What to know about AV control in Queen Creek
Low-energy control circuits are on the Town's exemption list
The Town's electrical permit-exemption list includes low-energy Class II and Class III power, control and signal circuits. Control wiring may fall under that wording. Whether a specific job is exempt is the Building Official's call, and the Town says to contact its office to find out.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Town Code 7.1.4.2.3, item 11 (amendments, Oct. 19, 2022)
Power for the rack is a separate question
The exemption list also covers wiring under 27 volts that cannot supply more than 50 watts. The outlets and circuits that power a rack or panel are not covered by either item. If a control job needs a new circuit, that part goes through the normal electrical process. Building Safety is at (480) 358-3009.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Town Code 7.1.4.2.3, items 9 and 11
Keep the fire department key box clear
The Town's amended fire code requires key boxes to be mounted 5.5 to 6 feet above grade and kept visible and lit, with nothing stored or planted that hides them. When we mount a wall panel near an entry, we keep it away from the key box.
Source: Town of Queen Creek Fire Code amendments 506.1.2 and 506.1.3
Codes currently listed: 2021 I-Codes, 2020 NEC
The Town's Building Codes page lists the 2021 International Codes, effective January 1, 2023, with the 2020 National Electrical Code and the 2021 International Fire Code. The page is undated and we found no newer adoption, so confirm with Building Safety.
What a control system does
A control system sends commands to your equipment: power on, pick an input, set a volume. It does this over network, serial or infrared connections, depending on the device. You see none of it. You see a panel with a few big buttons.
A bar might have six buttons: Open, Game Mode, Music Mode, Patio On, Patio Off, Close.
Panel, tablet or phone
A wall panel is always in the same place and cannot be lost. A tablet moves with the manager. A phone app works from anywhere in the building. Many sites use a wall panel for staff and a tablet for the manager.
We can also keep a simple remote on each TV, so the system still works if the panel ever fails.
Presets that match how you run the room
We build presets from your routine. Open the doors and the dining room music comes on at a set level. On game day, a preset sends the match to every bar TV and the audio to the bar zone only. Close shuts down every screen and amplifier together.
- Limits on maximum volume per zone.
- Locked controls for staff, with a manager level for changes.
- Schedules that turn music and screens on and off by themselves.
Working with the equipment you have
Most control systems can work with the TVs, amplifiers and boxes you already own. We check each model for network, serial or infrared control, and replace only what can't be controlled. If you plan to add TVs and video distribution later, we leave room for them in the design.
Where to put the panel in Queen Creek
Put the panel where the person running the room stands, usually behind the bar or at the host stand. Keep it away from the entry door frame and any fire department key box. A panel on a wall near a patio door also gets sun and heat, so we pick a spot where the screen can be read in daylight.
Often paired with
Control is most useful with commercial audio and TV and video distribution. In offices it runs conference rooms. Enzo in Queen Creek lists the rest.
