If you are hesitating to use the new 10kw Honda EB100000 because of the noise they make - don't be. Whether you pick up generator noise on your audio tracks comes down to how you use it. Our HD Plug-n-Play system is specifically designed to enable you to record clean audio with the Honda EB10000 even under the worse case scenario (see sample production below.) How do we do it? We augment the generator with a custom distribution system that enables you to operate the generator at a distance (where they won't be heard) yet still maintain full 120V line level on set.

A 10kw Honda EB10000 with a Full Power Transformer/Distro
that provides a single 84A/120V circuit.


A common problem with open-frame industrial generators like the EB10000 is that by the time you move them far enough off set that you don't hear them you have significant "Line Loss" (often referred to as "Voltage Drop") from the long cable run back to set (if you use regular cable.) To the problem of line loss, you have the added problem that as you add load, the voltage drops on portable generators (it is not uncommon for a generator to drop 5-10 volts under full load.) The combination of voltage drop on the generator and line loss on a long cable run can cause voltage to drop to the point where HMI and Kino ballasts cut out unexpectedly or won't strike at all. Low voltage can also cause problems such as reduced efficiency and excessive heat in equipment, unnecessary additional load on the generator, and a dramatic shift in the color temperature and in the output of lights (use this link for a details .) For these reasons, portable gas generators are typically operated too close to set where they are picked up on audio tracks. The trick to recording clean audio with the EB10000 is to use the generator with a boost transformer, like our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distros, that enables you to operate the generator at a distance without suffering from voltage drop.

Honda EB10000 with Voltage Select 84A Transformer/Distro
and 14 Gallon Fuel Caddy


Generating 72dbs at 23', the Honda EB10000 is by far the quietest generator in its' class. With sound specs this good all you need to record sound with without picking up generator noise is a real distro system that will allow you to move the EB10000 off set (like you would a Crawford Movie Unit), minimize line loss over a long cable run, and provide plug-in pockets conveniently close to set. That is where our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro comes in.

Distro System consisting of 100A Full Power Transformer/Distro, 2-100A GPC (Bates) Splitters, 2-100A Woodhead Box.
Even though the generator is 300' away to reduce noise, plug-in points remain conveniently close to set.


To record sync sound without picking up any generator noise, all you need to do is add 300'- 400' of our heavy duty 250V twist-lock extension cable between the generator and one of our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distros. This is usually enough cable to place the generator around the corner of a building, or to run it out of a van or truck - which is usually all the additional blimping you need with these generators. The heavy-duty 250V twist-lock cable eliminates multiple long cable runs to the generator and minimizes line-loss (eliminating the severe voltage drop you would have using standard electrical cords.) And, to assure full line level (120V) on set, our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distros are designed to compensate for the unavoidable voltage drop you will have on a fully loaded generator.

"Select" Models allow you to adjust for line-loss to maintain 120V on set

Our standard 84A Transformer/Distro is designed to boost the voltage on the load side (secondary) of the transformer by 5 percent. For instance, if you were to plug the Transformer/Distro directly into a generator running with no load and feed the supply side (primary) of the transformer with the generator's 240V output, you will get 126 Volts out on the secondary side where you would plug in lights. We have designed this slight boost into our standard Transformer/Distro to compensate for the line loss that is unavoidable over a long cable run, and the voltage drop on the generator under load. Our "Select" model of Transformer/Distros, enables you to adjust the amount of voltage boost in two 5% steps. This enables you to maintain full line level (120Vs) regardless if the supply voltage has dropped to 228V, or even 216V, from line loss and load running on the generator. To find the optimum switch setting, our "Select" Transformer/Distros have a built-in voltmeter that tells you if the line level is too low or too high.

Left: Honda EB10000 operating out of grip truck (note set at distance (bright spot on right side.)) Center: 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro
compensates for Voltage Drop over 400ft cable run. Right: Beach Set with 120v full line level 500ft from power source.

A good example of how the voltage boost capacity of our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro makes it possible to record clean audio tracks with the EB10000, even under the worst of conditions, is the indie short "Paralarva" (pictured above and below.) The film takes place around a campfire on a beach on Cape Cod. To record sync sound without picking up the noise of a generator, the crew ran our 10kw Honda EB10000 out of their grip truck 500 ft from their beach set. To assure full line level on set, the production used the boost capacity of our 84A Select Transformer/Distro to compensate for the line loss over the long cable run.

Left: Beach Set lit by two 1800W Arrimaxes. Center: Secondary side power distributed with standard 100 Bates Gang Boxes.
Right: Set viewed from generator (note: distance and extent of set power distribution.)

