When you are producing concerts and other outdoor events you find yourself either using a noisy and smoky construction generator, a too small extension cord run from the nearest building, or waiting forever for an electrician to install a temporary (and very expensive)service panel.  None are a good solution.

Kleege Industries, a long time player in mobile staging, has created a new and potentially revolutionary solution to this problem with their Helios 250 mobile stage.

This 32′x24′ mobile stage and load bearing roof is equipped with a 5000 watt solar array that generates enough power to operate a full size concert sound system.

It was tested extensively on last year’s Country Throwdown Tour with Willie Nelson, and according to a Kleege press release, it performed flawlessly.  It is also equipped with a backup biodiesel generator, but the genset was not needed a single time.

The Helios 250 is a collaboration with Sustainable Waves, a leader in the field of alternative energies.  They adapted their solar array technology to Kleege’s mobile stage to create a staging solution that works for a show anywhere the sun shines.  Onboard battery storage even allows the show to continue after dark.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB  extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

The end of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last night brought another revelation regarding where the television is headed.  Here’s one more reason to not count on the future of tv manufacturers.

I signed up for the NCAA  “March Madness” computer app (the first smart phone app I have ever bought) so that I could watch UNC play their first round game from my office, where I have no television.  I ended up watching another one of their games online in the round of 16 as well, since CBS opted to not broadcast it.  The app was not particularly well designed, but it was better than the radio, and I made it through the game.

Last night I was doing some work at home at my desk when I realized that the championship game was about to start.  Even though there is a big screen high def television in the same room as my desk, I found myself logging on to my NCAA “March Madness” account and watching the game (buffering, countless ads, jerkiness and all) rather than turning on the televison, because I needed to continue working.

It seems that convenience and content trumped high quality.  I didn’t even realize what I had done until the game was over.

As more and more content becomes available online, whether free or paid, the use of a dedicated device that only does one thing, like a television, seems doomed, regardless of the quality of the viewing experience.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB  extension cordsand OnStage Stand mic stands. Need an extension cord for your obsolete big screen tv?  We got ‘em!

Recently, I have completed a home security system using four internet-enabled robotic cameras that cost about $60 each and can be controlled remotely by my smartphone.

I can’t believe how well it works, and once the cameras are purchased, there are no monthly charges.

Here’s what I did.

The wireless security cameras can be placed anywhere within the range of your home computer network’s wireless router (usually a range of up to about 100 feet). Data connection  to the router is wireless, but the cameras will need power from a standard wall outlet or extension cord.

Once the router is configured (a complicated process, but it only has to be done once), the cameras can be accessed through a standard web browser that can be run on any desktop computer, smart phone or tablet computer.  That means that you can see what the cameras see from any internet enabled device.

After downloading a free app (advertising supported), to your mobile device (works on both Apple and Android smart phones and tablets) you can see what the camera sees on your mobile device screen, pan and tilt the camera and set it to automatically record for a preset length of time if its motion detector senses activity.

It even sends me an email with an image of what it is seeing when the motion detector is activated.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and HB extensioncordsand OnStage Stand mic stands.

I told him that I was in the business of selling extension cords, and the conversation quickly turned to his assessment of how China was moving to become the world’s dominant player the copper trade.

A recent article in Bloomberg Business Week brought me back to that conversation.

The article was titled “Copper: China’s Red Gold“, and it lays out in detail how China is aggressively moving to control as much of the world’s supply of this common metal as they can and how no other governments seem to be paying attention.

China has spent over $100 billion buying up mining and energy companies since 2008 and at least $5 billion of that has been for copper mining reserves all over the world.

Why should you care?

If you are in the sound, lighting, concert or special event industry, copper cable is central to your life.  While it is possible to move the transmission of low voltage data to fiber, the only practical method for moving the high energy required for lighting stages and pushing speakers is copper.  If you need to move high amperage electricity from one place to another (like a dimmer rack to a lighting fixture or an amplifier to a speaker cabinet), then copper is your only choice.

Modern large scale concerts and major theatrical events depend on tons and tons of copper cable, and it looks like that in the future this is a market that the Chinese will control.

