Hey all,

I'm new to stage lighting / DMX and I was curious...

What do you guys do about getting adequate power to your lights on stage? Are you using just a simple surge protector? Does the power need to come from another external power source? How much does chaining power from lights draw out of power strips?

I know it's a case by case and light by light situation, I'm going to have this setup soon for reference

4 x Chauvet Intimidator 140 SR hybrid (140 W obviously)
3 x Chauvet Shocker 2 (Dual 85 W bulbs)

I just want to make sure I'm not going to blow a circuit out or something like that.

Thanks y'all.

You need to add up the current draw and make sure it fits within what the breaker will supply.

Get yourself one of those $20-ish green power meters and measure what parts of your system draw under real world conditions.

The power required by sound systems is often overestimated.

Whether lights require a separate breaker probably depends on what you also have on stage. I do like wiring up power for lights separately for troubleshooting purposes.

Within the rated capacity of a power circuit there are no “loss” considerations for daisy-chained power strips. There are however safety and aesthetic issues. Keep it tidy and out of harms way.

[QUOTE=ALMODrummer;13538696]Hey all,

I'm new to stage lighting / DMX and I was curious...

What do you guys do about getting adequate power to your lights on stage?

I know it's a case by case and light by light situation, I'm going to have this setup soon for reference

4 x Chauvet Intimidator 140 SR hybrid (140 W obviously)
3 x Chauvet Shocker 2 (Dual 85 W bulbs)

I just want to make sure I'm not going to blow a circuit out or something like that.

Thanks y'all.[/QUOTE

Most Stage Electricians "Drop Power" when extra circuits are needed.

TWO MANDATORY RULES OF THUMB FOR STAGE POWER;

1) Always keep your Audio Power separate from Lighting Power;
2) Never attempt to hook up to a Service Panel or Electrical Circuit that you cannot 100% Identify and Know How It Works.


Most Musicians turned Inexperienced Stage Electricians are very lucky when it comes to Electrical Power.

If you have never worked as an Electrician I'd HIGHLY recommend you take a class as an apprentice Electrician JUST SO YOU'LL BE ABLE KEEP YOURSELF SAFE.

Some established Stages have power schemes ranging from Single Phase to Three Phase High Voltage supply panels.

Here's a really quick self test;

If you don't know how to use a Meter to determine what a Three Phase Service Panel you should NOT attempt ANY Stage Power Projects.

The maths to figure out the amount of power you are going to need is very simple, the formula is P = IV, which is then rearranged to I = P/V

Basically, the power draw in watts is divided by the mains voltage you are going to be using (which will vary depending on where in the world you are)

Beyond that, you just need to make sure that the circuits (and extension leads etc..) you are using are rated to deal with the amount of current that is going to be going down them.

If you can, it's nice to be running of a separate breaker to sound power, to make sure that you aren't going to cause each other problems if either of you trip a breaker.

In three-phase systems, it's usually considered good practice to sit on a different phase to sound if you can, as sometimes (more with conventional dimmers than with the SMPS used with most LED's) lighting gear can create harmonics on the live, and put noise on the neutral that can have negative effects on the PA system.