To get their grip truck as far from set as possible, the crew ran 400' of our high voltage twist-lock extension cable from the generator to our Transformer/Distro. From the Transformer/Distro they then ran 100' of 4/3 Bates Extension to set where they broke out to 20A Edison receptacles using a 100A gang boxes. While running the generator near full capacity with a lighting package that consisted of two 1800W Arri M18 Baby Max HMIs, several Tegra 400s, and assorted Litepanels and Quartz Fresnels, they experienced no appreciable voltage drop on set even after a 500' cable run because our Select Transformer/Distro was able to compensate for both the line loss of the cable and voltage drop of the generator under near full load. This example clearly demonstrates how the variable boost of our Select Transformer/Distros, not only enables you to place the generator further from set where you won't hear it, but also assures that the supply voltage on the secondary side of the transformer does not drop too low. By comparison, had the crew of "Paralarva" run 500' of standard 14 Awg electrical cord he would have experienced a line loss alone of 24.5V. With that severe a voltage drop, their 1800W Baby Maxs would probably have cut out from low voltage as they added additional loads on the generator. Without the line-loss compensation of our Transformer/Distros, they would have had to move the generator closer to set where it would be picked up on the audio tracks (use this link for information aobut Line-Loss and how to combat it.)

Left: Ready for rain on the set of "Gasp." Center: Two 4kw Pars operate on a 10kw Honda EB10000 Generator through our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro.
Right: 100A Shock Block GFCI downstream of Full Power Transformer/Distro offers Ground Fault Protection for entire 100A distro system.

Line loss compensation is just one of the many benefits to be gained by using our Full Power Transformer/Distro on the new Honda EB10000 generator. Whether on exterior locations where house power is not available, or to simply supplement house power, our Full Power Transformer/ Distro offers a number of benefits when used to step-down the unparalleled 10'000W output of the Honda EB10000. These benefits include (use these links for details):
Don't forget that our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro offers the same benefits when accessing more power on location from common 240v household outlets (use this linik for details.) Adapters are available that will enable you to plug our Transformer/Distro into common 240V sources found on interior locations - including Range Plugs, Dryer Plugs, and special receptacles installed for Window Air Conditioners. By giving you access to more "house power" through common 240V household outlets, our 84A Full Power Transformer/Distro can eliminate the need for dangerous tie-ins or expensive tow generators.

Left: Arri AS18 1800W Par powered from Transformer/Distro.
Right: 4Kw and 1800W HMI ballasts powered from Transformer/Distro.

To maximize the number of lights that you can operate on our new Gen-set or a Dryer/Range plug, contact us for competitive pricing on the latest motion picture lighting equipment by Arri, Mole-Richardson, & Kino Flo that make up our HD Plug & Play Pkg. If you let us know what additional equipment you want, we will work up a more detailed quote. Financing is available for orders of more than $5000.00. Please inquire for details.

We are confident that you will be more than satisfied with the performance of our HD Plug & Play Pkg.. Harry Box, author of the authoritative trade handbook "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" has endorsed our HD Plug & Play Gen-set in the just released 4th Edition of the handbook. In addition, he has established a link from the companion website for the 4th Edition of the Handbook, called "Box Book Extras" , to our company news letter article on "Portable Generators in Motion Picture Production" (I have attached a copy of the link.) Of the article he exclaims:

"Great work!... this is the kind of thing I think very few technician's ever get to see,
and as a result many people have absolutely no idea why things stop working."

"Following the prescriptions contained in this article enables the operation of bigger lights, or more smaller lights,
on portable generators than has ever been possible before."



What earned Harry's endorsement is that our HD Plug & Play Gen-set is the first portable "movie blimped" generator/distro system to offer 7500W of power in a Single 120V circuit capable of, as Harry puts it, "powering bigger lights, or more small lights, on a portable generator than has ever been possible before." For example, our modified Honda EU6500is inverter generator with 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro is capable of simultaneously powering a 4kw & 1200w Pars of our HD P&P Pkg. - which is sufficient to get good production values on bright day exteriors.

Our modified Honda EU6500is with our Transformer/Distro can power
the PFC 2.5 & 1.8 HMI Pars, PFC 400w Lighthouse HMI,
2 ParaBeam 400, 2 ParaBeam 200s, and 2 Tegra 400s of our HD P&P Pkg.

If you were to swap out the 4k globe for a 2.5K globe our gen-set is capable of powering the 2.5kw, 1800w, 400w Pars of our HD P&P Pkg., plus a couple of Kino Flo Parabeam 400s, Parabeam 200s, and Tegra 400s. Given the light sensitivity of HD Cameras, this constitutes a complete interior daylight or exterior night location lighting package for HD Digital Cinema productions.

Please let me know if you need any further information.

Guy Holt
ScreenLight & Grip
rentals@screenlightandgrip.com
Office: 781-326-5088
Cell: 617-224-8534