Furman ACD100 User Manual

AR-15

AC LINE VOLTAGE REGULATOR

AND

POWER CONDITIONER

VOLTAGE

REGULATORS

ACD-100 / AC POWER DISTRIBUTION

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SAFETY WARNING

The instructions provided here
are insufficient for completing
a working ACD 100 installation.

While the subject of attaching a
supply cable to the ACD 100 is
covered, the connection of the far end (pigtail
end) of that cable to a power source is not.
Because of the many configurations that 100
amp or larger electrical services can take and
the numerous connector types that may be
used, it is not possible to adequately describe
every situation that may be encountered.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that
the selection of the ACD 100 supply cable,
and the connections to both ends of it, be
done by a licensed electrician who is familiar

with the available electrical service.

GENERAL
INFORMATION

Congratulations on your purchase of a Furman
ACD 100 AC Power Distro. The ACD 100 is a
compact rack mount power distribution system
that is ideal for touring PA systems, touring
musical and theatrical acts, mobile recording
facilities, on location film and video shoots, etc.
any situation where AC power must be distributed
to multiple circuits and a hard wired, built in
system is missing, inadequate, or impractical.
Use of a Power Distro is cost effective, both
in terms of the convenience it offers and the
elimination of bulky and expensive parallel
feeds and related connectors.

incoming power, distributing it to five 20 amp,
120V circuits. Each circuit has a neon status
indicator that lights up when its breaker is
turned on, and a 20 amp duplex outlet on the
rear panel.

The circuit breakers used in the ACD 100 are
high inrush magnetic types designed specifically
for critical data processing and broadcast
applications where nuisance tripping cannot
be allowed. They have a pulse tolerance* of
10 times the rated current, or 200 amperes.
This makes them particularly suited for use
with power amps and other devices with high
reactance loads, since the high pulse tolerance
will keep them from tripping falsely at the instant
power is applied or on musical peaks. If a
breaker should trip, it can be reset as soon as the
overload is correctedthere is no cool down delay
time required. Temperature compensations
which aff ‘ ect fuses and inexpensive thermal
breakers are not a concern. The breakers are
of the highest industrial grade, UUCSA listed,
precise in operation and rugged in construction.
They may be used as on off switches for the five
circuits.

The ACD 100 provides basic spike and surge
suppression, with metal oxide varistors (MOV’s)
connected between the hot and neutral
conductors of each circuit. The MOV’s respond
to line derived spikes in less than a nanosecond,
clamping transient voltages to safe levels of
250V or less.

* Pulse tolerance is defined as the maximum peak current
amplitude of a single half sine wave pulse of 8 ms. duration
that will not trip the circuit breaker

The ACD 100 can handle up to 100 amps of

AC POWER DISTRIBUTION / ACD-100

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WIRING
INSTRUCTIONS

Prior to use, the ACD 100 must be fitted with
a proper supply cable, which must then be
connected to a 100 amp power source and
disconnect. The following instructions will
guide you through the selection and connection
process. All steps should be done while the unit
is disconnected from power and is not mounted
in a rack. Begin by removing the six screws that
hold the top cover in place and put the screws
and cover aside.

1. Determine the power source: In
North America, there are generally three
possibilities: 120V single phase, 240V
single phase, or 208V three phase. The first
alternative requires only three* conductors,
but they will need to be heavy to avoid
voltage drop in the cable, making the cable
stiffer and less flexible. The second voltage
configuration is 240V, available in most
residential and some commercial sites
and requiring a four* conductor cable. The
third alternative, 3 phase, will require five*
conductors which can be lighter gauge,
but 3 phase power may not be available in
every building.

cable) bundled together every foot or two
with plastic ties. The gauge and number of
conductors depends on the supply voltage
and cable or wire bundle length. Consult
Table 1 below to select the cable type best
suited for your application:

# Of
Conductors
Including
Ground

120V 3 4 AWG 8 AWG

240V ** 4 6 AWG 10 AWG

208V 3-ph *** 5 8 AWG 12 AWG

Current
Carrying
Conductors

Ground
Conductors

TABLE 1, REQUIRED WIRE GAUGES

The “Current Carrying Conductor” and
“Ground Conductor” columns give the
minimum recommended AWG size for
cable lengths of 100 feet or less. Note
that while it is acceptable for the ground
conductor to be a smaller gauge than the
current carrying conductors, many cables
have all conductors the same size. If they
are all the same size, it must be the size
specified in the table for the current carrying
conductors.

2. Select a cable and determine its
length: If the ACD 100 is installed in a

permanent or semi permanent location, it
is possible to connect it with flexible metal
jacketed conduit. However, rubber jacketed
(type S) or neoprene jacketed (type SO)
cable will usually be preferable in portable
use because of its flexibility and ease of
coiling for storage. Another possibility is
to use individual wires (such as welding

* Including ground, assuming the system neutral must
be kept separated from the safety (chassis) ground.

** Assumes three 20 amp loads on one conductor and
two 20 amp loads on the other conductor.

*** Assumes two 20 amp loads on each of the first
two conductors and one 20 amp load on the third
conductor.