16A CEE to powerCON & powerCON TRUE1 Cable Reel – Schill & Neutrik

One 16A run. Four power outputs. Built onto a reel that can actually take some abuse.

This is one of those products that makes much more sense when you look at the problem it solves.

You need to get a 16A supply across a stage, venue or production space, but the equipment at the far end isn't necessarily all using the same mains connector. Some of it is on original powerCON, some is on powerCON TRUE1, and running separate extensions for each doesn't make much sense.

So we build the distribution into the reel.

A single PCE 16A CEE plug feeds a Schill GT310 fitted with two Neutrik powerCON outputs and two Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 outputs. A green mains indicator gives you a quick visual check that power has reached the reel.

Built on a Schill GT310

The reel isn't an afterthought on this assembly. We use a Schill GT310 because it's the sort of reel we'd actually want to take out on a job: solidly built, stable on the floor and designed for repeated winding, unwinding, transport and general working use.

Once you've got 20, 30 or 50 metres of 3G2.5 rubber mains cable on a reel, a lightweight plastic drum isn't where we'd choose to save money. The GT310 gives the finished assembly a proper mechanical foundation and makes the whole thing feel like something intended to work rather than just store cable.

We fit a dedicated blank plate to the GT310 and build the distribution directly into it, so the powerCON, TRUE1 and mains indicator are all part of the reel rather than hanging off a separate breakout box.

Nexans TITANEX on the drum

The cable is Nexans TITANEX H07RN-F 3G2.5.

It's a flexible 3-core 2.5mm² rubber mains cable, which is a much more sensible choice here than ordinary PVC flex. A reel like this is going to be wound, unwound, moved and handled repeatedly, so the cable needs to suit the job rather than simply meet the electrical requirement.

The supply end is terminated with a black PCE SHARK 16A CEE plug, giving the reel a straightforward 16A single-phase supply connection.

Two powerCON. Two TRUE1.

At the reel you'll find two Neutrik NAC3MPB-1 powerCON power-out chassis connectors alongside two NAC3FPX-TRUE1 powerCON TRUE1 chassis connectors.

We wouldn't normally tell somebody to choose one connector system over the other just because it's newer. There is still plenty of perfectly good equipment using original powerCON, while newer equipment increasingly uses TRUE1.

If you're regularly dealing with both, having both available on the reel is considerably more useful than building everything around one format and then carrying adaptors.

There's an important difference between them

Original powerCON and powerCON TRUE1 shouldn't be treated as two versions of exactly the same connector.

The original powerCON system used for the two grey outputs on this reel does not have breaking capacity. Those connectors should not be connected or disconnected while live or under load.

powerCON TRUE1 does have breaking capacity and is designed as a true mains connector.

If you're using the reel with both connector types, it's worth knowing that distinction rather than assuming the same rules apply to all four outputs.

Key Features

• Heavy-duty Schill GT310 cable reel
• Dedicated GT310 distribution plate with connections built directly into the reel
• 16A PCE SHARK CEE mains input
• Nexans TITANEX H07RN-F 3G2.5 flexible rubber mains cable
• 3 x 2.5mm² flexible copper conductors
• 2 x Neutrik NAC3MPB-1 powerCON power-out chassis connectors
• 2 x Neutrik NAC3FPX-TRUE1 powerCON TRUE1 chassis connectors
• Green mains-present indicator
• Available in 20m, 25m, 30m, 35m, 40m, 45m and 50m lengths

FAQ

Why have both powerCON and powerCON TRUE1 on the same reel?

Because real equipment racks don't always contain one generation of connector. If you're running older powerCON equipment alongside newer TRUE1-equipped kit, this gives you both at the end of a single 16A run without relying on a collection of adaptors.

Can I disconnect the powerCON outputs while they're live?

No. The original Neutrik powerCON system does not have breaking capacity and should not be connected or disconnected under load. powerCON TRUE1 is designed differently and does have breaking capacity.

Why use H07RN-F cable?

Because this is a working cable reel. Nexans TITANEX H07RN-F is flexible rubber mains cable designed for considerably tougher handling than ordinary PVC flex, making it a much more appropriate choice for something that's regularly deployed and wound back onto a reel.

Designacable Build Quality

We build these in the UK using the specified Schill, Nexans, PCE and Neutrik components rather than treating the reel, cable and connectors as interchangeable parts.

Each assembly is wired, inspected and electrically tested by us before it leaves the workshop.