Advice RE Cabling / Setup for Wedding Marquee

[CallEdsFirst]

You never know, you might get lucky! At least I hope you will after the wedding day!

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Yes the additional circuit to supply outdoor appliances is the problem. Could you "modify" an existing ring main to carry a ceeform? I'm asking for expert clarification here, not if the OP "can" manage it!

 

[RF Lighting]

Why don't you pop your E-mail address in your profile

 

[davidmbell]

davidmbell at yahoo dot com

Thanks

David

 

[Adam_151]

Yes the additional circuit to supply outdoor appliances is the problem. Could you "modify" an existing ring main to carry a ceeform?

Not really, you'd have to include a 16A breaker and its still a bit dodgy.

if it were me, I'd put it on a board next to the CU along with a mini cu containing 30ma rcd and 16A breaker and take it away afterwards (though if you are pushed for ways the feed to the mini CU might end up doubled up with the upstairs ring final!)

 

[Lectrician]

Get yourself some split concentric.


I would run a 16mm split from house down to marquees. Get an MEM 2way 30mA CU with 40amp MCB at origin. Get a 4way plain CU for marquee end. Stick a few double sockets on 20amp breakers in the far end board in 2.5mm cable. Run extensions from these.


Get a spark to do this for you if I where you.

 

[Chivers7]

Good luck with the marriage BTW

 

[bernardgreen]

Good luck with the marriage BTW

Seconded, keep the sparks ( as in electrifying events ) for after the reception

 

[equitum]

Get yourself some split concentric.


I would run a 16mm split from house down to marquees. Get an MEM 2way 30mA CU with 40amp MCB at origin. Get a 4way plain CU for marquee end. Stick a few double sockets on 20amp breakers in the far end board in 2.5mm cable. Run extensions from these.


Get a spark to do this for you if I where you.

what would you mount the CU and double sockets on in the marquee ?

 

[jj4091]

I notice that the generator alternative does not seem to be popular, but the last time I was in this situation (for a friends wedding) it was a much cheaper & easier method as the hire company provided the geni, cables, sockets & lights & installed them all as required in the marquee for more or less the same price as providing a temp. supply. I would strongly suggest you at least ask for an estimate.

 

[equitum]

Ceeform sockets..additional consumer units...

This is private garden wedding, not Glastonbury !

Shoot me down in flames, but I don't think a voltage drop of 12.5V actually going to cause any problems. And that's on full oad, which is unlikely. Why not test the equipment over 2.5mm arctic ? Or get a clamp meter and measure the DJ's kit on full load and determine the actual current requirement.

Ask the DJ what they used for previous long distance party's, did it cause any problems with his kit ?

 

[CallEdsFirst]

Dont ask a DJ! They probably just used a load of 1m four way extension leads plugged into eachother!

So many solutions! Anyone care to summarise for the poor bloke? Preferably an expert with experience in site/event temps!

 

[davelx]

Using a clamp meter to measure DJ load is not much use as it only gives average reading. Sound systems have a relatively low average current, but lots of short duration, high-current transients that depend on the music, esp. the bottom end.

Whilst these will not show up on a meter, they will cause the voltage drop to vary, with voltage being at its lowest at the very moment when the amp needs it at its highest. If the voltage drop is too great, the amplfier DC supply rails can drop too low which will cause distortion on the sound. In the worst case, this could result in a clipped signal, which introduces a high level of high-frequency compnents into the signal that can destroy the HF drive units in the speakers.

Whilst good amplifier power supply design should minimise these effects. most DJ's do not use well designed amplifiers; they tend to go for very high power specs at miniiumum cost, which generally means the PSU is not very good!

 

[numpty with a crowbar]

The easiest, simplest and above all cheapest way would be to get a couple of 13a to 16A pigtails (with RCD's on them if necessary), plug 'em in from 2 different sockets on the domestic ring circuit, run them out the window and over to the marquee, and split the load across the 2 outlets. You could use 4mm cable, but 2.5 mm will be fine (even a drop of 12 volts won't really harm the kit at the end of it, and for a temporary installation it'll be fine). On a proper outdoor event you'd have to use armoured cable, have it dug underground or suspended at height etc etc blah-blah-blah.... As this seems to be a private event you don't even need to do that....
yes, it's not good practise, yes it's probably a bit shoddy, but it's for a wedding, not an event where you have to have a sparky sign the whole thing off, or licensing inspecting or any of that malarkey. Just string out the cables and it'll be fine

*adjusts asbestos underwear*

 

[equitum]

If the voltage drop is too great, the amplfier DC supply rails can drop too low which will cause distortion on the sound. In the worst case, this could result in a clipped signal, which introduces a high level of high-frequency compnents into the signal that can destroy the HF drive units in the speakers.

Whilst good amplifier power supply design should minimise these effects. most DJ's do not use well designed amplifiers; they tend to go for very high power specs at miniiumum cost, which generally means the PSU is not very good!

Why would a clipped output introduce a "high level of high frequency components into the signal" ? What do you mean by "components" Surely the frequency of the signal remains the same, albeit clipped ? Clipping, when I was at college, was all about losing the peak of the waveform, and hence amplitude of the signal.

If this was the case, every bit of average MR. DJ kit it the land would be scrap by now!