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Posted By: Trick440 Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/01/06 10:26 PM
Is there a box and device that can be mounted flush with the ground outside? (eg. floor plug)

This is on a baseball field. Pitcher's mound, for a plug-in automatic pitcher.

If you know who makes one or what I could do please let me know.

Its not being inspected but I would like to be code compliant if possible.


[This message has been edited by Trick440 (edited 05-01-2006).]
Posted By: NJwirenut Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/01/06 10:28 PM
Standard waterproof recep/in-use cover inside a christy box?
Posted By: techie Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/01/06 11:47 PM
I would be concerned with the box flooding..

I would bring the power out as UF, and either put a PVC j-box with a marine receptacle with a watertight cover, or transition to a ST pigtail, with a watertight boot that can be pulled out of the box. don't forget a notch in the lid of the cristy box to allow the box to be closed when in use, and some form of handle to allow it to be opened. maybe a split cover?

I would feed it from a GFI and a weatherproof switch located on the fence/dugout. add a second GFI outlet at that location.
put these in a locked box to prevent vandalism.


check the hubbell/bryant marine products catalog.


[This message has been edited by techie (edited 05-01-2006).]
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/02/06 03:17 AM
An extension cord from the dugout makes more sense. This sounds like batting practice, not a game. There shouldn't be any runners.
Posted By: mhulbert Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/02/06 04:25 PM
Agreed on the extension cord! I've seen stuff like this attempted in many different ways (if only I had the pictures)...and none of them survive rain, sprinklers, and the lawnmower man. That box will flood no matter what you do.

Hook them up with a nice heavy duty (600V) 12/3 cord in bright yellow with heavy duty caps...it will last longer!
Posted By: ghost307 Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/02/06 05:27 PM
I've run into this issue more times than I can count from Architects/Owners who want a receptacle outside "somewhere convenient" but "flush mounted so that nobody will be able to see it".
My MANY years of research says that nobody makes anything like this...and my contact with our attorney says that nobody would be 'stupid enough' to make this.
The box floods, the receptacle slots end up underwater, the breakers keep tripping, somebody falls on a slippery coverplate; the lawsuits will fly in a heartbeat.
Use the extension cord sized to deal with the voltage drop.
Posted By: mamills Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/02/06 06:48 PM
At our little league facility here, an early portion of the minor league season involves using an electric pitching machine. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to make do with an unsuitable, and dangerous underground power supply at the pitcher's mound, we simply chose the lesser of two evils - underground, or above. The result is a highly visible fluorescent orange heavy duty cord from the third base dugout to the mound. Everyone in the world knows it's there, and the coaches constantly remind the kids of its presence. An occasional stumble on the ground is far preferable to a serious electric shock (or worse).

Mike (mamills)
Posted By: John Crighton Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/02/06 07:31 PM
Or... Mount a size 27 deep-cycle battery (115 amp-hours, about $60 at Costco), a charger, and a 1 kW inverter on a hand truck, and forget the cord. I expect it would run a 1/4 hp pitching machine for a couple of hours.
Posted By: Paulusgnome Re: Plug on a pitching mound? - 05/03/06 04:25 AM
There is a Dutch company that makes a good outdoor pit for power distribution.
Check out www.friand.nl
The company is called Friand Electrotechnic.
The pit that they make is from polyurethane rubber, and has a 63A 3-phase ceeform socket mounted inside. The also make a tower that mounts onto the pit that can take other socket outlets of different sizes.
The pit is fitted with a sealing gasket which keeps the water out when the pit is closed. It is recommended though that the power supply be switched off when the pit is closed up, and that the usual RCD and MCB protection be installed.
We have used these in NZ and also in Australia, and they seem to be very high-quality items.
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