Power Cable!

[Seventh Knight]

Whus Happenin, GS!

I didn't see a "Live Music" forum so I hope this is the right area!

My church has a set of Mackie Fusion 3000 Loudspeakers and in the process of moving our youth departemtn to their new facility, one of the electrical plugs to one of the speakers (these are active speakers meaning that they have built in amps in them and you have to use a power cable to plug them up so that they will come on) would up missing. They have a Nema LS-20 20 A 115 VAC housing on the back of each speaker and requires a 3 pin twistlock 250V AC 20A Male AC Connector and I cannot find that cable anywhere. Mackie does not carry those power cables anymore (now you have L5, L6, and so on) so I'm trying to find a place that would have the power cable. I looked online and did not see anything at all after going through hundreds of website. I'm trying to help out my youth department at our church but the music does not sound right coming from only one speaker. If anyone knows where I can find the power cable I need I (and my youth department) would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

Seventh

[hbphotoav]

Go to an electrical supply store (http://www.summit.com/search/ISA-Search-Results.php) or Home Depot/Lowe's (http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-...0053&langId=-1) and purchase the appropriate Hubbel or Pass & Seymour/Legrand connector. Take the speaker or a cellphone pic of the receptacle along if you want to. Get some 12/3 SJ cable, or buy a pre-made 20A 12ga extension and behead the female end (if you're needing an Edison on the supply side). Strip the sheath back, push the connector cap (unscrews from the business end) down the wire, strip the wires (usually green - ground, white-neutral, and red or black - hot). Match the colors into the connector (green-to-green; white-to-silver; black or red-to-gold) and tighten them securely. Reattach the cover. Do likewise with the 20A Edison for the other end, if you're using raw 12/3 SJ cable. If you're uncomfortable doing this, have an electrician build it from the parts.

Be careful with the connections (they are critical). It ain't rocket science... but it is important.

Good luck!

HB

[Lazerface]

Originally Posted by hbphotoav

Go to and electrical supply store or Home Depot/Lowe's....

Knowing how to make or repair your own power cords is an easy but valuable skill to have, almost essential if your a live sound professional. That and knowing how to solder too, cuz your never know when you may need to make an XLR y-cable or a phase invert cable or a ground lift cable because the shops are closed for the night!
It can also be cheaper in the long run to buy bulk cable and make the connectors yourself. Its understandable if your not comfortable doing soldering, but power is a simple wire stripper and screwdriver affair.

[Seventh Knight]

Thanks for the advice!

My problem is that I cannot even find the adapter (male) anywhere. Not Home Depot...not Lowes...not even on Mackie's website. Even the parts department have come up empty and I've looked on hundreds on links and websites.

Here's how the back of the Mackie Fussion 3000 looks: http://www.mackie.com/products/fussi...s/3000Rear.jpg

[boojum]

Google is your friend: Electrical Outlets by NEMA Ratings - LevitonProducts.com

[Adlen]

If all else fails I'd recommend replacing the connectors with Neutrik PowerCon. Things like the connectors on the Mackie unit aren't meant to be futureproof

PowerCon stuff is easy to come by

[Remoteness]

I never heard of an LS-20 connector and that looks like an L5-20.
And, I cannot find the LS-20 on the NEMA connector chart or anywhere else for that matter. I believe it's a typo! Do I hear a witness?

It seems like sMackie is the only source for that connector.
That said, it is be possible that sMackie is actually using L5-20s and didn't realize they silk screened a typo? Hello, What? What happen? Is Zoro on?

I would purchase an L5-20 and see if it fits...

Worst case scenario, you could just replace them with L5-20s and be done with it.

I think we have a few L5-20s in stock at the field shop.
We don't use them, but have them in stock.

Originally Posted by boojum

Google is your friend: Electrical Outlets by NEMA Ratings - LevitonProducts.com

Yes, Google is our friend, but there are no LS-20s found on the NEMA chart.
It seems like only the sMackie site and this thread lists the LS-20 connector.
I bet dollars to donuts, this is a typo on sMackie's part...

I could be wrong, so if anyone knows the truth, let it be told here and now.

[jude]

if i remember correctly the meyer MSL4s used the same power connections. maybe they would be worth contacting?

[hbphotoav]

Looks an awful lot like the standard 20A connector made by Hubbel and Pass/Seymour (Electrical - Electrical Outlets & Plugs - Plugs & Connectors at The Home Depot 5th row down, 3rd connector over). If Mackie cannot get you the part, and it's not a "standard" 20A locking connector (which is why I suggested you take your speaker to the Hubbel or Pass & Seymour supplier to check the fit... or buy the 20A twist female and take it home to check) do like the doods say and have someone replace the entire connector set with one or the other. 20A locking is 20A locking... isn't it?

HB