Help on US Power Distribution System

[Markus Harthum]

Hi,

 

Im from Europe, Austria, and pretty unfamiliar with the US Power System, but I'd like to learn about it.

 

If someone with experience in this field could help me a little bit would be great.

 

1st question: What du you use as connection from generator to the set? Camlok? or only on the bigger sets? And are the camlok cables what sometimes seems to be called banded cables? And in what sizes (amp- wise) come these cables?

 

2nd question. what cables do you use to power the lamps? bates? or are there different systems for different lamps?

 

3rd : What do you use a grounding cable for? just for grounding the genny?

 

Thanks in advance, if i can help out with the European System let me know.

 

Markus

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Most cine gennys have Cam lock. Most lights greater than 2K have Bates-- under 2K it's Edison.

Grounding cable is yes, for larger gennys, though most everything is grouned somehow (all outlets have a ground in your typical house build since the 1940s). We're 120V and mostly 20A in househoulds so much more limited in lamp selection to power from an actual location.

[Markus Harthum]

Ok cool, thanks.

 

And concerning the banded cables, are these the single phase runs of the camlok banded together ( Phase 1-3, Ground, neutral), or anything else?

Sometimes i see items such as 4-wire banded, or 5 wire banded.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Depends on how you're running it. For the most part, everything I've seen done has been single phase-- but then again I don't normally need to go over to the genny

[Markus Harthum]

So you mean your just using one phase for the whole Set? And this Phase is running on 120v?

If you use 3 phase systems are they 400v or 240?

[Walter Royle]

We use three phase over here with five wire banded. If you are doing a long run of cable we jump up to 2/0 cable and use 4/0 cable for even longer runs. Single phase is also used, but usually on smaller shoots.

 

#2 banded cable can carry 115Amps per hot leg

2/0 cable can carry 175amps per hot leg

4/0 cable can carry 230 amps of power per hot leg

[Markus Harthum]

Hi Walter,

 

thanks for the info.

 

I'm sorry, I'm just confused by the names i guess.

what kind of connectors do all these cables have?

And banded cable, does that mean its 5 single cables banded together?

The 2/0, 4/0 cables are laid seperately?

 

I''m just confused about this banded cable thing, we don't have them over here.

 

Thanks a lot,

Markus

[Ed Nyankori]

what kind of connectors do all these cables have?

Under 2k Edison connector.

2k - 5k use 60amp bates

10k and maxi brutes use 100amp bates

6k, 12k, 18k and 20k use 220v bates (100amp) and you should order them with camlock to 220v bates adapters (commonly known as snake bites)

 

And banded cable, does that mean its 5 single cables banded together? Yes it's #2 cable rated at 190amps

 

The 2/0, 4/0 cables are laid seperately? Yes and are laid side by side. Rated for 300 amp and 400 amp respectively

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed Nyankori]

Correction 2k and under use Edison or 20amp bates plugs. Some stages use a twist lock.

[Markus Harthum]

Thanks Ed