Understanding Power Distros: How to Break Out Amps Without Breaking a Sweat
Ever found yourself standing in front of a distro, coffee in one hand, a pile of cables in the other, and no clue where to start? You're not alone. Power distribution is one of the most intimidating parts of production for newer techs—and one of the most critical things to get right.
At Eagle Production Company and Eagle AV Rental, we’ve seen all kinds of power setups, from pristine 400A 3-phase tie-ins to back-of-house nightmares held together with gaffer tape and good intentions. The difference between chaos and confidence? Understanding your distro—and planning your breakouts.
Why Power Distros Matter
Think of a power distro as your rig’s power router. It takes in high-amperage electricity (usually from a generator or panel) and breaks it into safe, usable circuits for your gear. Done right, it keeps everything clean, protected, and balanced.
Done wrong? You're risking tripped breakers, overheated cables, audio hums, flickering lights—or worse.
What Comes Into a Distro?
Most pro distros are fed via Camlock connectors—a set of five color-coded cables that carry the following:
- L1 (Black): Line 1 hot
- L2 (Red): Line 2 hot
- L3 (Blue): Line 3 hot
- Neutral (White): Returns current
- Ground (Green): Safety grounding
This 3-phase feed gives you tons of power, but it’s up to the distro to manage where it goes—and how it breaks out into 120V or 208V circuits that your gear actually uses.
Breakout Strategy: Start With the Load
Before you start plugging in PowerCONs or edison quads, take a step back. What does your rig actually need?
Common loads to plan for:
- Audio amps: High draw on startup, often prefer isolated circuits
- Lighting fixtures: Consistent load but potentially high quantity
- Video walls: Can spike at full brightness; may require 208V
- Consoles & control: Always give clean, isolated power
Once you know your gear's draw (in amps or watts), you can start assigning circuits. A good rule of thumb? Never run more than 80% of a circuit's rated capacity. So a 20A breaker should carry no more than 16A continuous load.
Types of Outputs on a Distro
Modern distros usually have a mix of these outputs:
- L6-20 or L6-30: 208V twist-lock for high-draw gear or mini distros
- Edison (NEMA 5-15): For standard 120V circuits
- Stage pin: Common for theatrical lighting
- PowerCON: Direct to fixtures or LED wall processors
Pro tip: Use mini distros or spider boxes to break one L6-30 into multiple Edison circuits if you’re powering a lot of small devices.
Balancing Your Load
This is where your inner electrician needs to show up. If you’re pulling 3-phase power, balance the load across L1, L2, and L3 as evenly as possible. Why?
"Unbalanced loads can cause overheating, neutral wire issues, and even damage to sensitive gear."
It doesn’t have to be perfect, but your distro's ammeters should show similar draw on each leg. If one’s way out of line, it’s time to redistribute.
Safety Checks You Can’t Skip
Before going hot on any distro:
- Double-check all Camlock connections (right order, tight twist)
- Verify ground and neutral continuity with a meter
- Label your circuits—always
- Test voltage at outputs before plugging in sensitive gear
And always work with a qualified electrician when tying into venue or generator power. At Eagle, we never assume the tie-in is “just like last time.” Every power source is different—and every safe distro starts with respect for that.
Real-World Example: Conference Power Made Easy
Last month, our Eagle team ran AV for a multi-room corporate summit. Each room needed separate audio, lighting, and presentation systems—but the venue only offered one 200A 3-phase tie-in per floor.
We built custom distro packages for each breakout space using L6-30-to-Edison minis and PowerCON jumpers to keep gear separated and labeled. Load balancing was planned in pre-pro, and when showtime came, techs simply followed the tape labels. No drama. No blown breakers. Just smooth ops.
“You don’t notice great power distro—because everything just works.”
Wrap-Up: Take the Stress Out of Power
Understanding your distro isn’t just about safety—it’s about confidence. The more you plan your power, the smoother everything else goes. Whether you’re handling 60A or 400A, the principles are the same: match your load to your gear, balance your legs, and keep your connections clean.
Need help designing your distro setup? Or just want someone to walk through a power plan with you?
That’s what we do. Eagle AV Rental has built custom distro packages for festivals, conferences, film sets, and tours—and we’re always happy to help you break out amps without breaking a sweat.
Drop us a line anytime. We’ll help you power your show the right way—start to finish.