Back to my airline seatmate.  His company was so focused on their African mining project that he expected to be on the job for at least two years before he was given a break to visit his family back in China.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties.  We sell copper cables from Hosa, Mitee and Century Wire & Cable.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

The use of electric space heaters with inadequate size extension cords or cables in poor condition creates a situation ripe for disaster.

Use of a cable too small for the amount of power that the heater draws means that much of the electricity consumed goes to heat generated in the extension cord, not in the heater.  Tucking the “too small” cord under a rug or behind a piece of furniture creates all the elements needed to start a house fire.

Extension cords in poor condition-frayed jackets, broken connectors, kinked cable-double the risk, as they can create both overheating and electric shock hazards.

If you use electric heaters, click here for a guide to choosing the correct size cable.

Click here for some tips on keeping your extension cords in good condition.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We are proud to feature extension cords from Hosatech.

The only constant in 30+ years of outdoor decorating is my extension cords.  I have many that date back to the 1970′s and they are as functional and useful as the day they were bought.  The only real change, based on the price of copper, is that now they are worth a small fortune.

A little extension cord care can mean that a well made extension cord can last a lifetime.

Proper coiling, storing in a dry place out of sunlight and keeping the cable away from sharp objects is all it takes.

Click here to watch a video on proper cable coiling.

Click here for some tips on extension cord care.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. We are proud to feature extension cords from Hosatech.

Today, we got a call from someone who needed extension cords to use in large walk-in freezers. The cables he was using were freezing and could no longer be coiled. It was easy to understand his problem, but not quite so easy to find the solution.

If you have ever taken the time to look closely at an extension cord, you’ll see that there is a lot of difficult-to-decipher information printed on or embossed into the cable. This information tells you what environments the cable is designed to be used in and the amount of current that it is safely rated to carry.

Putting this info directly on the cable is required if Underwriters Laboratory is going to give the item its blessing as something safe for consumers to use. Here’s a useful link to safety info from UL about extension cords and how they are rated.

In doing a little research for this customer I came across a very nice diagram of how extension cords are made and the characteristics that give each type of cable its unique rating. Here’s a link.

It turns out that the info our customer needed is included in a 3-5 digit code found on all extension cords. The code is assigned by the National Electrical Code and the data in question usually starts with the letter “S”.

If you want to know a little more, click here.

Anyway, it turns out our customer is going to need a cable with a jacket specification of SJEOW. The “O” in this code means that the cable has a thermoplastic jacket (flexible at low temperatures) and the “W” means that it is rated for outdoor use. Extension cords with this rating will remain flexible down to -45 degrees F.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords, OnStage Stand mic stands, and lots of other useful supplies for temporary power distribution.

One of my alerts is set to the search phrase “extension cord“.  Unfortunately, all too often this time of year these alerts also include the word “fire“.

Somehow, it seems that Christmas decorating and overloaded extension cords regularly make headline news.  While it’s easy to understand how this can happen, it’s also easy to prevent.

All electrical devices (including lights and powered decorations) are required to be tagged with information relating to how much power they consume.  This information is usually listed along with the term “watts”.  When you plug multiple lights or electrical decorations into an extension cord, it is necessary to add the total number of watts (also known as “current draw”) to determine what size of extension cord is called for.

If this simple arithmetic is a little daunting, there is an easier way to figure out if there is a problem.

Plug everything in, turn all the decorations on, and hold the extension cord in your hand for three or four minutes.  If the cord becomes warm to the touch, then it is overloaded.  Remove one or more of the items plugged into it and try again.

If you can’t reduce the current draw, then you need to increase the size (known as the “gauge” of the cable).  This can be a little confusing, as the smaller the gauge number, the higher the current carrying capacity of the extension cord.  That is, a 14 gauge cord has a lower current carrying capacity than a 12 gauge cord.

Finally, even if you don’t have an overloaded extension cord, running it under a rug or behind a wall can still create a fire hazard if air can’t circulate and remove any heat build up.  It should be left out in the open.

Take a minute to plan before you begin holiday decorating.  I don’t want to be reading about you in Google Alerts.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  We’ve got lots of products that make holiday decorating easier.

