Cable & organization - Part 2

Relative to the other thread about cables, it got me thinking about the evolution of my FOH kits, from DJ to AV.

DJ kits were very consistent and directed to the repetition inherent in that type of gig. All connective parts of the system: speaker cables, patch cords, power cords, etc. It had layers of things that came out at every event, and subsequent layers of things that might turn out to be needed, as well as things to save my @$$ if an issue would arise. Each kit was identical save for music index catalog specific to the CD library sent to that gig. 'Blue' library = 'Blue' toy box. A mistake wouldn't cripple anyone the libraries were similar, just not identical.

The 'Toy Box' for DJ lighting rigs was similar in consistency. In the DJ realm different events rarely needed a different approach so these kits were about 98% effective without change or additions.

Now in AV - every event may be radically different. The role these boxes play are supplemental, problem solvers, interface solutions, and convenience cables or accessories. It fills the role of a "tool kit" rather than the sole "trunk" of gig supplies. It's also chiefly and AUDIO kit - because presentation or production video is a whole other animal, and the lighting too, is far different than a dance floor.

The FOH box is still part of every gig, and it's still the "Everything Box" I can go to for solutions to changing needs. It is only slightly higher off the floor than a typical chair, making it a convenient "seat" and rugged enough to stand on for use as a step stool. They can be carried by one hand by a single top handle, and have a rectangular shape that easily packs & stacks on a rolling cart or two-wheeler.

Total replacement value of the contents: $2,511.51 /box and there are 4 of these kits.

sawdust123 said:

My buddy has a nice FoH box. It is an Anvil case that is more akin to an upright steamer trunk. The front swings open to reveal several drawers, bins and hooks of various sizes that are nicely organized and labeled. It is very easy to find what you need without asking anyone. It is big though with attached wheels. It is definitely a 2-person lift. Without a lift truck though, it would be a PITA.

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On major gigs a company I freelance for will send their "everything" box. It's the footprint of a half-pack trunk, double height (so easily conforms to truck trailer standards) and it splits (hinged) in the middle to open into two columns of drawers. Holds a stash of mics, DI's adapters, short cables, gaff, first aid, snacks/water, power strips and all the misc stuff you could easily forget or find sudden need to have.

It's a touring class item and not something that can be lifted. It rolls onto a liftgate in and out of a truck.

sawdust123 said:

Can you post a pick of your FoH box. I am having difficulty envisioning it.

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I had expected to replace some of these assuming even a heavy gauge plastic like this would eventually break, but 35 years later that's not the "case." At the time, they were $39 ea/ Today similar boxes cost much more, but they are a great way to do this kind of kit because you'll never be without a seat or step-up when needed, It's waterproof (can stay in the rain, a puddle, or exposed truck bed), easily managed by one person, stacks nicely on a cart, easy to organize and work out of.

sawdust123 said:

Thanks for the pics. I had something similar but a bit smaller when I first started DJing professionally. It was basically a plastic rolling toolbox with drawers and storage that I picked up at a big box store. It turned out to be too fragile for road use and I went with nylon canvas bags after that. I also have lots of padded briefcases from old PCs that now serve to store my specialty stuff. One stores my choir mics, PZMs and elements for podium mics. Another is for my cat5 snake adapters. There is one for DIs and isolators. It is all stuff that rarely gets called into service so I don't bother coming up with a better storage system. I am working on a karaoke bag next. It will have all my HDMI stuff; cables, splitters, switches, Cat5 extenders, power adapters, etc. I suspect I will have room for a few mics, plug-on wireless systems and AC cords. It will be my new karaoke go-bag.

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As a DJ - I needed these to be identical kits that contained all of the required support cables and extras in ONE box which primarily means no bag or item will get lost of separated. You could literally put these boxes and racks into a vehicle and visually see that every required piece of the puzzle was loaded. I often leap-frogged from one location to another so knowing that identical kits were advanced at each location made it possible to move quickly from site to site with confidence and no errors or omissions of needed gear.

I rarely use bags for anything. Bags wear and start to look ratty. They are not crush proof and can be hard to dig through, especially in low light. Bags also provide no other useful function like a seat, step, or side table. I have also often found bags left behind by other DJs, dancers, and/or vendors because they would stuff them out of sight under stages or in weird spaces and then forget them, (out of sight out of mind.) I also tend to think bags cause more wear and tear to items inside that are pressed together and moving against each other constantly as the bag flexes and gets lifted or dumped. But of course, when you open my case what you find is everything organized as kits in little pouches (i.e.: bags )

The only bag I actually use is a Port-a-Brace camera bag that is a smaller specialized version of these kits. It's rigid, but with a padded construction that won't scratch theatrical furnishings and cabinets. It is for times when I am working with installed venue systems in schools or other performance centers where the sound, lighting, video, et. al. are in place and I'm just doing the actual tech of getting performers into the system and the show up and running, For that, I need DI's, adapters, Isolation transformers, patch cables, and tools for lighting grids, or system racks. Specialty mics I pull per gig specification (they are not a part of my tech kits.) For example, I need to install 5 hanging choral mics on the stage grid for upcoming Holiday Pops rehearsals and concerts later this month, but they are not something I carry around. Actual "gear" is always on a call sheet.

