rent and purchase additional multi-cables. Not every 100' cable needs to be completely custom when purchased, just the shorter break outs. So before you even get to the code, there are good reasons that it is the way it is.

STEVETERRY might know more than I about how break outs relate to code, but I'd suspect not allowing a 100' multi-cable with built-in breakouts on each end has something to do with the durability/practicality of insulation bridging the gap between the single cable and the six smaller cables. Note that most two-fers have a molded Y to divide the wires, but doing that on a 12/18 SO cable is not nearly as easy, especially given the length of the cables.


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## derekleffew (Feb 18, 2010)

Lightguy48 said:


> ...I can't figure out the rationale... *if we can have a 100' extension cord using* SO, *SJO*, etc why couldn't you have a breakout with that same cable?


Ah, but your premise is flawed. All cable used on a stage must be Extra Hard Service. See SJO cable in a theater. Since it is impossible to fit six 12/3 SO cables in a Socapex-type connector, the code allows hard usage (junior hard service) for breakouts provided the four conditions in NEC 520.68(A)(4) are met. #2 says "The longest cord in the breakout assembly does not exceed 6.0 m (20 ft)."


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## epimetheus (Feb 18, 2010)

Thanks Derek! That's exactly what I was refering to but haven't had time to find.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 18, 2010)

Here is another possibility, you could use a microbrick II and then run standard cable to your lights

MicroBrick II offered by DimmerRack, Unique items for the Audio and Lighting Professional

Sharyn


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## SteveB (Feb 18, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> Here is another possibility, you could use a microbrick II and then run standard cable to your lights
> 
> MicroBrick II offered by DimmerRack, Unique items for the Audio and Lighting Professional
> 
> Sharyn



Nice Find !, Sharyn

I'm saving this site, they got all kinds of clever devices.


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## mrb (Feb 21, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> Here is another possibility, you could use a microbrick II and then run standard cable to your lights
> 
> MicroBrick II offered by DimmerRack, Unique items for the Audio and Lighting Professional
> 
> Sharyn



careful about the lack of UL listings on products from companies like this.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 21, 2010)

not sure I have ever seen a Soca Cable break out with UL listing, and if you had your electrician make up a soca to any sort of break out system is not going to be UL listed. In most cases like these you are using listed componants.

Sharyn


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## mrb (Feb 21, 2010)

not talking about cable assemblies, talking about the boxes (and other power distribution stuff places like that company sell).


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## SHARYNF (Feb 22, 2010)

I know somefolks get concerned with this, personally I look at it similar to a situation where I would have an electrician install a connector and sockets into a box, the components are going to be ul listed, but the "solution" is not going to be. 

Sharyn


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## mrb (Feb 23, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> I know somefolks get concerned with this, personally I look at it similar to a situation where I would have an electrician install a connector and sockets into a box, the components are going to be ul listed, but the "solution" is not going to be.
> 
> Sharyn



once its portable, an electrician installing listed components into a box isnt good enough -that only applies to work done on buildings (electricians are limited there as well, for example control panels) There are several jurisdictions (Los Angeles and Las Vegas being a couple off the top of my head) where everything has to be listed. The only things that dont seem to be an issue are cables with field installed connectors.


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## SHARYNF (Feb 23, 2010)

Oh well the joys of it all
I am more familiar where the inspectors are more understanding of custom designed systems where they might ask you to open it up and look at it 
Sharyn


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## mrb (Feb 23, 2010)

SHARYNF said:


> Oh well the joys of it all
> I am more familiar where the inspectors are more understanding of custom designed systems where they might ask you to open it up and look at it
> Sharyn



I guess it mainly depends on where you are. I remember when we all used to make our own power distros by putting a circuit breaker panel on a piece of wood along with 4S boxes full of duplex receptacles. Cant do that anymore 

More and more of the major cities are requiring a UL listing (I believe this is a good thing -I keep seeing some pretty scary stuff that the owner / operator thinks is just fine) I know of someone who had major trouble at an event for using pinspots that werent listed -they had to take all their pinspot bars down right before the event.


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