This has led to more than a little confusion among our customers.

Here’s why.

If you are familiar with standard wall outlets, you are probably aware that there are two different versions of outlets that look almost identical.

The standard 15 amp duplex receptacle (wall outlet) has openings for two parallel blades and a semi-circular ground prong.  This has been standard for almost 50 years.

An almost identical version of this outlet has an additional slot set at a right angle as part of the parallel blade opening on one side.

If the outlet has this additional right angle slot, it is intended not just 15 amp service, but 20 amp service as well.

A true 20 amp connector (male) on an extension cord will have, not two parallel blades, but rather two blades set at right angles to each other.  Otherwise they are identical.  Same size connector body, same size blades, same everything else.

15 Amp(Nema 5-15)

20 Amp (Nema 5-20)

If we sold our “20 amp” extension cords with a  20 amp rated connector, they it would only plug into the version of the wall outlet that is designed to accomodate both types of blades.

20 Amp Wall Outlet(Nema 5-20)

While we are confident that the product we sell is designed to handle a true 20 amp load, in order to truly rate an extension cord as being “20 amps” it must have one of its connector blades at right angles to the other.

Want to know more?  Here’s a valuable Wikipedia article.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.   Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Lots more good ideas at our Twitter feed.

He started with axes with elaborately painted handles and has moved on to other objects, each with some sort of embellishment.

Paying a premium price for one of his axes with a hand painted handle made some sense, because it combined a useful item with hand work done by a well known artist.

Bestmade.com’s latest offering, however, mystifies me.  It is a line of extension cords designed to look like extension cords looked 50 years ago.  They are covered in cloth rather than rubber insulation and appear to be almost impossible to properly coil.  They are restricted to indoor use and the offering says they are intended for “small” appliances, but the specs do not list a wire size.  If they are UL approved, I can’t find that info anywhere on the web site.

Retro for art’s sake is fine, and there is plenty about mid 20th century design that is worth preserving.  However this particular item looks like a good way to burn your house down.  Cloth covered extension cords were known to be subject to easy abrasion of the outer covering and were subject to being gnawed through by mice and squirrels.  Their cotton outer covering is flammable and they don’t have the ability to “grip” the connectors like a rubber-jacketed cable does.

We will continue to enjoy looking at Bestmade.com’s product offerings, but really think they should reconsider selling this product.

Oh, by the way.  The cost for their 10 foot extension cord?  $34.00!

_______________

Click here for extension cord safety tips.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Extension cords are one of our specialties.

We still occasionally do this sort of work and I had a recent ephiphany about something that had always bothered me these events.

No matter how “high end” the video production company we were working with, they would constantly string orange and yellow extension cords all over the event site. Everything else in their equipment package was always top quality, but all their power cables looked like they were pulled off the shelves at Home Depot. It was the sort of thing that you would never see in a theatrical or concert setting.

It finally dawned on me that these vidiots could only see what the camera saw. Any cable that was invisible to the lens (read-the director) was invisible to them. They really had no interest in what the live audience saw. Their audience was the television audience and if the cable couldn’t bee seen through the lens, these guys assumed that it was invisible.

One of reasons for starting buyextensioncords.com was because it was so difficult to find high quality, well made extension cords. We offer heavy gauge (12 GA) cables, medium gauge (14GA) cables and Electratrac MultiOutlet cables, all in black.

If you want to be sure that your power cables are all but invisible to the audience, then “its gotta be black“.

Got an observation to share with our readers? Pass it along.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords, OnStage Stand mic stands, and lots of other useful production supplies.

Whether you are dealing with duplex (two outlets) or quad (four outlets) the spacing of your wall outlets has not changed for decades. The space above or below (as well as side-to-side for quads) is still spaced like it was when houses and offices were built in the 1950′s. There are lots of devices designed to get around the problem, but they require additional components, complication and expense.

Since no single connector would ever plug into multiple outlets at the same time, there is absolutely no reason to continue to adhere to this standard. Why don’t wall outlets built into new buildings reflect the need to plug power supplies directly into the wall without covering adjacent outlets? It wouldn’t prevent any devices currently in use from being plugged in, but would accomodate all the devices we now use that require wall warts.

