LV Panel

Powering the Performance: The Orchard Theatre’s New Electrical Backbone

As the refurbishment of the Orchard Theatre in Dartford continues, we are reaching critical milestones that ensure the venue will not only return to its former glory but exceed it with modern, reliable infrastructure. Central to this transformation is the recent installation of our new Low Voltage (LV) Switchroom.

The Heart of the Venue

We have recently had the LV panel installed in the theatre, which serves as the main electrical intake and distribution point for the building. This panel is the "brain" of our electrical system; it is responsible for receiving the incoming low-voltage supply and distributing power safely and efficiently across the various systems and circuits throughout the venue. From the house lights that guide you to your seat to the complex machinery that moves our stage sets, everything depends on this sophisticated piece of engineering.

A Marathon Feat of Engineering

While the LV panel serves as the heart, the cabling acts as the nervous system, carrying vital signals and power to every corner of the auditorium. To give you an idea of the sheer scale of this technical overhaul, our engineers have been hard at work installing a staggering amount of infrastructure.

We estimate that the total quantity of cable installed for the AV (Audio-Visual) systems alone will reach 42,500m. To put that in perspective, that is 42.5 kilometres or 26.4 miles of wiring—a distance exactly equal to the length of the London Marathon!