DIY Stingers

[Steven Carubia]

I'm interested in making my own stingers in lengths of 25' and 50'. The local hardware store has several gauges of wire -- I've scouted 14/3, 16/3, 18/3. What gauge do the production rental houses use for their stingers?

 

Thank you in advance to the knowledgeable and experienced members of these forums.

[timHealy]

I'm interested in making my own stingers in lengths of 25' and 50'. The local hardware store has several gauges of wire -- I've scouted 14/3, 16/3, 18/3. What gauge do the production rental houses use for their stingers?

 

Thank you in advance to the knowledgeable and experienced members of these forums.

 

 

in the US: 12/3 but the insulation is really important too. I think most is SJO. But there are others too. I never built the stuff in a rental house. Maybe there is an chart on line somewhere. Or check out Grainger or McMaster Carr's website.

 

You can use the other gauges if you use them for a specific purpose, but you wouldn't want people to start plugging 2k's into 18/3. You would be building 25 and 50 foot fuses. You know what I mean?

[Ed Conley]

12/3 SJO Cord.

 

Unless you buy 1000' yer not gonna get much of a Price break

 

So from the Box Store it is about 1.50 a foot- could be more, haven't priced it in along time.

 

25' of Cord x $1.50 = $37.50

 

Male connector $8.75

Female Connector $9.25

 

Total = $55.50

 

Built 25' Cord from Film Tools= $44.30

 

Buy the Cord from Film Tools

12/3 1.06 per foot

or

250' for .98 a foot.

[Steven Carubia]

Thanks guys. It might be useful to mention that I'm in Canada. The gauge of wire you've both recommended accommodates 20A circuits, which, to my understanding, are prevalent in the US. In Canada, 15A circuits are the norm, and a knowledgeable friend in the industry has recently informed me that 14/3 is the standard.

 

Please comment if you've anything to add or correct.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

As far as I know, Canadian and US electric systems are nearly interchangable. I'd go with 12/3 even if you only have a 15A circuit as you can get longer runs on lower A lights with a thicker cable. It's a pretty standard size too, and it's what crews will be used to...

[JD Hartman]

I'll have to agree with Adrian. 12/3 SO, SOW or SEOW. SJ (junior service) has a thinner jacket, lower working voltage, lower cost per foot and won't stand up to the punishment that SO type cords will. A rental house might have SJ stingers as a cost savings to them. In the NYC market, I see both SJ and SO* stingers.

12/3 will also have less voltage drop on long runs. We all know that we shouldn't make 100' (or greater) runs, but sometimes we do.

[John Sprung]

In Canada, 15A circuits are the norm,

 

Really? Here we have both 15's and 20's for branch circuits. Cheap developers use a lot of 15's to save on wire, but even they have to use 20's for kitchen and laundry circuits. Better builders go with 20's for all receptacles, though they may go 15 on lights.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Ed Conley]

Looks like this shop local to you will have the 12/3 Cord.

 

http://www.sourceshop.com/product.asp?pid=340

 

 

15amp Circuit may be the norm for Houses and such but on set yer not gonna find 15amp on the Lunchbox.

 

a 2k draws 16.66 amps and iffin' ya want the light on for 3 hrs or more you have to derate the Circuit by 20% which puts a 2k and 12/3 right at that point.

 

 

It is always better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it :)

 

Go with 12/3

 

 

general info on what the letters mean

 

http://www.interpower.com/ic/NA_Cable_Types.asp

[timHealy]

Thanks guys. It might be useful to mention that I'm in Canada. The gauge of wire you've both recommended accommodates 20A circuits, which, to my understanding, are prevalent in the US. In Canada, 15A circuits are the norm, and a knowledgeable friend in the industry has recently informed me that 14/3 is the standard.

 

Please comment if you've anything to add or correct.

 

like everyone else here do not use 14/3. Unless you are using it for specific purpose like a lamp or fixture.

for everything else use 12/3.

[Steven Carubia]

Thank you to everyone who responded. Your answers have exceeded my expectations. Lowe's has 12/3 SOOW for $5.83/m (3.3') or 150m (492') spool for $400 CAD.

[Ed Conley]

If you wanna go that route it is $$

 

I would suggest just purchasing some Husky or Ridgid brand 12/3 Extension cords off the shelf at the box store. Buy some mason line to put on each end so you can wrap up the Cords neatly at the end of each day and they will last a long time.

 

 

 

The Molded connectors are not the best but but will certainly work and can be replaced as needed with better quality ones at a later date.

[Steve London]

If you wanna go that route it is $$

 

I would suggest just purchasing some Husky or Ridgid brand 12/3 Extension cords off the shelf at the box store. Buy some mason line to put on each end so you can wrap up the Cords neatly at the end of each day and they will last a long time.

 

 

 

The Molded connectors are not the best but but will certainly work and can be replaced as needed with better quality ones at a later date.

They're awfully stiff in the cold though, and usually not black to be easily hidden on set.

[DJ Kast]

12/3 SJO Cord.

 

Unless you buy 1000' yer not gonna get much of a Price break

 

So from the Box Store it is about 1.50 a foot- could be more, haven't priced it in along time.

 

25' of Cord x $1.50 = $37.50

 

Male connector $8.75

Female Connector $9.25

 

Total = $55.50

 

Built 25' Cord from Film Tools= $44.30

 

Buy the Cord from Film Tools

12/3 1.06 per foot

or

250' for .98 a foot.

 

dont forget the 40 dollars filmtools will charge for shipping. :)

[Ed Conley]

They're awfully stiff in the cold though, and usually not black to be easily hidden on set.

 

His status is Student :)