This is a great opportunity for those who market residential and commercial installed wiring devices to solve a problem, create added convenience for the end user, make a safer environment (fewer overload and trip hazards) and maybe even make a little more money themselves.

Let me know what you think.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. Count on us to meet your power distribution needs.

I began my career as a an audio techncian, and spent many years building, setting up, configuring, and repairing concert sound systems. People who design computer peripheral wiring could learn a lot from the audio industry.

While the performance and compatibility of computer peripherals continues to improve, the interconnections between these devices never catches up. I can’t think of a single data-type connector that comes close to matching the performance of the lowly audio XLR connector, a design that is well into its second half-century of use.

I just spent 15 frustrating minutes trying to replace a computer monitor in the office, only to be reminded that there are at least three (if not more) different pin configurations for a D-sub connector, even though they all have the same physical shell. Maybe, it’s just me, but I almost always have to try to plug in a USB connector at least two times, as there is nothing visible on the outside of the connector to indicate which end is up. I guess there are savings involved in making ethernet connectors with with almost useless plastic locking pins, but the savings quickly evaporate when you spend a half-hour trying to pry one out of a computer port after the release tab snaps off. The list goes on and on.

Audio connectors, on the other hand, are designed to be patched in the dark, repaired (when necessary) in the field, and to be common to hundreds and hundreds of different manufacturers equipment. The Shure SM57 microphone ( probably the most popular and common in the world) uses the same connector now as when it came to market in 1965. A 40 year old SM57 works with a brand new Chinese-made microphone cable right out of the box.

We’re depending more and more on computer-based devices all the time, and the portability designed into these items means that they are constantly having to be cabled and uncabled. Hopefully, manufacturers will consider adopting some connector standards that are up to the task.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. Count on us to meet your cable needs.

One of the most complicated parts of this mobile classroom concept is actually setting up and wiring the computers so that every participant in the class has their own work station. He needed lots of outlets, even though his total power consumption was not all that high.
One of his classes was visited recently by the local fire marshall who threatened to shut the class down because the extension cord arrangement being used did not meet local codes.

He was inquiring about the potential suitability of the Electratrac MultiOutlet cable for this use. I could almost hear his sigh of relief when I assured him that these cables were exactly what he needed and that they would pass the fire marshall’s inspection regimen. They are UL approved, have high quality jackets and meet all codes for temporary wiring.
I suggested that the begin his setup with a 12 gauge cable. If he needs more outlets, he can reduce to a 14 gauge cable as he gets closer to the end of his outlet chain. That saves a little money and weight. Adding additional cables is clean and simple, because each Electratrac Cable has a handy outlet on its end.

If you try this, you will need to do some quick and simple math. Each computer, or other device, will show its power consumption on a tag on the back. You need to total this wattage and convert it to amps to make sure you don’t overload the circuit. Here’s a link to how to do the math.

Got a use for Electratrac Cables that might be of interest to our readers. Share it with us!

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords, OnStage Stand mic stands, and lots of other useful production supplies.

Someone (probably not me) had taken the time and care to properly “under and over” coil these, tie them up with tie line and store them in a dark road case. I couldn’t believe what great shape they were in. I put them to use right away and didn’t burn the house down-at least not yet!

I thnk the two secrets to the longevity of these cables was that they were stored where no sun light would shine on them, thus no uv radiation to break down the jacket, and, more importantly, they were properly coiled. Any stranded wire (these were fine strands of copper) has a natural twist that needs to be respected when the cables are coiled. Coiling or wrapping them against this twist (e.g. wrapping them around your arm and hand) will quickly lead to permanent kinks and eventually cause enough of the individual strands to break down. Conductivity is reduced, heat is generated and, eventually the cable can get hot enough to melt the jacket.

Next time you have a new extension cord, take the time to coil it properly with an under/over looping method and it will last a long, long time.

Need other supplies for running power and av gear? Goodbuyguys.com has extension cords, wire ties, Velcro cable wraps and batteries.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords, OnStage Stand mic stands, and lots of other useful production supplies.

