Welcome to ACL, at first there is a steep learning curve and it can seem hard to grasp at first, but with some persistance then all the pieces will start to fall into place
G'day.
- Thread starter Goliath
- Start date
mararunr
Here to learn! (and share)
Welcome to ACL. Ask away and someone will always answer. You've come to the right place. Best of luck.
- Thread starter
- #18
OK, time to start planning this, and take a deep breath at initial start up cost. Attached should be a couple of pictures o the humble abode.
I currently have :-
- 2 x 10 m white 240 volt AC Bunnings? led rope
- 2 x 10 m red 240 volt AC Bunnings? led rope
- 2 x 10m green 240 volt AC Bunnings led rope
(Switching this stuff seems like too much trouble, and I am inclined to either scrap it, or use it along garden edges, maybe attached to some plastic netting to make a big "Merry Christmas" on the roof. I'm not entirely happy at the thought of 240volt lying on a hot tin roof in Queensland.)
- enough Big W icicle lights to run along the front guttering twice (about 34 m). From memory these are 34V, aren't they?
- about 17 m of coloured fairy lights to do the same.
- 1.8 m wide Bunnings white waterfall lights. (These are pretty crap quality and let water in everywhere & corrode. Two others didn't last 2014 season)
- several 8 metre Bunnings 12? / 24 volt? led lights. ( I formed outlined christmas trees with these on stakes for 2014)
- several fairly basic motifs - Santa, HoHoHo etc
- Some strings of Bunnings leds, which I had around the front door, and the central pillar near the front door.
- Bunnings net light - 24 V - sorta exploding star thingo
I am thinking in terms of getting:-
Pixlite 16 controller.
Ray Wu 12V 2811 led strips - probably about 13.
Enough Ray Wu power supplies to run the buggers, with a spare.
I really can't decide if it's worth the bother of getting a DC controller to switch the existing low voltage stuff.
I am inclined to run led strips along the front guttering (17.7m), along the roof line (? metres - it started to rain & old bones and slippery roofs don't mix), and around the three front windows (4 m each). Still haven't quite got my head around what pigtails I'd need and how exactly the power injection is done. The intention is to put all the electronics attached to the back of the central pillar, where it is relatively protected, as well as in water resistant boxes. This may mean I may need to boost signal to some elements, as the start may be a little more than 5 m from the controller.
Once my poor head sorts out this bit, I'm thinking maybe a big arch between the central pillar and the wall near the front door, and maybe one over the swing seat on the other side ( a little hard to do ). Probably a little decoration of some kind on the central pillar, and either side of the garage.
Any thoughts?
I currently have :-
- 2 x 10 m white 240 volt AC Bunnings? led rope
- 2 x 10 m red 240 volt AC Bunnings? led rope
- 2 x 10m green 240 volt AC Bunnings led rope
(Switching this stuff seems like too much trouble, and I am inclined to either scrap it, or use it along garden edges, maybe attached to some plastic netting to make a big "Merry Christmas" on the roof. I'm not entirely happy at the thought of 240volt lying on a hot tin roof in Queensland.)
- enough Big W icicle lights to run along the front guttering twice (about 34 m). From memory these are 34V, aren't they?
- about 17 m of coloured fairy lights to do the same.
- 1.8 m wide Bunnings white waterfall lights. (These are pretty crap quality and let water in everywhere & corrode. Two others didn't last 2014 season)
- several 8 metre Bunnings 12? / 24 volt? led lights. ( I formed outlined christmas trees with these on stakes for 2014)
- several fairly basic motifs - Santa, HoHoHo etc
- Some strings of Bunnings leds, which I had around the front door, and the central pillar near the front door.
- Bunnings net light - 24 V - sorta exploding star thingo
I am thinking in terms of getting:-
Pixlite 16 controller.
Ray Wu 12V 2811 led strips - probably about 13.
Enough Ray Wu power supplies to run the buggers, with a spare.
I really can't decide if it's worth the bother of getting a DC controller to switch the existing low voltage stuff.
I am inclined to run led strips along the front guttering (17.7m), along the roof line (? metres - it started to rain & old bones and slippery roofs don't mix), and around the three front windows (4 m each). Still haven't quite got my head around what pigtails I'd need and how exactly the power injection is done. The intention is to put all the electronics attached to the back of the central pillar, where it is relatively protected, as well as in water resistant boxes. This may mean I may need to boost signal to some elements, as the start may be a little more than 5 m from the controller.
Once my poor head sorts out this bit, I'm thinking maybe a big arch between the central pillar and the wall near the front door, and maybe one over the swing seat on the other side ( a little hard to do ). Probably a little decoration of some kind on the central pillar, and either side of the garage.
