Electrical Services

From under carpet wiring to overhead lighting, EY Centre has the power to simplify your electrical needs and installation. We’ve answered your most common questions below to help you place your order or prepare for a detailed discussion. Whether you require basic household/office power or a more technical installation for equipment, audio-visual presentations or truss lights, our electrical specialists and qualified electricians are always available to assist you.

How do I know how much power I need?
First, review a layout of your exhibit, noting all of the items in it that require power. Consider lighting, computer equipment, and your own product. Are you bringing or renting any a/v equipment or ordering catering services that might need power? Will you be using a lead retrieval machine? If it’s an item that plugs into a standard wall outlet found in a home or office (in North America), it will require 110/120 volt power. 208 or 480 volt power is generally used for machinery or industrial cooking devices and is ordered by single or 3 phase.

Next, mark the voltage and wattage or amperage (referred to as “load”) (100 watts = 1 amp) of each piece of equipment at its location in the booth. This information should be provided on a name plate or stamp usually located on the back or bottom of the equipment. If not indicated, check our accompanying electrical usage guide for estimated wattages for common items used at trade shows or call your rental company/caterer for specifics. For lighting, loads are dictated by the wattage of the bulbs. Arm lights included with EY Centre exhibit packages use 200 watt bulbs. Keep in mind that you need to order
power for any lighting within your booth unless the lights are ordered directly from the Electrical Department (those listed on the EY Centre electrical order form).

Finally, total the wattage for the 120 volt devices in each area and select an outlet that meets or exceeds that total. Separate outlets should be ordered for each piece of equipment and/or each power location to help minimize tripping/power outages. It is always safer to slightly overestimate your power requirements. Wattage or amperages cannot be combined for 208 or 480 volt apparatus. Please order separate outlets for each.

Do I need to order labour?
As the official service contractor, electrical installations must be performed by EY Centre union labour. Labour is required for any electrical work over and above the delivery of outlets to the back wall of inline booths. Labour orders will automatically be input upon receipt of an electrical layout for under carpet installation (floor work) or to connect any 208 volt or higher services (hook up). Dismantle labour for electrical services is calculated at 50% of the installation time since
much of the work is performed on a mass basis after booths are removed from the exhibit hall. Please see the electrical labour order form for further details, rules and regulations.

What is an electrical layout and why do I need one?
Like your own home, electrical boxes and wiring should not be visible once the exhibit is completed. At show site, they are the first things to be installed so that they can be hidden by drape, walls or counters and under flooring or carpet. Electricians, therefore, work on a blank slate. A good electrical layout or floor plan provides them with a simple overhead view of your booth indicating the locations and load of each electrical outlet and the orientation of your booth within the show itself. The layout should be to scale and provide specific measurements to each outlet along with surrounding aisle or booth numbers to ensure accuracy. For island booths, a main power location must also be indicated as it is the location from which other outlets are fed. Please see the sample layouts and electrical grid for further information.

Can I bring my own extension cords and power strips? (Also
known as plug strips, multi strips, etc.)
Exhibitors may use their own extension cords and power strips under the following conditions:

  • The equipment must be 3 wire, 14 gauge minimum with a ground.
  • The extension cords must be flat if they are to be laid under carpet. (Labour is required to lay the cords.)
  • All power strips must have circuit protection.

Can I run my extension cords under the carpet myself?
For safety reasons, exhibitors are not allowed to run any electrical wiring under any type of floor covering or where they may be concealed in the booth structure. The show’s electrical contractor is liable for electrical installations and therefore must perform all floor or booth work.

Will my floor work be completed before I arrive?
Every attempt is made to have floor work completed prior to carpet installation if you have submitted the following:

  • A completed electrical order form.
  • A valid and authorized credit card to be kept on file for the company.
  • An electrical layout indicating the main power location, dimensions to each power location, the power required at each location, and surrounding aisle or booth numbers to determine orientation of the booth.
  • Labour and material charges apply.

When will my power be turned on?
Power is only guaranteed to be installed before the show opens. If EY Centre is allowed early access to the facility, power is normally ready the first day of move-in for exhibitors but any special requests such as temporary chain motor power, programming machinery or testing equipment should be noted on your order.

Do I need lighting?
Lighting can dramatically change the impact of an exhibit, no matter the size. Used effectively, lighting can emphasize specific areas of a booth or highlight products. Also, an exhibit will appear dark and uninviting if the surrounding booths are lit and yours is not.

