Beginning to plan for next year

[christmasdave]

Hi
I'm taking the plunge and have started researching and planning for next year for my first 'proper' light show.

I've ordered a Node MCU, a small power supply, and a single string to play with and have started teaching myself xLights and playing around there. I've also ordered some lights (WS2811 strings) from Ray Wu store. Hoping to do the outline of the roof as well as some on the posts at the front of the house (budget limited). I'd love to do a tree, but not sure yet.
I think I am going to go with the Falcon f16v3 or f48 depending on what setup I initially go for, as they both seem to have some good features and I know I will want to expand in the future.

My biggest question at the moment is around all my old lights. Here is a video from this year and as you can see, I do have a few lights I would like to re-use! From the 101 manual, I think I need a DC controller? And if I read correctly, the only one I should use is the http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/dmx2-18/ ? is that right? I did see http://www.christmascreations.net.au/dc-controller.html and was wondering if that would work?

Let me know if anything I said is wrong or if I am on the wrong track

Thanks!

 

[franky_888]

Hey dave, Welcome!

The type of DC controller you'll need really depends on whether or not you have two or three string lights, if you aren't sure, take some photos of your multifunction controllers so we can have a look.

If you're heading down the pixel route with NodeMCU you'd be better placed with a 2811 based DC controller, eg: http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/2811dc2-30/ Otherwise you'd need a separate DMX controller or 2811 to DMX converter. Falcons have DMX control, but if you're only testing the waters then getting a 2811 compatible controller upfront would be easier (in my opinion at least).

I personally wouldn't even begin to consider the Christmas Creations controller you linked, quite pricey!

Another option is to use a Raspberry Pi Hat - http://www.hansonelectronics.com.au/product/rpi-28dplus/ this'll do 2811 (for pixels separately/instead of your NodeMCU) and has dmx out if you have your heart set on using a DMX controller.

 

[i13]

What a great display! Assuming that the existing lights are low voltage with plugpacks, the type of DC controller to use will depend on whether there are blinking units and how many wires run between the blinker unit with the button and the first LED. I'm already helping out with a similar question in this thread: https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/13251/

I'm offering to give a video tour of my display which includes both traditional lights and pixels so I'll add you to the conversation about that.

 

[Ltmup]

I will jump on that if possible, looking to add some old bunnings lights as another dimension

 

[christmasdave]

Thanks franky

The NodeMCU was cheap and is not the way I'll be going, but I figured as far as testing goes I can afford to break it I've attached 2 photos. One of the side where it goes into the lights and the other the power plug

OK, so won't worry about the Christmas Creations controller

 

[christmasdave]

What a great display! Assuming that the existing lights are low voltage with plugpacks, the type of DC controller to use will depend on whether there are blinking units and how many wires run between the blinker unit with the button and the first LED. I'm already helping out with a similar question in this thread: https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/13251/

I'm offering to give a video tour of my display which includes both traditional lights and pixels so I'll add you to the conversation about that.

Awesome! that is so good! I will jump in to that conversation

 

[i13]

Am I correct that you've pictured a lead-in cable for a string of traditional LED lights? That's clearly a lead-in cable with two wires. Does that light set have blinking functions or is it only steady on? Once I know this, I'll be able to suggest some controllers. Note that the controller for this particular light set might not support every type of light set in your display.

It is not always as simple as just plugging lights into a controller with a central power supply. The original plugpacks can be slightly different voltages and it is best to test each light set because the voltages written on the plugpacks seem to sometimes be inaccurate. There are two ways around the problem of having different voltages. One is to modify the light sets so that they all run at the same voltage. The other is to use multiple power supplies. If the lights have only two wires in the lead-in cable AND blinking functions then that means that the blinking functions use reverse polarity. The Hanson Electronics DMX2-18 can control these but other DC controllers usually can't because they can only turn on every 2nd light. I don't think it is possible to use multiple voltages on the same DMX2-18. For light sets that don't have reverse polarity (they have more than two wires in the lead-in or they're steady on only), pretty much any DC controller except for the DMX2-18 would be a good choice. For these, it's possible to mix voltages on the same controller even if the controller only has one power input. Here's a diagram showing how: https://auschristmaslighting.com/wiki/File:DC_Controller_Mixed_Voltages-png
My personal preferred option is to modify the light sets to get them running at the same voltage.

 

[christmasdave]

Ahh yes, the light does have a controller and does blink. So from the power there are 2 wires to the controller box, then 2 from the controller box to the first LED.
You give some fantastic advice that makes me glad it's only December. Plenty of time to learn!

 

[i13]

That would mean that it would work with a Hanson Electronics DMX2-18 controller. If most of the LEDs have more than two wires attached to them, I've explained how it is likely to be wired in post #9 in this thread: https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/13251/

Please have that set of lights handy when we meet on Zoom tomorrow. I don't have one like it.

 

[christmasdave]

I've got that set of lights handy and included another picture. (They are lytworx curtain lights, but just long icicles really). The two wires that I thought were going to the first LED actually split. One wire goes to the first line of LED's, and the second wire goes to the second line where it hits the first LED then comes back up to the 3rd lines first LED, and then back up to the 4th, etc. Each 'line' has 3 wires into the first LED and then 2 wires for the rest of that line. (Have I made any sense? :/) OK, a google search to try to link to these came up with this:https://auschristmaslighting.com/threads/dont-buy-lytworx-leds-from-bunnings.6367/. But that is an old thread and your other posts talk about the polarity and that the controller might work (if I am reading correctly?)

Having a close look at all my lights there are 2 other configs. One is where the power unit has the functions and there are 2 wires out to the string. The other is power to the controller box, then 3 strings out to the lights. I can't have these ones handy, unfortunately.