I was disappointed to learn that her television show was ending, but I came across an article in Front Of House magazine that made this a little less painful.

It seems that one of our long time gaffers tape customers, Special Event Services in Winston-Salem, NC was involved in producing Oprah’s last televison shows, taped at the United Center in Chicago.  SES, along with On Stage Audio put together the largest Martin Audio MLA speaker system ever assembled to provide audio support for the tapings.

If I couldn’t be there in person, its good to think that we might have insured that Oprah didn’t trip over a cable.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.

It seems that the theft of copper from brand new homes is increasing dramatically because it is so easy to access and a thief is unlikely to be confronted when stealing from an almost finished, unoccupied home.

A new home has about 100 pounds of  copper pipe and wire which gives it a scrap value of about $500.00.  Replacing that copper can cost a home owner more than $10,000.00.

Some states like South Carolina require a permit in order to transport more than 25 lbs. of copper and others require that scrap metal vendors keep detailed records of all copper sellers.

Both good ideas!

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Occasionally we also rant!

Tape is a great tool and we’d never get the show open without it, but prices for products like gaffers tape have reached the point where some new strategies are in order.

In doing some research for my writing on this subject, I came across a great idea for a velcro-backed cable cover that replaces the task of taping a cable down across carpet with a reusable cover that will last for years.

We are looking for a manufacturer who could help us add something like this to our product line, but, in the meantime, you can make your own.

Here’s a link to an excellent YouTube video that will show you exactly how to do it.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Every speaker cable we sell is “Satisfaction Guaranteed“.

After spending a few days in a very nice New York City boutique hotel and constantly plugging and unplugging devices, I knew exactly what they meant.  My wife’s Ipad ended up plugged into an outlet under the sink in the bathroom and we had to take turns charging our cell phones.  What few outlets that were provided were obscured by heavy furniture and having to unplug the reading light to plug in a computer made less sense every time I did it.

The Times writer even speculated that even more than the big flat screen tv, travelers wanted the outlets concealed behind it!

Here are a couple of items you might want to consider adding to your overnight bag to help solve the problem.

A Tri Outlet Cube Tap lets you turn one outlet into three with a device that you can hold in the palm of your hand.

A Right Angle Adapter allows you to make an outlet that is otherwise inaccessible because there is not enough space between it and a piece of furniture usable by turning the outlet 90 degrees.

A Three Way Splitter also lets you turn one outlet into three, but has the additional advantage of ten inch cable extensions on each outlet, so that there is plenty of room to connect chargers, power supplies or other bulky items designed to plug directly into the outlet without a cable.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Every extension cord we sell is “Satisfaction Guaranteed“.

]]> http://buygafferstape.com/blogs/extension-cords/2011/05/16/what-do-travelers-want-more-holes-in-the-wall/feed/ 0 http://buygafferstape.com/blogs/extension-cords/2011/05/12/when-using-google-is-just-too-hard/ http://buygafferstape.com/blogs/extension-cords/2011/05/12/when-using-google-is-just-too-hard/#comments Thu, 12 May 2011 18:45:28 +0000 Jeff http://buygafferstape.com/blogs/?p=1067 Continue reading →]]> I spend a lot of time doing customer service.  The products we sell lead to many application-related customer questions, and since I have the most “hands on” experience using the products we sell, answering these questions often falls to me.

I don’t mind doing it, but we make every effort we can to avoid using the phone for customer service functions.  In addition to the ability to get savable information in front of the customer, doing customer service functions online and through email allows me to time shift.   If providing answers doesn’t involve constant telephone interruptions my responses can almost always be more thoughtful, concise and detailed.

I came across a great tool today for answering a customer inquiry by simply emailing them their own question, formulated in a way that Google will deliver the answer that I want to provide.  It has a great “wow” factor and really enhances the customer service experience.

It is called “Let Me Google That For You” (lmgtfy.com).

