Flash Electrical Drops

[sqslabs]

The electric on my new equipment is currently being installed and I'm trying to figure out the most flexible way to run the two flash drops so that either flash can be moved anywhere on the press.  Is the standard here to drop the lines in the center of the press, or one on each side, or something else?  Any tips would be much appreciated, thanks!

[mk162]

center of the press...cheaper to wire since you will have less conduit.

[alan802]

Center

[jvanick]

I put mine on either side, centered between head 2 and 3, and 7 and 8.. there's enough tail on the flashes to move them where they need to be, and they're easier to plug in

[sqslabs]

Thanks guys.. 

jvanick: With that setup, would you still be able to run the flashes next to each other, on heads 2 & 3 for instance?

And one more thing.  I'm already locked into a price with the electrician, so I can make the cables as long as I'd like at no additional cost.  How far down should I drop the cable from the ceiling?  I'll be using twist lock plugs for all of the connections.

[mk162]

i like the middle because I can easily coil up the cord on the press when not in use...

[jvanick]

no, I couldn't run on 2 and 3 but I do have a 15ft 'extension' cord made from 6/4 SO cord with twistlocks on both ends, so if I had to, I could do that I guess.

in hindsight, in the middle might have been a better idea... but what's done is done and it's not changing now

[tonypep]

On our two sets of two autos enough cord is dropped so that two autos can swap share all the flashes. Costly but worth it.

[ZooCity]

Like Tony. Lot of so cord here. Use the Chinese fingers and hang them from hooks on the ceiling to reposition without the cord being in the way.

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

[Binkspot]

Leave a bunch of slack, add a Chinese finger about half way down and hang from a spring. This will keep the slack out of your way.

[sqslabs]

Awesome, thanks for all the help. 

[ZooCity]

Leave a bunch of slack, add a Chinese finger about half way down and hang from a spring. This will keep the slack out of your way.

Spring is a brilliant idea.  I like the idea of maximum strain relief. 

sqslabs, if you really are unlimited on how much cord can be ran I would go for a ton and actually upsize the wire and the SO cord, i.e., run #8 or larger, to fit the largest possible flashes you could ever need. 

One of our past electricians mentioned a device that has an arm on a swivel that holds the cord up in the air which would be perfect as you move around the press but they cost a lot he said.