I need some mic advice!

[Rick Reineke]

When I will need AC power, I always have available some long extension cords available, as most venues will not have them anyway. Same as taking a feed from a house console, carry the proper adapters, DIs and.. knowledge of the typical console outputs.

[Paul R Johnson]

Here in the UK, outside power can be extremely tricky because of our higher mains voltage, and the weather.

We now have special sets of rules that make providing power to users outside quite a job. Of course, many smaller events have never heard of these regulations, and string out loads of extension cables, often taken from inside outlets and taken outside. This is actually quite risky - RCDs and other protection devices often nuisance trip, or worse, fail to trip in real fault conditions. Grounding is also problematic. The 3 core cable connected to the indoor ground could be at a different potential to the ground out in the field. Serious current can flow sometimes, and of course it leaks into the sound and video systems and produces hum. We now need to have properly configured and planned outside supplies, with proper grounding, and plenty of safety reserve.


I was playing a festival a couple of years ago. During one song, I discovered the stage roof leaking, and it was running right down my back. My front was dry but I was soaked behind. A few minute later, all the power went - and when it was restored, it soon went again. Turned out somebody had run an indoor 4 way cable along the safety zone, stage side of the barrier, and it had filled with water. every time somebody walked past - photographers, video people and security, they knocked it and the water sloshed against the live and ground terminals, and the RCDs killed the supply. I kept thinking of my wet back - the grounded guitar I'm holding and thinking about how much a shock might hurt. Since then, when I see industrial European connectors with their sealing and splash resistance, I'm happy - but when I see domestic cabling, I squirm a bit.

We've moved a fair way with this topic.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

When I will need AC power, I always have available some long extension cords available, as most venues will not have them anyway. Same as taking a feed from a house console, carry the proper adapters, DIs and.. knowledge of the typical console outputs.

This is the first thing I talk about with the client, setup location, amount of coverage, power availability, and board feed. Like you said bring everything you need. Shooting outdoors you should go over with the client how weather conditions will be handled. I’m surprised people who show up to an event not thinking things through.