One of the most common questions I get is “what is the proper extension cord size for my appliance“.  We have a chart at buyextensioncord.com that addresses this question.  By formulating a google inquiry so that it points at our content, entering it into letmegooglethatforyou.com and sending the customer the tiny url that is generated, i can get Google search results in front of the customer that look like organic search but which have been manipulated to insure that the customer sees the results that I intend for them to see.

Try clicking on http://tinyurl.com/6xpgvny and you’ll see what I am talking about.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Every extension cord we sell is “Satisfaction Guaranteed“.

An add for Essential Sound Products caught my eye, as advertising for something like a basic power cord really stands out among full page adds for the latest digital mixers and speaker line arrays.

A quick look at ESP’s web site made it clear that this ad wasn’t about a simple power cable. Not when you’re talking about $159.99 for a 7 foot power cable.

We like to think that we know a little about power cables, so Essential Sound’s claim that standard heavy gauge power cables cause (their words)

-High Frequency Roll Off

-Blurred Imaging

-Bloated, Sluggish Bass Response

caught us by surprise.

There may be some small truth to the possible ability of a well engineered cable to deliver measurable improved audio performance (we use the word “may” here). There is absolutely nothing that a cable that delivers power for the last two meters of its travel to an amplifier (wall plug to audio device) can do to address possible deficiencies in the building wiring, wall plug, service entrance cable or the miles of wire that the power company runs to get to the point where ESP’s cable takes over.  It’s a passive device and  can’t put something into available power that is not already there.

Money spent on a well made extension cord or power cable with a large enough gauge to not dissipate power as heat is money well spent.  Any additional expense would be better spent on upgrading your audio equipment.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries,  Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  Every extension cord we sell is “Satisfaction Guaranteed“.

One of my alerts is set to the search phrase “extension cord“.  Unfortunately, all too often this time of year these alerts also include the word “fire“.

Somehow, it seems that Christmas decorating and overloaded extension cords regularly make headline news.  While it’s easy to understand how this can happen, it’s also easy to prevent.

All electrical devices (including lights and powered decorations) are required to be tagged with information relating to how much power they consume.  This information is usually listed along with the term “watts”.  When you plug multiple lights or electrical decorations into an extension cord, it is necessary to add the total number of watts (also known as “current draw”) to determine what size of extension cord is called for.

If this simple arithmetic is a little daunting, there is an easier way to figure out if there is a problem.

Plug everything in, turn all the decorations on, and hold the extension cord in your hand for three or four minutes.  If the cord becomes warm to the touch, then it is overloaded.  Remove one or more of the items plugged into it and try again.

If you can’t reduce the current draw, then you need to increase the size (known as the “gauge” of the cable).  This can be a little confusing, as the smaller the gauge number, the higher the current carrying capacity of the extension cord.  That is, a 14 gauge cord has a lower current carrying capacity than a 12 gauge cord.

Finally, even if you don’t have an overloaded extension cord, running it under a rug or behind a wall can still create a fire hazard if air can’t circulate and remove any heat build up.  It should be left out in the open.

Take a minute to plan before you begin holiday decorating.  I don’t want to be reading about you in Google Alerts.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.  We’ve got lots of products that make holiday decorating easier.

This has led to more than a little confusion among our customers.

Here’s why.

If you are familiar with standard wall outlets, you are probably aware that there are two different versions of outlets that look almost identical.

The standard 15 amp duplex receptacle (wall outlet) has openings for two parallel blades and a semi-circular ground prong.  This has been standard for almost 50 years.

An almost identical version of this outlet has an additional slot set at a right angle as part of the parallel blade opening on one side.

If the outlet has this additional right angle slot, it is intended not just 15 amp service, but 20 amp service as well.

A true 20 amp connector (male) on an extension cord will have, not two parallel blades, but rather two blades set at right angles to each other.  Otherwise they are identical.  Same size connector body, same size blades, same everything else.

15 Amp(Nema 5-15)

20 Amp (Nema 5-20)

If we sold our “20 amp” extension cords with a  20 amp rated connector, they it would only plug into the version of the wall outlet that is designed to accomodate both types of blades.

20 Amp Wall Outlet(Nema 5-20)

While we are confident that the product we sell is designed to handle a true 20 amp load, in order to truly rate an extension cord as being “20 amps” it must have one of its connector blades at right angles to the other.

