DIY stove tie-in for movie lights
 

Hi -

I'm building a "stove tie-in" like the ones used on some movie sets.

It's a stove plug that wires into a double 110 receptacle/outlet (4 sockets).

The idea is to get more watts for lights easily when shooting in a house, by unplugging the stove and plugging this temporarily instead.

Models I've seen don't have a breaker as I presume overload risks are carefully monitored by film crew and the odd blown out light bulb isn't a big issue.

- 4 wires jut out of the stove plug: black, red, white and copper-color.
- These go into a double outlet receptacle
- The 2 outlets nested in it each have screws/plates on each side (silver and golden) and a green screw/plate .
- The receptacle has 1 green screw/plate

My questions:
1) Where to tie/screw in place the black, red, white and copper-color wires?
2) Do I have to wire nut/connect these to smaller caliber wires inside the receptacle before tying/screwing them in place on the outlets?

Thanks

Charles

1), it would only work if the circuit is a 4-wire, not 3-wire, and 2), you would need a panel for breakers, since you can not use a 30 amp circuit, unless the lights are rated for 30 amps, and usually they are 240volt lamps. You never stated if these lamps are 120volt or 240volt.

This is a code violation if you are supplying 15 and 20 amp receptacles off a 40-50 amp circuit breaker...

Get yourself a small panel(4 or 8 space) and screw it to a piece of a plywood. Run a wire from the lugs in the panel to a male stove plug end, so when you plug it in the panel powers up.

Out of the panel install what ever plugs you need, use pipe nipples and it will keep it nice and clean looking.

I would use a 8 space square d panel, and build a smallish box with wheels to mount it to, then you can stash all the cords in the box, as at 40 amp they will be heavy

And don't cheap out on the plugs. I'm talking commrercial grade receps, metal covers , and nice "handy boxes"

It may be worthwhile to put in the odd 30 amp 120 v plug just in case someone has a really high power light.

You can buy a stove cord premade from home depot and direct wire it into the sub panel but it would be pretty short and it might be more convenient to build a longer one using portable cord.

Really?? The NEC does not think so...

400.7(B) Attachment Plugs. Where used as permitted in
400.7(A)(3), (A)(6), and (A)(8), each flexible cord shall be
equipped with an attachment plug and shall be energized
from a receptacle outlet.

If you read that, it says the cord shall have an attachment plug(cap), okay a premade cord has that, and shall be energized via a receptacle, the cord gets plugged in to a hot receptacle, so we're okay there too.



it does not say a cord shall have attachment plugs on both ends, or you'd never be allowed to use a cord that wasn't removable...

He said direct wire to a panel with a cord. No? I did not say you could not use a cord from a receptacle to a piece of equipment.

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/a...fJt6-0oOuv.jpg

I don't see where a panel falls under (A)(3),(6) or (8)

That is because it doesn't.:yes:

I know... :)

I know you know, be quiet:), I wanna see Techys response.

Sounds like someone is trying to wire up some grow lights to me.

Honestly I thought there was something in 590 that allowed it, but I agree you'll have to use an inlet and a double capped cord in this case.

What I thought of, which may totally be wrong. Would to treat the panel as a stove, backfeed a 40 amp double pole and seperate the ground and whatnot.

Though that would be inconvenient as the box would be right beside the stove. Keep in mind you can get extension cords for stove plugs from your local RV shop.

I suppose you could use generator inlet if you want but I have not seen one in 40 amp