using power amps (the dj type)

[irdaze]

hi I have recently purchased 3 power amps - they are each app 2000w each - the manual says they are rated at 1800va & 2730va &
each one has 16amp fuse built in.

they have been fitted with ceeform (blue) ends

I need to know:

1. how to wire the ceeform to mains plug/adaptor together (ie female to 240v mains plug) & recomended cable thickness & type

2. why on a 13amp socket the internal fuse (at the amp) from the mains is rated at 16amp (do you need a 16amp fuse at the plug/mains end?)

3. app they draw a lot of current when powering up, is there something i can put between the mains socket & the ceeform connections to help it not activate the trip switch at the fuse box? (ie a transformer etc / that will stop it drawing to quickly off the mains)

any help would be great

cheers

 

[Steve]

1. you can get adaptors, if not, use a female ceeform and 13A plug, with 1.5mm² arctic flex between

2. Fit a 13A fuse at the plug - should be ok. You cant get 16A plug fuses - plugs only rated to 13A.

3. No. If they are on a 32A ringmain, as long as you power them up individually (not all at once), they should be ok. DO NOT plug these into a socket bank or 4-way socket etc. Plug them into individual wall sockets. See below for the best way to do it.

Bloody big amps - what are you doing with them?

The best way to power these amps is to run 3no. 16A radials, with C16 MCBs and terminate the radials in 16A ceeform sockets on the wall. But i'm guessing this is out of the question . . .

 

[irdaze]

nice one mate - the bottom bit baffled me - but understood the rest

am using the amps on a 6k pa rig (building the speakers etc myself)

was shocked when they arrived very big & very heavy!!

 

[breezer]

are you going to be a mobile dj? it sounds like the amplifiers you have are for a club (fixed installation)

If its of any use i have a jb systems ax200 amp (not as powerfull as yours) and that is very heavy for its size, it plugs in via a normal 13 a socket.

have you a link to yours, so we can see it?

 

[irdaze]

no the guy I bought them from runs a pa hire company - these babies are all flight cased up & he replaced the mains plug/leads himself (to ceeform) as to use his ceeform extensions rather then the thin normal ones.

planning to use them at a few festivals in the summer

 

[breezer]

and what plug was on the other end of his extension leads?

its all verywell cahnging the plugs but where / what are you going to plug them into when you get to your "gig"

 

[irdaze]

to mains - he left me with brand new ceeform (females to make my own) his other amps use the same set up so he wanted to keep hold of his cables.

 

[breezer]

sorry, perhaps i wasn't claer enough

your amp has a connection / cable coming out (what ever) you put a ceeform plug on this to plug into an extension lead.

tyhe extension lead also must have a ceeform socket (since your amp now has a ceeform plug)

what is at the other end of the lead that has a ceeform socket

or to put it another way

you said you are going to connect it to the mains (fine) how? (it plugs in at your end with ceeform plug and socket, what about the other end?)

 

[irdaze]

a normal plug (ceeform to mains adaptor) you can buy them but as he provided me with the bits it cheaper just to get the artic cable and knock one up (3 pin (male) to ceeform (female)

 

[breezer]

a normal plug (ceeform to mains adaptor) you can buy them but as he provided me with the bits it cheaper just to get the artic cable and knock one up (3 pin (male) to ceeform (female)

that is what i thought.

so can you please tell me why are you putting on the ceeform plug when all the current being drawn comes form a normal 13A socket, even if you are relying on the ceeform kit being rated higher than 13A the socket you will be plugging into isnt.

i am not being pednatic or similar (sorry if that's how it sounds) but it often tickes me when people do as you are doing for what is really a waste of time.

if it was a fixed installation with dedicated circuit to ceeform socket, i could understand, but as you wil be plugging into a standard 13A socket which is probably on a ring, and then you will probably be plugging your other amp in to the socket next to it in the same manner i do not see the point of what you are doing.

as i mentioned my amp plugs into a normal socket, yes its not quite as powerfull as yours, but are you going to run it at full volume? ( i dont think so)

 

[irdaze]

i see your point - but if i'm running these cables i dont want to use normal extension lead etc & the artic cable has a better power rating (stop me if i'm wrong as i,m no real sparky) to handle the amount of power these draw ( better safe then sorry ) & if some idiot (and you know they are out there) tries to mess they cannot just plug into a 4 way or thin extension

 

[breezer]

artic cable is so called only because it can be used in very low temperatures (down to minus 30) and still remain flexible, nothing to do with its current carrying capacity.

as for some one plugging into a 4 way block, there is nothing to stop them un plugging your adaptor and plugging that into a 4 way block

if i were you i would change the plugs back, so that if ever you do forget a lead or adaptor you can still use an extension lead.

artic cable extension leads can be brought from b & Q ( i have 2)

I would also suggest you make an "official looking notice" and fix it to your plug after you have plugged in to where you are going dont let any one else plug it in for you

and here comes the crunch, have you got public liability insurance?

 

[Steve]

A quick search on google returned this:

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?s=281350d40f604f347201c47a3accb3cd&showtopic=4477

very scary stuff they are talking about. widowmakers etc

 

[breezer]

that looks a very interesting site, i will read it all later, they may be able to help me

 

[andy]

3. app they draw a lot of current when powering up, is there something i can put between the mains socket & the ceeform connections to help it not activate the trip switch at the fuse box? (ie a transformer etc / that will stop it drawing to quickly off the mains)

be aware that a BS4343 16A plug must be on an MCB of rating 20A or less

for tripping, you could, if ELI allows, change MCBs to type C