Hi everyone from Springfield Lakes, QLD

Owen

New elf
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
4
Location
Springfield Lakes
Hi everyone, thanks for having me.


I have lived for the past 3 years in a neighbourhood that overall makes a bit of an effort in stringing a few lights up at Christmas. Last year, I decided to get involved myself and set up about 5 boxes of LEDs that I picked up from Bunnings and Target. With a relatively small house and frontage, it was a reasonable effect, however I felt the need to for some reason to go above and beyond every other person in the area displaying lights. Perhaps being a new home owner, its a part of just enjoying the ability to be creative with my own property.


So there I was, boxing day sales last year and I had a full shopping trolling of half price lights from Target - pretty much picked the shelves clean. I aksed my 2 year old daughter if that was enough and she replied "more" in her single word sentence, so we did a Bunnings stop on the way home to clean them out too. Probably spent about $400 on half priced lights. My inspiration and goal is to achieve the Chevy Chase Lampoon standard.


It wasn't until the other day while pondering the construct of my illumination plan for the house that I came across this site and realised how behind the times I was regarding Christmas lights. Now I'm questioning my store bought lights which the pros here have led me to believe will not do my house the justice it deserves. With 8 months to go, there will no doubt be a few additions and upgrades occuring to my Christmas light stockpile.


I look forward to the learning and experimenting that lay ahead.


Cheers


Owen
 

David_AVD

Grandpa Elf
Community project designer
Generous elf
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
4,681
Location
Victoria Point (Brisbane)
Welcome to ACL. You should come along to the QLD mini meet in late June. You'll meet a bunch of fellow light nuts and get some great advice.
 

Mischka

New elf
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
26
Welcome!! I too have been in the same situation :( But having read all there is on this Awesome Site!! I've now collected my new set of Lights and how to prepare for the "Winter/Summer" cause we know it is coming! :) Be prepared to spend may sleepless night thinking how you can build an amazing Christmas Light display!!!
 

Owen

New elf
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
4
Location
Springfield Lakes
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I wasn't aware there was a Brisbane meet-up event in June, that would definitely be worthwhile to get a better insight.


It's always a great conversation when it's still March and my wife catches me staring into space and asks "whatcha thinking about?" and I reply "Christmas lights", and watch her eyes glaze over.
 

twbalights

New elf
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Messages
5
Location
Toowoomba
Hi Owen, Did the same thing. I Even tried to spend a year integrating the traditional Target / Bunnings lights into a computer display using solid state relays etc, unfortunately to no avail! With the new BI-directional LED strings around now refer here http://www.da-share.com/circuits/2-wire-led-strings/ it is a hard road to go down!
Have fun and be prepared for many late nights !
 

Owen

New elf
Joined
Mar 28, 2017
Messages
4
Location
Springfield Lakes
Hi Freddy,


I have started reading through the ACL 101 lighting manual and am starting to see that it is not as intimidating as my first impressions, thinking I would need to be an expert with a soldering iron, stripping wires and not burning the house down.
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[/size]Given that I have A LOT of store lights going up for the first time this year, I think the plan will be to wet my feet with some modest additions covered here to learn the mechanics of it all and identify where to expand upon for next year. I'm back to looking forward to Christmas like a little kid again, shame it only happens once a year!
 

LagoonLights

Formerly RedGumRdLights
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
44
Location
australia
HI Owen. I'm close to Springfield lakes and last year was my first pixel display. After reading manual all my store bought lights stayed in their boxes and went with 100% pixel display.Got the hang of most things from the manual and this site. Be good to have more displays in the area.
If need any assistance with anything just ask everyone very helpful on here.
 
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