For production, all mics, cables DIs, and equipment are pulled according to a detailed itemized list of everything required for that particular job, including spare cables, etc. This original FOH kit then, is merely a fall back or failsafe for all the most common changes and/or challenges that could arise on any job. As an A1 or even an A2 I am typically the "problem solver" on site who has to resolve connection issues to other vendors like broadcast/cable, or installed venue systems, so having this contingency kit works well even if I'm actually just training someone else to do an actual FOH role.

PS: Harking back the the issue of "ground loops" - the quad boxes and power strips in each of these kits all have the inverted diode and resistor circuit inserted on the ground leg. Nearly a decade later I have had no instances of ground loop hum in my system setups, regardless of the number and locations of various AC power connections. They can survive a dead short on par or better then the OEM 16 Guage wiring in the same, fully preserving the safety ground while consistently stopping fractional ground differential.

It's a 20A version of the Hum-X installed in 15A power strips. Best thing I ever did!

sawdust123 said:

I can see how your box solution meets your needs. My need was for something that would hide easily under my small table after I was set up. This eliminated the need to put empty cases in the car after set up and then retrieve them before tear down. It's just different solutions for different priorities.

Your beefed up Hum-X is most likely very safe. Diodes usually (but not always) fail as a short and as you point out, the outlet strip will likely (but not always) trip first. However, a series diode in a safety ground is still a direct violation of the NEC. That is a liability I just choose not to take on for myself.

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These boxes also fit under a table. They are only slightly higher (20") than the seat of a chair (18"). It's a nice little boost to have if I'm actually using it as a seat while operating equipment. As a DJ most of the time I was standing, but that box is under the table because it holds the solutions for so many issues that might arise, and if I want to take a seat - I have one.

It's preferable to resolve a ground loop in an audio link rather than at the power source, but this is not always possible. In many situations the pathways multiply very quickly. Such is the case with active speakers plugged into various outlets over a wide space. Many DJs simply chop the ground lug off their cords or use a grounding adapter with the spade/wire unattached. The Hum-X application is a better and far safer solution.

The kind of hazard you are describing is not avoided by the absence of this component. The NEC approach on "devices" is primarily aimed at anything that would bridge the ground to an alternate path and in so doing bypass the nullification role of the breaker. Failure of the ground itself is only a hazard if you choose diode construction inconsistent with the intended ground leg capacity.

Failure of diode function is not the same rating as failure of the pathway. Recall that the goal here is NOT to lift the AC ground. Quite the opposite - it is to maintain the safety ground while adding some immigration enforcement at the milli-volt level. It's the functional equivalent of a traffic rotary where the only exit is to the same route you were on. In each direction the toll taker asks: "are you greater than 500mV ? If so, proceed - otherwise stop here.

The fractional current restraining properties of diodes is what gets ruined in a direct short rather than the ground continuity itself. This is a wiring scheme not a device.

The ground loop is different from say, 'leakage' because the ground loop doesn't exist until we create it by introducing a differing potential. That potential is a fixed number and remains constant.

Leakage on the other hand, is more like pooling floodwater and it will flow in whatever extreme proportion the path allows, Any "device" that bridges the ground to leaky current sources could prevent the breakers form detecting a hazard. Water is the foremost culprit - and that is why GFI is needed on all exterior and damp locations where even condensation is an issue.

A ground loop can trip a GFI outlet or breaker - which is better categorized as a nuisance than a hazard. If I had no choice but to use a GFI outlet - I could at least do so knowing that true ground fault protection remains in place despite the road block to insignificant loops.

sawdust123 said:

The reason the NEC doesn't allow semiconductors on a safety ground is due to the nature of semiconductor failure. This is not about a failure of them to rectify (diode function). It is about them burning up and creating an open circuit condition. Metal conductors aren't perfect but they are generally more reliable than semiconductors. One can argue the NEC is overly rigid in its rules. Heck, sections of the code sometimes contradict each other. It is just not a debate worth having on these boards.

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It's also not worth pretending to be blind about the obvious - one simply chooses a component with a burn rating greater than the conductor itself. It's not the rocket science you are pretending it to be, nor is it an installation.

Also, for those who are not aware: the NEC has no authority to "allow" or "disallow" anything because it is a recommendation not a law. It is up to each municipality to determine how and what from the NEC they wish to adopt and regulate locally to their building code requirements. There is no reason one can't choose to follow it religiously, nor is it realistic to think that there are no other reasonable applications of high value exception.