4 Way Gang Mains Power Extension Lead

Hootsmon

what's best for pubs/stage.....is there one available out there that's better suited for the gigging muso?

rossyamaha

Better suited to the gigging musician? Whatever is on special offer. ;-)

ecc83

Funny you should ask this! I am in the process of clearing up and re vamping the "studio" bedroom. I pulled out a 4 way P strip and was shocked (almost literally!) to find the white plastic had "evaporated" around the mains lead entry exposing the live conductor. This strip powers just a couple of Tannoy active monitors and there is no sign of overheating.

I had one crumble away the same about 2 years ago but that lived back of the fridge and I put it down to mild heat.

Yes, these are just Bargain Store jobs at £5.99 but I am careful to keep the loads well under 300watts or so, but then if I paid £10 or more for a 4 way how do I know it won't go the same way?

I have contacted my local CCouncil so that I can send the strip to Trading Standards.

Dave.

Headphones

I'd suggest finding one with an RCD in it, has a chance it might save you a belt one day.

Might even suggest it's been tested to a standard...

Hootsmon

ecc83 said:

Funny you should ask this! I am in the process of clearing up and re vamping the "studio" bedroom. I pulled out a 4 way P strip and was shocked (almost literally!) to find the white plastic had "evaporated" around the mains lead entry exposing the live conductor. This strip powers just a couple of Tannoy active monitors and there is no sign of overheating.

I had one crumble away the same about 2 years ago but that lived back of the fridge and I put it down to mild heat.

Yes, these are just Bargain Store jobs at £5.99 but I am careful to keep the loads well under 300watts or so, but then if I paid £10 or more for a 4 way how do I know it won't go the same way?

I have contacted my local CCouncil so that I can send the strip to Trading Standards.

Dave.

where can I hear this Trading Standards?

Sporky

Brennenstuhl.

Rocker

@ecc83 £5.99 for a power distribution block. Total lunacy! Get a couple of MK or Crabtree double sockets and surface boxes.  Mount them on a short board, wire them up.  Job done.  When dealing with mains electricity, do it right the first time.  You may not get another chance.

Sporky

Rocker said:

@ecc83 £5.99 for a power distribution block. Total lunacy! Get a couple of MK or Crabtree double sockets and surface boxes.  Mount them on a short board, wire them up.  Job done.  When dealing with mains electricity, do it right the first time.  You may not get another chance.

Those sockets are not designed nor approved for mobile or non-permanent use. As an electrician (as I believe you've claimed to be) you should known that and should not be suggesting inappropriate uses.

Brennenstuhl or RPP if you want it to last and be legal. Any old crap if you don't care.

Cabicular

By the time we run lights, PA, Amps etc we use 4-6 per gig and that's not including the rack mount psus I try and buy sturdy looking outdoor use ones (orange cabled) but I also wouldn't dream of wiring myself to it
line 6 G30

ecc83

I see absolutely no reason to believe that a 6 quid, basic, unswitched  4 way diss strip should be anything other than safe. I would never suggest them for arduous field duty nor would I ever load one to more than a quarter of their rating but they should run a couple of small active monitors, a wee Berry mixer and a USB hub PSU all day long, forever!

In any case the problem was not loading or mechanical stress it was the plastic de-naturing and I don't care if you have a degree from the IEE you could not have predicted that!

I shall now of course buy more expensive strips but how do I know THEY won't go the same way in 5 year's time?

Dave.

Sporky

I agree - £6 ought to get something adequate to the task. But if I was gigging I'd have no problem spending £30 or so on something from someone I trust.

p90fool

ecc83 said:

I see absolutely no reason to believe that a 6 quid, basic, unswitched  4 way diss strip should be anything other than safe.

I agree, but I always take them apart and check all the connections before I use them. I've known a couple of people who have built these at home on a piecework basis when down on their luck, and the training and testing procedures are a joke.

I'd avoid the very, very cheapest ones, but your average stuff from big name supermarkets is fine, decent quality plastic and heavy enough brass parts.

I always check mine and run the whole band off an RCD.

Danny1969

Use black 4 ways with black cable .... White ones look shit on stage. Buy the ones that are serviceable . Not plastic riveted together 
Buy 10 amp or 13, never 3 or 5 amp unless you can be sure those ones will only ever be used for very light duty 

Sassafras

Whatever you use make sure the cable is straight to maximise the tone and to draw out every ounce of dynamics.

ecc83

p90fool said:

ecc83 said:

I see absolutely no reason to believe that a 6 quid, basic, unswitched  4 way diss strip should be anything other than safe.

I agree, but I always take them apart and check all the connections before I use them. I've known a couple of people who have built these at home on a piecework basis when down on their luck, and the training and testing procedures are a joke.

I'd avoid the very, very cheapest ones, but your average stuff from big name supermarkets is fine, decent quality plastic and heavy enough brass parts.

I always check mine and run the whole band off an RCD.

I see no reason to take such a thing apart? In any case many are blind riveted or in this case, tamperproofs.

I would like to stress once again! This is NOT a band/gigging situation but a fixed site, domestic very low power use.

All my power is on an RCD and there is an additional RCD 13A outlet in the kitchen for kettle and toaster.

Dave.

Cabicular

There you go
job done
http://www.raygrahams.com/products/118615-proplus-4-gang-switched-wall-socket-converter-13-amp-dev055665.aspx?pv=37305&gclid=CNr_sLDAic4CFQq3Gwod42QNRQ

ecc83

Cabicular said:

There you go
job done
http://www.raygrahams.com/products/118615-proplus-4-gang-switched-wall-socket-converter-13-amp-dev055665.aspx?pv=37305&gclid=CNr_sLDAic4CFQq3Gwod42QNRQ

Got something similar in my kitchen. But how do you know THAT plastic won't crumble?

Dave.

Sassafras

http://www.russandrews.com/the-powerblock-with-uk-ultrasockets/


You need one of these.
Only £705.

professorben

Rocker said:

@ecc83 £5.99 for a power distribution block. Total lunacy! Get a couple of MK or Crabtree double sockets and surface boxes.  Mount them on a short board, wire them up.  Job done.  When dealing with mains electricity, do it right the first time.  You may not get another chance.

It will work yes. 
But I wouldn't recommend it. 
If you are gonna go down that route I'd suggest IP66 sockets at least. 
Even then they are not designed for portable use. 

professorben

Sporky said:

Rocker said:

@ecc83 £5.99 for a power distribution block. Total lunacy! Get a couple of MK or Crabtree double sockets and surface boxes.  Mount them on a short board, wire them up.  Job done.  When dealing with mains electricity, do it right the first time.  You may not get another chance.

Those sockets are not designed nor approved for mobile or non-permanent use. As an electrician (as I believe you've claimed to be) you should known that and should not be suggesting inappropriate uses.

Brennenstuhl or RPP if you want it to last and be legal. Any old crap if you don't care.

Plastic is pretty brittle on those too. 

andyp

Does nobody have bother with buzzing / humming using these?

I plugged my new DSL5 into one at home and it was really noisy. If I plug straight into the wall it's totally fine. It's not a dear one, but it's not a cheapy one either.