The wiring of giant wedding/party Letters

[teacherspark]

I have been approached by a customer who supplies and now is manufacturing their own large wooden letters. It is a first for me. Has anyone done anything like this? Hints, tips advice?
If I say no to everything that makes me think a little harder I'll never expand my portfolio.
The lamps he has suggested are e14 cabochon lamps. Each letter could have it's own plug top or may be nice idea to have them interconnect so that it doesn't matter how long the word is, each letter only needs to connect to the next. As I said above, just looking for any wisdom anyone might have on this subject.

 

[Pete999]

I have to ask, please tell me to mind my own, but why change from a teaching career to a Sparky one? nice warm classroom well behaved Kids paid holidays, well respected, especially teaching Science, my dream job. Or is it not as good as I make it out to be?
What would be the loading of each letter approximately?

 

[Spoon]

or may be nice idea to have them interconnect so that it doesn't matter how long the word is, each letter only needs to connect to the next.

I'd also go along with the above.
Are there things a permanent fixture or not?

 

[teacherspark]

I have to ask, please tell me to mind my own, but why change from a teaching career to a Sparky one? nice warm classroom well behaved Kids paid holidays, well respected, especially teaching Science, my dream job. Or is it not as good as I make it out to be?
What would be the loading of each letter approximately?

I wondered how you knew that about me....Private eye maybe? No, I had included it in my profile when I first joined. So, that was 3-4yrs ago now and I no longer teach.

"nice warm classroom well behaved Kids paid holidays, well respected, especially teaching Science, my dream job. Or is it not as good as I make it out to be?"

That sentence sounds like it is either from someone who has not experienced teaching for themselves (or has someone in their close family as a teacher) or from someone who is being sarcastic and has experienced it......?

A quick google search will give you the info you need regarding teaching and the life style that comes with it.

Good regular pay, 13 weeks paid 'holiday', sick pay, pension all given up for being a self employed spark. I'm a much happier human being now.

However, my advice to you if it is something you want to do, go for it! The government are once again advertising left, right and centre for teachers with generous incentives.....I wonder why?

Loading wise - Almost certainly go for LED, so at 2W a lamp, maybe 0.1A per letter (12 lamps on the 'R')

Not sure whether using click push in connectors to connect each letter in any sequence would be beneficial or just have a plug top on each one with enough cable on each to reach a central power supply. Needs, to be safe (Electrically/trip hazards) but also robust and user friendly.

Thanks

 

[Spoon]

So are these signs temporary, permanent or both?

Maybe the base can be a set size so there is less distance between the letters, then the connectors can be fitted to the base. Each base linked to the next with a very short connection piece. This will eliminate the trip hazard.

 

[Rocboni]

If you are using carbochon caps which I've used extensively on funfair rides I'd be inclined to use led E14 lamps, and running them at extra low voltage through a transformer, makes it safer for prying fingers. Usually these caps fit into spiked lamp holders.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

I've seen a few of these at events, although I believe in aluminium, not wood. ELV with a transformer in each "letter" from a 13A plugtop is probably the way to go and certainly the easiest for non-technical people to understand via telephone support, when the hire company get the inevitable call that a letter has "gone out". Trying to create linked inlets/outlets will just complicate, IEC60320 connectors tend to un-mate too easily, IEC60309 T-connectors are good for events people but confuse general public. Keep it simple.

 

[Spud28]

Multiple ways to achieve this but if it will be used outside then I'd look at elv and military connectors. Could also use a short catenary between letters, cheers

 

[teacherspark]

I'd also go along with the above.
Are there things a permanent fixture or not?

Thanks for the replies,

They will be portable. Taken to a venue for an event etc. and taken away again.

Good thinking about making them as fool proof as possible. ELV reduces touch voltage yes so a good idea I guess. Can you get ELV E14 LED lamps?

Should RCD protection be afforded too maybe by way of an RCD plug?

I've not said yes to doing it yet, just trying to think it out first, I do't want to do 'half a job'.

Many thanks

 

[Spoon]

Good thinking about making them as fool proof as possible. ELV reduces touch voltage yes so a good idea I guess

The lights I was looking at were only 24V.

 

[Richard Burns]

I would suggest that the lights as a whole were operated on a single safety isolating transformer to ELV with multiple outlets for individual lights and the capacity for a long "sentence" as well as a single fixture.
Each light would have an input socket with a screwed waterproof connector suitable for the current of multiple lights, the light would also have another output with a waterproof cover that would allow another letter to be connected to it in a radial fashion with a link cable (not designed to support the weight of the letter).But do consider volt drop when specing the cable.
Then the letters could be either connected to the supply individually or interlinked (like link lights) as required.
The ELV would provide the means of protection and the screwed connections should mean they do not accidentally get pulled out (but probably mean the cables will be ripped out instead, so the supply should be short circuit protected).
Simple, flexible and safe, perhaps.

 

[Spoon]

I would suggest that the lights as a whole were operated on a single safety isolating transformer to ELV with multiple outlets for individual lights and the capacity for a long "sentence" as well as a single fixture.
Each light would have an input socket with a screwed waterproof connector suitable for the current of multiple lights, the light would also have another output with a waterproof cover that would allow another letter to be connected to it in a radial fashion with a link cable (not designed to support the weight of the letter).But do consider volt drop when specing the cable.
Then the letters could be either connected to the supply individually or interlinked (like link lights) as required.
The ELV would provide the means of protection and the screwed connections should mean they do not accidentally get pulled out (but probably mean the cables will be ripped out instead, so the supply should be short circuit protected).
Simple, flexible and safe, perhaps.

A bit like what I suggested in post #5 but you put it a hell of a lot better..

 

[Richard Burns]

A bit like what I suggested in post #5 but you put it a hell of a lot better..

Thank you, however if my post is what you were suggesting in post #5 I do think perhaps a little something was lost in the transfer of information from brain to forum post...

 

[Spoon]

Thank you, however if my post is what you were suggesting in post #5 I do think perhaps a little something was lost in the transfer of information from brain to forum post...

Very true mate. I could have been a lot more informative.

 

[Rocboni]

Good thinking about making them as fool proof as possible. ELV reduces touch voltage yes so a good idea I guess. Can you get ELV E14 LED lamps?

Yes you can, try rue amusement lighting, not who I use but they will have everything you need.