Want to know more?  Here’s a valuable Wikipedia article.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape,Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords andOnStage Stand mic stands.   Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Lots more good ideas at our Twitter feed.

This article speculated that a lot of the Chinese buying was a stockpiling of material for which China’s manufacturers had no real demand.  If that’s true, then the Chinese buying binge may be over.

This may well explain the recent downturn in copper prices after a steady rise over the last six months. This rise made little sense in light of the overall worldwide decline in manufacturing.  If this downturn is real, it could be a harbinger for lots of commodity price reductions.

Why do we care?  The cost of extension cords (copper and rubber), mic stands (steel and aluminum), tape (cotton, oil and chemicals) and batteries (tin plate and many minerals) are all tied to world commodity prices.

Lets hope that if this recent reversal in commodity prices is real, that we will see it passed through to the products we sell.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Permacel gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Hosa and Entertainment One extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands.   Click here to sign up for our newsletter.  Lots more good ideas at our Twitter feed.

General Electric is developing LED lighting technology that makes use of organic compounds that are incorporated into light emitting diodes or OLEDs.  This technology still has lots of problems to solve, but it actually works in the lab.

Sheets of plastic film containing OLEDs  emit a blue-white glow when an electric current is applied.  Because these sheets are flexible, it may be possible someday to  have your wallpaper or ceiling also be your light source.

The OLED panels provide a diffuse lighting source that doesn’t need lamp shades or frosting like a conventional tungsten filament light bulb.  GE and Siemens are already working with manufacturers of devices like cell phones and televisions, even though the cost is still far too great to be practical.  That, no doubt, will surely change.

Meanwhile, anybody who has watched their electrical meter spin at dizzying speeds when all the lights are on, has better days to look forward to.

Want to know more?  Click here!

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Enterainment 1 extension cords , OnStage Stand mic stands and quality speaker cables.

With my background in pro sound, I was familiar with both the quarter inch standard , and the Canon EP    multipin standard. I had never seen the XLR used for speaker cables.  I quickly became a convert. Here’s why.

Because speaker cables with XLR connectors have a male connector on one end and a female on the other, its easy to extend the length of a cable without an adapter.  Not using an adapter  means not losing an adapter.  This is a really valuable feature when doing long outdoor speaker cable runs.

Each pin in an XLR3 connector is rated at 15 amps.   That’s more than enough current carrying capacity for most practical amplifier outputs.

The flexible strain relief boot on an XLR connector is flexible enough to handle 2 conductor 14 gauge, or even 12 gauge cable.

Each pin makes independent contact with the mating connector, unlike a quarter inch connector where the tip must make contact with the sleeve before it mates with the tip.

Finally the solid, easy to use locking mechanism on the XLR3 means that no additional securing of a connection is necessary when cables are linked together.

A couple of amplifier manufacturers adopted this standard back in the 1980′s, but they let it fall by the wayside when the industry as a whole failed to sign up.

On more than one occasion, I must admit that I used a microphone cable as a temporary speaker cable when I ran out of speaker cables.  Try that with a Speakon cable!

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords , OnStage Stand mic stands and quality speaker cables.

Between the price of the petroleum derivatives in tape adhesives and the cost of trucking these very heavy products, the cost of oil impacts the cost of every kind of tape we sell. There has been some short term moderation in the price of a barrel of oil, so we are hoping that our suppliers can hold the line a little longer. It is hard to connect the price of filling up your car with what you pay for a roll of gaffers tape, but the connection is real.

After peaking at $4.00 a pound in April, the price of copper is down about 10%, closing at just over $3.60 earlier in the week. As our cable business expands, the cost of the most important, and heaviest component, in an extension cord or speaker cable has forced suppliers to raise prices several times this year. Maybe those increases are over for a little while. Hopefully, this decrease in will help battery makers hold the line as well

Unfortunately, it seems like what one market gives back, another takes away. Dow Chemical’s announcement that it will raise chemical prices by up to 20%, effective this month, is going to impact much of we sell. Tape adhesive resins, battery components and cable jackets all have chemical components, and even if Dow isn’t the supplier, most other major suppliers are sure to follow.

