portable ring main?

[nathan_templar]

Hi all

i have an idea in mind but havent been able to find any commercial option so i am assuming it is wrong.

what i am looking for is an extension with multiple sockets along its length?? i dont like pluging in bar extensions into one another, is this idea wrong as it is classed as an additional ring maina nd thus would require a 32a feed?? or am i totally of the ball here


cheers

 

[plugwash]

making it a ring would be a very bad idea from a handling point of view.

current rating required depends on what you are using it for,

if you are going to make something like this and you wan't a 32A rating i suggest 4mm arctic flex compression glanded into metalclad sockets fed from a 32A CEEFORM.

 

[JohnD]

Are you thinking of a kind of extension cable?

Tell us more about how you want to use it, and why it has to be portable.

 

[nathan_templar]

as a kind of extension cable, i want to have a length of cable with a socket every 3 metres. attached to these will be an infra red transmitter for an audio sytem so not a lot of current will be drawn. In the past 4 bar extensions have been plugged into one another and i dont like this as it a pain in the arse to gaff tape over, and it has to be portable as it will only be used in a location for a couple of days at most

cheers

 

[JohnD]

Is it to be used indoors? In a single room? Would you want to plug it in?

Is it a private house or a place of public entertainment?

 

[nathan_templar]

indoors and the general public will be near it, and most likely will be plugginto a 13a wall socket

 

[JohnD]

If it is in a theatre, club, bar etc then you had better not make up anything home made, just use extension leads.

I was formerly a theatre licencee and our premises were regularly inspected, and we would not expect visiting artists to bring anything other than such plug-in equipment as amps, instruments, radio mikes. I would have been very put out to discover home-made wiring systems being brought in.

 

[nathan_templar]

so is there a product alreay out there like what i am asking for??

 

[JohnD]

Not to my knowledge. How many socket outlets do you need; what are their distances from the point of origin; what is the load per appliance?

What are the appliances that you will be plugging in?

Where are you planning to install this thing?

 

[RF Lighting]

This is a fantastic bit of kit, and seems to be becomming the [theatre] industry standard for connecting multiple appliances such as illuminated music stands in an orchestra pit.

Click Here and do a search for ENCORE BLUE 240V 16A T LINE CONNECTOR

 

[JohnD]

you mean like this?

http://www.stage-electrics.co.uk/sfi?26220880

I don't think Nathan's going to tell us what he's up to, but I have a feeling that several simple extension leads with 13A rubber sockets would do the trick.

 

[Spark123]

Agreed, best use normal off the shelf extension leads, if they are to be used in a public place you should also make sure they are PAT (portable appliance test) tested.

 

[plugwash]

That adaptor is a nice idea but ceeforms are expensive and horriblly bulky so i'd personally only wan't to use them for outdoor stuff.

i know i've seen connectors like that for IECs (mainly on PC speaker sets) which would be ideal for the original posters use, just put them on your equipment and then use long IEC male-female leads between points. Having trouble finding a supplier though.

you can also get blocks like http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=269177 which are pretty small and take one IEC inlet to two outlets.