color coating 12/ 3 cable lengths

[David Ross]

I'm planning to make up a bunch of new 12/ 3 stingers. I wish to identify each cable with an ID color based on the lengths. I plan to carry 4 sizes they are : 10' 25' 50' and 100' cables . So my question is there some known color system based on length of cable ? And if so could you please share.

 

Thank you in advance for your advice.

 

Kind Regards

 

David Ross

[Daniel Klockenkemper]

There isn't a uniform standard as far as I can tell. If you look at filmtools' stingers, they do white for 25', red for 50', and yellow for 100ft, with no color for 10ft (which makes sense, it's easy to ID the length when it's that short). A rental house I've worked with a lot does orange for 25ft, yellow for 50ft, and no markings for 100ft.

 

I've also seen the PRG color code system on the internet, which goes like this:

5′ Red

10′ Green

15′ Blue

20′ Brown

25′ Purple

50′ Orange

75′ White

100′ Yellow

There are also color codes for DMX cable, if you or others on your crew use DMX frequently you might copy that so as not to have two separate systems to memorize:

5ft - red

10ft - yellow

15ft - green

25ft - orange

50ft - white

100ft - purple

 

If there's a rental house that you use to supplement your own equipment for bigger jobs, it makes the most sense to copy whatever system they use.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

To be honest; I'd just make up 25 and 50 stingers with maybe a 1 100' (though 2x 50's I find to be more versitile).

And with those they are easy enough to tell size by feel (and by keeping them in their own milk-crates) that you don't need color coding necessarily. If so; I've noticed, though haven't looked deeply into it that many 50' are red and most 25' are, well not red (often the color of the rental houses's stuff).

If you wanna get super fancy you could change the color of the hubbles on the end-- make them brightly colored if you can (makes it easier to find says me-- perhaps yellow for 25 and orange for 50)

[Edward Lawrence Conley III]

I'd check in at Paladin for pricing on stingers. Unless you are buying a spool of 12/3 and connectors in bulk their pricing is good.

 

 

darrin@paladinhollywood.com

Paladin

1001 N. POINSETTIA PL.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90046 US

Phone: (323) 851-8222

Fax: (323) 851-7328

$39.00 for 25'

$52.00 for 50'

[JD Hartman]

I'd have to agree with Adrian, 25 and 50' stingers will be the bulk of what you use. When you to 100', you start to exceed acceptable voltage drop at anything over 15A. As far as the 10' stingers, nice to have if you are shooting a lot in cube farms, but you can always rent those as needed.

 

As far as buy vs. make you own, if you're not a total bungler with tools and shop carefully, you can easily beat the "retail" price on the materials. Look on Fleabay for caps and bodies, look on Craigslist and estate sales for an electrical contractor going out of business or swap meets and buy mostly full spools of 12/3 cordage. Your time?? Make them while watching TV.

Edited September 25, 2017 by JD Hartman

[David Ross]

All great advice - thanks everyone!