# Real Stage Pin



## ship (Nov 20, 2008)

So given these are the real stage pin connectors, and CeeForm type has by description type the real 2P+G type description, and its not "slip" what is the real as it were academic before bastardized term for a say 20A/125v stage pin connector? What are they called officially, and don't look towards NEMA cause they are not there even if McMaster sells them.

By the way, yes them are both made of wood with very exposed plates on both, and not grounded though there was some interesting grounding means over the years for such things. 30A/125v if interested, and yes I did start in part my career in use with them in floor pockets, how else would I acquire such things dating back to the mid-1920's or later?

On the Left... don't know much about it though part of that theater's inventory. On the right - darned straight I had flash light and was very concerned in having to reach my hand into a wall box or floor pocket to make such a thing work.

Sidewise stage pin - polorized or not... We are talking live plates of tinned copper here that are ungrounded suspended between a hollow wooden handle and that's what you plug in some times in the dark. Hot/Neutral - didn't exist...

Hold the handle the wrong way while connecting a hot load to circuit - connect it wrong and you did really have a worry.

Still I digress in refrernce to the post about the ability to plug in a stage pin plug's hot pin perpendicular to an in-line female, than surmised to touch the neutral pin of the plug in completing the circuit for a as called 20A stage pin plug. Nope... not a stage pin plug officially by way of Fuchs or history, nor something I ever thought about doing. Me, I was a wee bit more concerned about using the one on the right in plugging it into a dark floor pocket.


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## David Ashton (Nov 20, 2008)

In Perth these were called Kleigl plugs and were even more fun at 250 volt, the last time they were used was around 1976 as they were so illegal they were not worth the risk.Wooden handles, no earth and asbestos sockets, as soon as I was the contractor they went,


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## mnfreelancer (Nov 20, 2008)

The theatre in which I cut my teeth in middle school was in the part of the building constructed in 1931, and while most of the electrical system had been upgraded numerous times between '31 and '99, a relic of the old ways was preserved. Beneath the new Square D panel they installed probably in the late 80's was two plugs of this style, with numerous layers of whitewash over them. They had spring loaded covers with little wooden knobs. I had no idea what they were at the time and later found out their purpose and was also happy to find out they were NOT live. Lots of fun old relics in that building...


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## Footer (Nov 20, 2008)

I was in a masons hall in central Illinois a few years back and these were still in use. Kind of scary and kind of cool all at the same time. They also still had their GE X-Ray's working in perfect order.


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## dramatech (Nov 20, 2008)

That is a beautiful collection of old theatre connectors. The rectangular one with the spring loaded metal plates on the side, were what was used in my high school built in 1954. I was there from 57 to 59. It has since been torn down. In the backstage handbook the connector is called a "Stageplug" verses "stagepin".


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## Charc (Nov 20, 2008)

I got my first chance to see some of these, presumably not live, as floor pockets this summer.

Gotta love Stage Plugs.


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## waynehoskins (Nov 20, 2008)

dramatech said:


> That is a beautiful collection of old theatre connectors. The rectangular one with the spring loaded metal plates on the side, were what was used in my high school built in 1954. I was there from 57 to 59. It has since been torn down. In the backstage handbook the connector is called a "Stage plug" verses "stagepin".



Yep, I've always heard those called Stage Plugs. I still want to see one in person some day.


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## elite1trek (Nov 20, 2008)

waynehoskins said:


> Yep, I've always heard those called Stage Plugs. I still want to see one in person some day.



I would like to inspect one and see it, I just don't want to see it used.


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## cdub260 (Nov 20, 2008)

I actually have some of these receptacles in my venue, in a pair of long abandoned and covered over floor pockets.


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 21, 2008)

OK ship, could we please have a picture of a REAL stagepin connector?


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## ship (Nov 30, 2008)

Both correct. "Stage Connector" for the former and "Stage Cable Connectors" for what became known as "stage pin" and or "slip" and or "2P&G stage connectors." Though I would sware an alternate name I was not able to find in a quick search.


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## Red5 (May 16, 2011)

We still use ours at my school... they work well aside from some sparks.


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## DuckJordan (May 16, 2011)

Red5 said:


> We still use ours at my school... they work well aside from some sparks.


 
Those are about the unsafest connectors you could possibly have... I would suggest trying to get them switched out asap.


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## Red5 (May 16, 2011)

DuckJordan said:


> Those are about the unsafest connectors you could possibly have... I would suggest trying to get them switched out asap.



Yeah they're finally starting to replace them with stage pin


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