We are grateful to our loyal customers and will do all we can to work with major suppliers to address pricing pressure.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords , OnStage Stand mic stands and quality speaker cables.

BuySpeakerCable.com is hosted by Speaker Cable Sam , the latest addition to the GoodBuyGuys family. Sam is ready to provide lots of valuable information about speaker cables, speaker cable connectors and the proper set up of sound system speakers. Sam draws on 30 years of work in the concert production industry to help you make decisions about purchasing and using the best speaker cables and accessories, no matter what your application.

Buyspeakercable.com features cables from Mitee Cable. Mitee cables use quality connectors and wire to insure that your speaker cables deliver all the sound possible from your amplifier to your speakers. They have tough rubber jackets and copper wire that is durable, easily coilable and ready to stand up to the tough use sound and audio visual pros subject their equipment to every day.

Of particular interest is the in depth information provided about Speakon connectors, the new standard for pro audio speaker cables. Mitee Cables feature Speakon connectors that are fully compatible with the Neutrik NL2 & NL4 series connector, available at a fraction of the Neutrik price. Here, you will find valuable guides about wiring and using Speakon connectors, along with adapters that make Speakon speaker cables compatible with other connector types.

With the addition of BuySpeakerCable.com, you can turn to GoodBuyGuys.com for all of your audio visual and sound system cable needs.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords , OnStage Stand mic stands and quality speaker cables.

“Losing The Cords On Flat TVs”

Thinking this AP article might be about extension cords, I read a little before realizing that the author, Peter Svensson was actually talking about the ability to send television data to a large screen TV wirelessly using technology similar to the WIFI signals now found distributing computer data in so many homes.

Three different wireless protocols for delivering data to flat panel televisions will be featured at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It uses recently allocated spectrum that is not supposed to interfere with WIFI and it has a range that reportedly will limit it from spilling into your neighbor’s apartment. This has the potential to make the home theatre installer’s life a lot easier.

Unfortunately, no where in the article did the writer even mention the most important cord of all. THE POWER CABLE! That certainly isn’t going to be lost anytime soon.

One of the most popular locations for large flat panel televisions is over the mantle. How many houses are built with an electrical outlet in the middle of the wall over the fireplace? Not many.

More importantly, while the installation of low voltage cabling for video and data can be safely installed by a hobbyist or homeowner, the installation of a 110volt electrical outlet needs to be done by a licensed electrician. Doing this installation in a space adjacent to a fireplace flue requires special cable and a lot a care to prevent creating a fire hazard.

LCD and plasma display video monitors use a lot of power, and ideally, the electrical outlets they are plugged into also need special surge protection to protect the TV from electrical surges. Providing power for such an expensive item shouldn’t be done as an afterthought.

Now, when flat TVs can lose the power cord, that’s an article I look forward to reading.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. Count on us to meet your power distribution needs.

Frankly, this item looks like it was developed by the marketing department rather than engineering. Here’s how this product is described in Honeywell’s own press release:

“We’ve made this cable intelligent by integrating a chip into the connector that performs two major functions,” said David Coleman, Program Manager, CE Cable Products, Honeywell. “First, the chip’s line driver ‘cures’ corrupted HDCP and EDID data that can lead to serious audio and video artifacts. Second, we added ‘light’ in the form of LEDs embedded into the connector that let installers monitor the most critical elements of the HDMI interface for problems.”

The parentheses around “cure” are theirs and their description of the “cure” doesn’t really shed much light on this voodoo.

As the broadcast industry approaches the deadline of 2009′s conversion to digital television, a lot of consumers are going to be taken to the cleaners by televion accessory makers who bring very little value to the table. Honeywell’s CurexE cable looks like one of these offerings.

GoodBuyGuys.com is your online source for Shurtape gaffers tape, Duracell Procell batteries, MagLite flashlights, Nashua duct tape, Bay State wire ties, Electratrac and Coast Wire extension cords and OnStage Stand mic stands. Great products for audio-visual production available on the internet everyday.