Another creative power injection thought

Grumpy

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New to sequencing, but familiar with electronics, and very well versed in controls and power wiring….with that said, I’m trying to get real creative, laying out my wiring, and to limit my 12V voltage drop. This layout also allows for both 5V and 12V on same date line.

In an ideal world, I would have (4) e6804, one at each arch point for each 5V & 12V runs. With the 120V power distribution, and since data is low current and the null pixels act as data repeaters every 20 feet, my wire doesn’t need to my up-sized.

Another creative thought was to use the same data for both 5V & 12V, with separate power supplies and injection points to support the difference voltages needs.

Without the distant and repeaters in place, I have a prototype layout running a single data line and power injection as needed. So far the only issue is the RGB sequence that differs between Strips & Pixels. Strip Red=Red and Pixel Red=Green. I can look for some that match or just adjust in sequencing. When I want Red on the pixel, I’ll schedule for Blue, or whatever color the Pixel will need to be for Red output.

Has anybody done anything like I have drawn…see attached PDF – any and all comments appreciated.
 

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Fing

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Hi Grumpy,


I'm new here as well, so I can't really offer you any advice, but I noticed you are using multiple null nodes to extend your data. This is a problem that i am also looking at. I found these pixel extenders on page 63 of the 101 manual and at http://www.j1sys.com/ecg-ppx/ i don't know if they work, or anything about them, but i thought you may be interested. If anyone can help with these as well I would be grateful for the advice.


Cheers
Fing
 

AussieDoug

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Your power injection layout looks perfect.
As for the RGB orientation, most controllers & software have the ability to change this. So when sequencing it can all be done to the correct colour. Seeing we buy our lights from Mr Nice N Cheap, they don't seem to care about making them all the same. So luckily it's an easy fix.
 

AussieDoug

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As for the pixel extenders that becomes a value for money issue.
A few pixels used as nulls & your time vs $$ to buy a pixel extender. Most of us go down the line of multiple null pixels.
 

ChristmasInKaralee

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Fing said:
Hi Grumpy,


I'm new here as well, so I can't really offer you any advice, but I noticed you are using multiple null nodes to extend your data. This is a problem that i am also looking at. I found these pixel extenders on page 63 of the 101 manual and at http://www.j1sys.com/ecg-ppx/ i don't know if they work, or anything about them, but i thought you may be interested. If anyone can help with these as well I would be grateful for the advice.


Cheers
Fing

I use those extenders and they work great, one of them I have goes 50m with no issues. I did by the one that has the 4 transmitters on it as my controller box sits in the garage, I then have 4 single receivers for the remote Universes although I only needed to use two of them last Christmas.

Highly recommended.
 

Grumpy

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Null Pixels.....Typical for SanDevice, and may not apply to others. I understand Null Pixels are just a single pixel (can be a dead LED with a good WS2811) placed inline every 20 feet. These pixels need to be assigned, but never turned on. I bought a short string of pixels for my initial workbench testing. I'll just cut them off as needed and build my data distribution lines. In my example, the first (3) channels in each universe will be assigned as null pixels. In Vixen, it's just assigning the pixel properly. Easy and the price is right.
 

mararunr

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Don't forget you can also use null pixels between elements to extend a run (null pixels do not always have to be at the beginning). The only difference is you account for them in the sequencing software versus the controller set up. That tidbit helped me a lot last season because I had a few floodlights that were spaced way apart (had 2 nulls between a couple).
 

plasmadrive

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I have also used the Pixel Extenders and I love them.. they work great and every time.. not so much the null pixels for me. worked fine until I bundled everything together.. then I got noise issues. Not so with the Extenders..

As for the power, your scheme looks sound. I personally do it a bit differently... I use one or more 24vdc supplies and DC-DC converters at the props. Works perfectly and I can have whatever voltage I want where I want it from a single supply. I use waterproof supplies and converters.. no boxes for power supplies, no fans, no worries..
 

arw01

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Falcon Christmas is also working on a "pixel" extender, you can find some details on it over there. May be a less expensive option in the long run. Certainly simplier from a sequencing standpoint.
 

fasteddy

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I have combined a 5vdc, 12vdc and 24vdc run from the same output sharing the data, In LSP this was easy to sequence and correct the RGB orientation because i treated each one as a different element. So there should be no issue in doing it this way
 

Grumpy

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Fasteddy, thanks for your comments.....you caused me to look at Vixen 3 a little deeper. Yes, in elements setup there is a way to change RGB to GBR, but it needs to be changed on every pixel....That's too much "nppct" (non productive pixel changing time)

On each of 2 runs, I have (168) strip pixel and (75) 12mm pixel. I need to change on group or the other, times 2

In Vixen 3, does anybody have any tricks to change pixel color assignments in groups.



plasmadrive....I'll thoroughly test the system with null pixels, with enough time to order and install pixel extenders if necessary. Thanks for the heads up.
 

fasteddy

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Grumpy said:
Fasteddy, thanks for your comments.....you caused me to look at Vixen 3 a little deeper. Yes, in elements setup there is a way to change RGB to GBR, but it needs to be changed on every pixel....That's too much "nppct" (non productive pixel changing time)

On each of 2 runs, I have (168) strip pixel and (75) 12mm pixel. I need to change on group or the other, times 2

In Vixen 3, does anybody have any tricks to change pixel color assignments in groups.

Depending on the controller you use will help with this as well. The J1sys will allow you to change the RGB orientation up to 4 times from the one output, im not sure about the sandevices and think the advatek doesnt either. So a setup like this has its limitation depending on hardware and software you are using. Looks like you may have to do it manually, but then that should only be a one off excercise.
 
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