Can I hang my own lights?
10 x 10 booths with pop-up displays (a display that can be assembled in less than 30 minutes without tools) can hang their own lights and plug them in without ordering labour. Typically, exhibitors themselves can hang up to 7 lights as long as they require no more than 20 amps in total but it is best to clarify with the local branch. If a decorating company (including EY Centre) has been contracted to install a display, electrical labour is required to install the lights. Due to union contracts, no other union is allowed to install electrical equipment.

When a layout and credit card are provided in advance,  EY Centre makes every effort to ensure that the floor work is completed before you arrive so that there is no delay in assembling your booth. Once carpet is laid, installing or changing electrical services becomes much more difficult and potentially costly.
Please note that layouts, complete with mandatory information, are required prior to the deadline date for electrical orders to be eligible for advance rates. Layouts are not required if all outlets are located at the back wall in inline booths.

Is the price for power per day?
Outlet or connection prices are typically for an entire show.

What is 24 hour power?
Many facilities these days are energy conscious and therefore turn off power overnight during show days. Power is turned off 1/2 hour after the show closes at the earliest and restored no later than 1/2 hour before the show opens the following day. 24 hour power is, as it sounds, power that is continuously on 24 hours per day. If your booth includes, for example, refrigeration equipment, an aquarium or programmable apparatus that depends on uninterrupted
power, you should consider ordering 24 hour service. Power is usually not turned off during move-in or move-out.

Where does the power come from?
Depending on the facility, the power can come from overhead catwalks, floor ports, columns, wall outlets or a combination of these sources. Check with the local EY Centre branch office for more information.

Where will my power be located?
In-line and peninsula booths will find their main power source on the floor somewhere along the rear drape line of their booth. Island booths need to submit an electrical layout. Please see the sample layouts and electrical grid for further information.

What if I need power at another location besides the rear of my
booth? What if I have multiple power locations?
Exhibitors requiring power at any location other than a back wall must submit an electrical layout. Please see the sample layouts and electrical grid for further information.

How many places will I have to plug in? How many things can I
plug in?
For planning purposes, you should always assume that there is only one connection point per outlet ordered. Power strips can provide additional sockets but do not confuse having more places to plug in with additional power. For example – An order is placed for a 1500 watt outlet. A track light with 4 – 100 watt bulbs is plugged in to a power strip connected to the outlet, using 400 of the 1500 watts. Any lighting or equipment now plugged in to a second socket may not exceed 1100 watts.

Also keep in mind that power strips are designed, for safety purposes, to trip at 1500 watts or 15 amps. Using a power strip with a 2000 watt (20 amp) outlet will reduce it to a 1500 watt outlet. All orders exceeding 120 volt/20 amps provide one connection point only cannot accommodate power strips and require labour for installation.

Do I need to order power for my lighting?
Exhibitors ordering Electrical Services lighting (those listed on the EY Centre electrical order form) do not need to order power. It is included in the rental. Exhibitors supplying their own lighting or renting lights need to order power. Labour may be required to hang the lights.

Do I need to order labour to plug in my lights or equipment?
Most 120 volt connections do not require labour. Exhibitors are welcome to plug in their own standard office devices. Labour is required for all 208 or 480 volt connections and if lights or equipment need wiring or if electrical cords are to be run under the carpet or in concealed areas to ensure that all electrical codes and building rules are met.

How can I save money and frustration when ordering electrical services?
Most importantly, be sure to submit your order before the discount price deadline date. If an electrical layout is needed, it also must be received, complete with mandatory information, before the deadline date to be eligible for discount pricing. Late orders can be subject up to a 50% increase in cost because of the behind-the-scenes planning required to distribute power.

Don’t underestimate your power requirements and work within the local rules, regulations and union jurisdictions. They have been implemented to avoid problems. While it may seem simple to plug in lights and equipment, it is not uncommon for exhibit or non electrical staff to overload circuits. Trouble calls can become expensive when it takes time to find the source of a problem.

If unsure about labour, call us for direction and if necessary, place a “will call” order before the discount price deadline date. You will only incur a charge if labour is dispatched to your booth but you’ll have secured the advance pricing. And, check in with the electrical or service desk as soon as you know you need labour, not at the time you want the electricians in your booth. It will help to avoid delays as we can schedule accordingly.

Lastly, try to resolve any disputes at show site. It is much easier to discuss electrical issues when both parties can physically review the installation.

Additional questions?
Call customer service at the number listed on the Quick Facts and ask for the Electrical Services Department. For fast, easy ordering, tools, and helpful hints go