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Which extension cable? (Yes really!)


guyl
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Need a new extension reel and a couple of 4-ways. Obvs decent quality to avoid unnecessary earth buzz and black for stage. Thought it should be the easiest thing ever, but bought a couple off Amazon that have been rubbish - cheap as you like. In frustration I went to B&Q today, but every extension cable was bright yellow/orange/green. (Which I understand for health and safety, but not gigging!). Any suggestions? 

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I ended up with the brighter coloured ones as seeking out black cables on after gig poorly lit stages is a ball ache at the best of times. The B&Q ones are good, I’ve got an orange one with an inbuilt surge protection thingy, very good quality.

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1 hour ago, skidder652003 said:

I opted for a few 5 meter 6 way extension leads in black and put them around the band in a sort of ring so there's plenty of power sockets all around us for pedal boards, lights, PA and amps. So far so good, no blow outs yet and that's after quite a few gigs in dodgy pubs.

 

Each extension plugged into the previous, with only one into the wall?  

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Try CPC Farnell

They deliver next day (if in stock) - remember the VAT + delivery charges  😉

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel01274/extension-reel-mini-2-way-15m/dp/PL16098

https://cpc.farnell.com/c/electrical-lighting/extension-leads-cable-reels

 

 

I use their 8 ways and they are robust.

 

ProE16098-40.jpg

PL13410-40.jpg

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/brennenstuhl/1150613318/extension-skt-surge-8-way-anthracite/dp/PL13410

 

Edited by Bigguy2017
additional info
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2 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

 

Each extension plugged into the previous, with only one into the wall?  

not usually, there's 2 or 3 sockets in the walls, although we have done that on a couple of occasions with no problem. nothing gets switched on all at once!

Edited by skidder652003
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Vote for the Hugo 8 way here -

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/brennenstuhl/1150613318/extension-skt-surge-8-way-anthracite/dp/PL13410

 

Daisy chaining them is fine - there's nothing really in a modern band that draws enough power to worry about (unless you are still using old school lighting)

 

 

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18 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Vote for the Hugo 8 way here -

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/brennenstuhl/1150613318/extension-skt-surge-8-way-anthracite/dp/PL13410

 

Daisy chaining them is fine - there's nothing really in a modern band that draws enough power to worry about (unless you are still using old school lighting)

 

 

Yes, they're made of polycarbonate, have proper tight sockets and chunky cable.

They're rated at 16Amps too. I use the funky coloured ones for segregating AV and studio stuff.

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Another vote for Hugo 8 way - absolute top quality, never had a problem with mine.

I also use several of CPC's Pro-Elec cable reels - again, great value.

In the end I opened an account with them as they sell a whole load of other useful stuff and their service is excellent. 

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23 hours ago, guyl said:

Need a new extension reel and a couple of 4-ways. Obvs decent quality to avoid unnecessary earth buzz and black for stage. Thought it should be the easiest thing ever, but bought a couple off Amazon that have been rubbish - cheap as you like. In frustration I went to B&Q today, but every extension cable was bright yellow/orange/green. (Which I understand for health and safety, but not gigging!). Any suggestions? 

 

Given that on gigs, you are often playing in poorly lit venues, brightly coloured ones might not be a bad idea. I have a couple I bought from a builders merchant. I run them to where they need to go and plug a couple of 6 way Lindy boards into them. They work well.

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7 hours ago, chris_b said:

You need a long extension cable, to stretch around the corner to a socket that's not on the sound metering system.

This reminds me of a pub at Newlands Corner near Guildford. First time we played there we fell foul of the sound meter.  Second time we went prepared and plugged into the kitchen. 😀

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On 06/12/2021 at 12:43, EBS_freak said:

...Daisy chaining them is fine - there's nothing really in a modern band that draws enough power to worry about (unless you are still using old school lighting)

 

 

With respect, I strongly disagree. Daisy chaining adds extra connections into the earth path, which needs to be low impedance to blow a fuse quickly under fault conditions. Also, a faulty earth connection will not show up under normal operation, only when tested, or when it fails to protect you.

There is an argument that the pub RCD will protect you, but most of those are tested for sensitivity, and not speed of operation,  so I wouldn't rely on them.

David

Edited by Mottlefeeder
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On 06/12/2021 at 19:31, baldwinbass said:

Another vote for Hugo 8 way - absolute top quality, never had a problem with mine.

I also use several of CPC's Pro-Elec cable reels - again, great value.

In the end I opened an account with them as they sell a whole load of other useful stuff and their service is excellent. 

Minor tangent but I ordered one based on these recommendations and this was the only box they could find for it apparently. If anyone needs a bunch of air filled packing material...

PXL_20211209_195118872.jpg

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On 10/12/2021 at 09:44, Happy Jack said:

Cable GAS ... God help us all!

 

Indeed. The hi-fi world is already awash with such nonsense. Some spend hundreds, even thousands, on phono and loudspeaker cables woven from virgin's hair and butterflies' wings. There are attempts to persuade musicians to waste their hard earned on "tone cables", but most of us appear too skint or sensible to fall it.

Edited by Dan Dare
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On 06/12/2021 at 12:43, EBS_freak said:

Vote for the Hugo 8 way here -

 

https://cpc.farnell.com/brennenstuhl/1150613318/extension-skt-surge-8-way-anthracite/dp/PL13410

 

Daisy chaining them is fine - there's nothing really in a modern band that draws enough power to worry about (unless you are still using old school lighting)

 

 

That shows Shuko power sockets as used don la continong.

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