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From construction board to distributor — how you get power forward without it becoming dangerous
On a theater, power is usually a permanent installation that you just plug into. On a festival site, in a tent, or at a location without fixed electricity, the picture is completely different: the power comes from a construction board, a generator, or a temporary main supply, and it is your responsibility to distribute it further safely to lighting, sound, and video.
Installation of fixed electrical installations and connection to a main panel is reserved for authorized electrical installers. The rules are found today in the Installation Regulation, which in 2017 replaced the previous High Voltage Regulation. As a theatre, events and AV technician you typically distribute power from an already set up and approved panel with certified cables, extensions and distribution boxes – but you do not carry out the installation work on the main supply yourself.
Outdoors and in damp environments the risk of getting a shock from a fault is significantly greater than in a dry building. Therefore power supply on location must always go through an RCD or AFDD relay that automatically cuts the power if an earth fault current occurs—for example because a cable has been damaged by rainwater or a heavy object.
| Equipment | Used for |
|---|---|
| Byggetavle/hovedtavle | Overarching distribution from the power source |
| CEE plugs and extension cords | Robust connection between panel and distributors |
| HFI/HPFI relay | Protects against shock on ground fault current |
| Generator | Power source where there is no fixed power |
Add up your expected power consumption for light, sound and video and hold it against what the individual distribution circuit and main supply are sized for. Distribute heavy consumers — for example dimmers for heavy lamps — over several circuits instead of putting everything on one, so you avoid tripping breakers in the middle of a show.
For larger events there is often a fixed power supplier or a designated responsible electrician attached to the entire production. Your task as a technician is to know your part of the system well enough to use it correctly and recognize when something deviates from normal — not to take over tasks that belong to the authorized installer.