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The flexible 'curly-cables' I've used seem to pull straight and lose their
curls if dangled higher than a couple of metres. Here's a suggestion:
install a proprietary lighting track system that can be suspended on thin,
alsmost invisible, steel wires from your high ceiling, with the tracks not
much more than 3 metres above the floor. It doesn't have to appear like
rigid conduit, as there can be gaps between each length of track.

For a flexible-use space this is handy because you just need a step-ladder
to reposition spotlights whenever an exhibit is changed. You can allow space
beteen the tracks to allow for occasional extra-high exhibits or central
features. Most lighting track systems have special adaptors for fitting your
'curly' power cables anywhere you like. Again, you only need a step-ladder
to reposition them.

The only thing you need to watch is that the plugged-in power cables don't
pull the lighting track out of position if the thing being powered is not
directly below the track. This problem can be avoided by resisting the
temptation to use curly cables, which are very much heavier than ordinary
lightweight flexible power leads which don't pull sideways anywhere near so
noticeably.

Of course, all your powered exhibits are going to need to be designed for
overhead power, with some of them having a two-metres-high pole with a
switch box on top, because you don't want children pulling on hanging power
cables.

[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
*
Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell 
 


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Informal Science Education Network 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eric Siegel
> Sent: 15 July 2008 16:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Flexible power
> 
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of 
> Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network 
> of science museums and related institutions.
> **************************************************************
> ***************
> 
> Hello, all:
> 
> We are modifying an exhibition area in the 1964 section of 
> our building to make it more flexible.  We can't install 
> power in the floor so we are planning to make a ceiling 
> mounted grid from which we can drop power lines.  We want to 
> avoid rigid conduit, so we are looking for a system that will 
> allow us to drop power 20-30 feet on flexible cables.  We 
> have seen cables that spiral downward that are reasonably 
> attractive, so we are interested to know if anyone has used a 
> system like this for making flexible exhibition spaces.
> 
> Thanks in advance to the ISEN hive-mind!
> 
> Eric
> 
> Eric Siegel
> Director and Chief Content Officer
> New York Hall of Science
> 47-01 111th Street
> Queens, NY 11368
> www.nyscience.org
> 718.699.0005 x 317
> esiegel at nyscience dot org
> 
> 
> 
> 
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