Calculating Power Draw| Power Distribution In A Music Venue
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
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Power Distribution In A Music Venue
Understanding power distribution and calculating power draw in a music venue is pretty important for most sound engineers. Without a basic understanding, we could end up with the whole stage going dark at the peak of the performance.
In this video, we'll explore:
The basics of power distribution.
How to calculate how much power we're using
An example of the power requirements of a stage set up with backline and active PA.
I’m not an electrical professional. Please use this to expand your understanding but always consult an electrician if you’re in doubt.
You are forgetting an important detail here: That 64A circuit is 3-phase. That means you can split it up into e.g. 6 16A 1-phase circuits and still load them fully without tripping the 64A breaker. You multiply the 3-phase current with √3 to get the equivalent one phase capacity.
Definitely a good addition to one's setup checklist. Ask what plugs go to which circuit, so one can ensure the PA, musicians, and lights are on separate circuits if they are available. Very good advice.
Great suggestion!
Great video again thanks Andrew! Pitched really well as I too am not an electrician or physics Master!! ;-)
Haha thanks so much Nick :)
I run 2 StudioLive rack units, the back line, 6 JBL eon 10 monitors, 2 Mackie 18S and a pair of QSC K12.2 and it never hits 11 amps
In regards to finding the power draw of speakers- is the measurement at 1/8th power significant? To use your example, the K10 is rated at 1.9 amps for 120V, but does that power draw increase as the speakers are pushed louder? You mentioned afterward about that hypothetical system being on full blast, but it's a bit confusing the way 1/8th power is worded..
It's a good questioin. Basically thath's the average draw for music and speech. Music and speech are both quite dynamic and the power draw is also dependant on what you send into it. since there are quiet and loud parts the max power draw is averaged at 1/8. I hope that makes sense.
@@OffshoreAudio It does, thanks for replying so quick. That said, if you’re calculating power draw for an event that’s maybe a little less dynamic- an EDM event with a lot of heavier bass music- should you overestimate a bit to some degree? More so than you would for a live band performance?
@@tgg_music2 We're still talking music vs A square wave or pure distortion coming out the speaker. I think I'd recommend having enough headroom that the musical style doesn't male a huge difference. If you're coming within 10% of the maximum draw it's probably worth just getting more power. If you're just looking to understand more then this book has been recommended to me(though I've not read it)
www.amazon.com/dp/0367249472/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dl_7G24TQPPF875SD41VR6M
@@OffshoreAudio Awesome! Thank you so much!
I’m no electrician either.
However, I really did notice your trying very hard to explain something that is not in your wheelhouse. Very good for what you said.
That said, every tech who runs a PA system should know what their system will draw from the mains supply and how many separate circuits that system needs so as to not trip any breakers. If you don’t, you will run into issues with tripping breakers and that is not only unacceptable to everyone involved, it’s downright embarrassing.