Power Tie-Ins and Contract or Connecti Ons

Power Tie-ins and Contract or Connecti ons
In cases where the existing building wiring is deemed insufficient for a large
lighting project, such as a feature film, it may be necessary to use a tie-in. This
is a special device used by gaffers to tie directly into the bus of the breaker box
to provide temporary high-current branch circuits. The tie-in has its own circuit
breakers and outlets. For safety, a tie-in must be installed by a gaffer who is a
licensed electrician.*
Another approach for situations where insufficient power (or no power) exists
is to pay the local electric company to install a temporary connection
to the
nearest household voltage line. These are known as contractor connections
because this is how contractors supply power to a construction
site before
the permanent connection is made. Contractor connections must be made
by the local utility for both safety and legal reasons. Call the local utility
and ask for their contractor services to find out what the details are in your
area and where a special permit will be required. Be sure to schedule the
installation of a contractor connection well in advance, since such an installation
is not an emergency and the utility will not get to it immediately
Electrical Saf ety

Weve talked about how to carefully balance load over different circuits, but now
we need to talk about the larger picture of general electrical safety. Although we
are all very casual about plugging in toasters and space heaters and coffeemakers,
these kinds of devices and mildly damaged extension cords are among the
top culprits for house fires.
High-amperage electrical supplies are not a casual thing. Despite the safety
factors
built into the electrical code, it is actually rather easy to electrocute yourself
or someone else through a careless move. A casual shortcut on safety precautions
is all it would take to burn a house or studio to the groundwith the
attendant risk to the lives of all in the building.
So here are some reminders for operating your lighting setup safely. They may
seem self-evident, but when one is in a rush or cutting corners due to a tight
budget, its easy to overlook a safety measureand one time is all it takes
with the wrong set of circumstances to cause death or permanent injury.
1. Dont use worn cables! Cables and connectors wear out. The extension
cords (or stingers) that you use can be subject to tremendous
stresses
foot or wheel traffic over sections, kinks, bending and stress
at cable ends. Inspect stingers and lighting instrument cables frequently
and simply. DO NOT USE any that are questionable. If connectors are
bent or get suspiciously hot in use, you can always cut a foot off the
cable and put a new connector on. But dont risk using a frayed, worn,
or suspicious cable. Theres a reason that the firemen I know are really
critical of the use of extension cords; theyve seen too many fires caused
by them!
2. Electricity and water do not mix! If you are shooting outdoors and
a storm comes, all stingers need to be disconnected at the outlet
immediately
and the lights covered with waterproof tarps. If you are
running stingers over damp ground or in areas where there may be

puddles, great attention needs to be paid to elevating and protecting
each connection.
If you are using a hose, spray, or other water effects,
the direction
of water flow needs to be carefully planned and the cables
and lights need to be positioned so they will not get wet. Dont be a
dummy: have the camera
under protection too!
3. Dont plug or unplug high-amperage lights while they are switched
on. Use the switch that is designed to disconnect the load safely and
without a spark.
Its a good idea on any location to use an electrical outlet tester (commonly
called a mains checker in the UK) on each outlet you plan to use (Figure 3.9).
These simple-to-use devices test for common wiring problems, including open
grounds, open hots, open neutrals, and reversed polarity.
Current electrical codes require the use of special circuit breakers for circuits that
will be used outdoors or in bathrooms near water. These safety devices, known
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Electrical Saf ety

running stingers over damp ground or in areas where there may be

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