Outdoor power options/Circuit breakers???

[ash_sak]

I'm organising a gig/party which is happening about 6m from the house, in a marquee.
I was wondering if anyone had done anything like this before and knew about how to get a power cable outside, without the risk of...well anything otherthan perhaps falling over a wire.

Would a massive extension lead suffice? or should i look into something a bit more sensible.

Thanks.
Enjoy

Edited May 14, 2009 by ash_sak

[YouMa]

Could you not just get an inverter from maplin and use a 12 volt car battery?

[ash_sak]

[quote name='YouMa' post='487446' date='May 13 2009, 11:30 PM']Could you not just get an inverter from maplin and use a 12 volt car battery?[/quote]


...to google to check out what an inverter is...

(thanks for the tip, could you explain what you mean though. I'm not good with electrics)

[BOD2]

An inverter converts DC electricity (from a battery) into AC electricity (what you get from the mains).

Unfortunately a car battery would not be capable of proving enough power for long enough to power a band.

If the marquee is only 6 metres away then you could run an extension cable. Better still run two extensions cables from different sockets in the house.

Make sure the extension cable is thick "10 amp" cable and not some weedy little thing. Also ensure that the cable is 3-core (live, neutral, earth) and not a 2-core cable with no earth (you can take the top of the plug to check this).

If it's on a cable reel then roll out all of the cable - don't leave it on the reel as a rolled up cable can heat up.

Put something over the cable where it crosses from the house to the marquee so that no one can trip over it - either put boards over, tape it down, or place obstructions to discourage people from crossing over the cable (preferrably ALL of these things !).

[~tl]

...and make sure you use a good RCD circuit breaker!

[ash_sak]

Now that's something i can do easily, we have loads of extension leads lying about the place.
And thanks for the circuit breaker idea too, i wouldn't have thought of that.

Given you've said a 'good' RCD breaker can you suggest one or would going to Maplins or something and just buying any suffice?