Any thoughts?
Attachments
mararunr
Here to learn! (and share)
It definitely sounds like you've got a good start to a great display. What makes you happy is most important.
I would suggest using one of the spreadsheet examples you can find across the forum and laying it all out in whatever is a logical order for you. Using a spreadsheet makes it easy to use formulas and add columns as you want (to figure prices, or figure power, or figure universes, etc.).
I would suggest using one of the spreadsheet examples you can find across the forum and laying it all out in whatever is a logical order for you. Using a spreadsheet makes it easy to use formulas and add columns as you want (to figure prices, or figure power, or figure universes, etc.).
Eastwood16G
Full time elf
I've been where you are. You have listed the tech. What do you want to do with your display? That will tell you what lights you need and where. Only you and yours can decide what you want to display. The back stage tech stuff is logical and there will be lots of help at ACL.
I have various BigW strings and Bunning strings. The BigW strings are good and easy to convert. I have not converted my Bunnings strings, there have been some concerns on the forum, but I'm uncertain. Your feeling may be right, there is an expense of coin and effort to converting stings when you could be buying pixels instead.
I think you may find there are places in your display for 100 lamps on 1 channel, rather than 100 pixels on 300 channels.
Anyway I have a so called RayWu 27CH controller, and I'm pretty good with a soldering iron, but I got two DMX36 controllers instead. I suspect that you will find you need your strings, ropes, etc. Budget for PSUs and cable. I think you'll find your 240V AC has a transformer that is 22/24V AC which will run on 27-30 DC.
If you want a big Merry Xmas build a pixel array. Took me two days to build a 'Marry Xmas' using Bunnings strings about five years ago. Time wasted? Perhaps, but I still use it (2CH) Took about a week to build a 55x21 pixels array that displays anything you want (3465CH).
I came to ACL wanting only pixels. I found that within my budget I only had an impressive array. Which was good for parties but I needed to power my legacy lamps to light up the park for Xmas.
I hope that helps.
R
p.s. Pixels or not, budget for cables.
I have various BigW strings and Bunning strings. The BigW strings are good and easy to convert. I have not converted my Bunnings strings, there have been some concerns on the forum, but I'm uncertain. Your feeling may be right, there is an expense of coin and effort to converting stings when you could be buying pixels instead.
I think you may find there are places in your display for 100 lamps on 1 channel, rather than 100 pixels on 300 channels.
Anyway I have a so called RayWu 27CH controller, and I'm pretty good with a soldering iron, but I got two DMX36 controllers instead. I suspect that you will find you need your strings, ropes, etc. Budget for PSUs and cable. I think you'll find your 240V AC has a transformer that is 22/24V AC which will run on 27-30 DC.
If you want a big Merry Xmas build a pixel array. Took me two days to build a 'Marry Xmas' using Bunnings strings about five years ago. Time wasted? Perhaps, but I still use it (2CH) Took about a week to build a 55x21 pixels array that displays anything you want (3465CH).
I came to ACL wanting only pixels. I found that within my budget I only had an impressive array. Which was good for parties but I needed to power my legacy lamps to light up the park for Xmas.
I hope that helps.
R
p.s. Pixels or not, budget for cables.
Fing
Full time elf
Hi,
as for budgets - compare them with something…. my budget is cheaper than smoking 2 packs a week……
not that i smoke…it was "i'm building lights or taking up smoking……" and another is to make her think it was her idea…….
Cheers
Fing
maybe that should be 6 packs a week…..
as for budgets - compare them with something…. my budget is cheaper than smoking 2 packs a week……
not that i smoke…it was "i'm building lights or taking up smoking……" and another is to make her think it was her idea…….Cheers
Fing
maybe that should be 6 packs a week…..
bluzervic
65,768 Channels, 185 Universes
Welcome to ACL
Lots of good info in the forums.
Also, come jump in chat, you can ask questions there as well and get to know fellow light techies
-Blu
Lots of good info in the forums.
Also, come jump in chat, you can ask questions there as well and get to know fellow light techies
-Blu
Habbosrus
Back again
G'day Goliath, welcome to ACL mate. You indicated you are intending to get some 2811 strips. Alan's (AAH) 2811DC15 or 2811DC30 do a great job of converting 2811 signal to run things like Big W strings, etc. I've used them for 2 years to run my Big W strings and couldn't be happier with them. I'll be placing an order for a couple more in the coming months as I'm planning to add some flood lights this year.
- Thread starter
- #24
Thanks fellas. Habbosrus, I'd read about AAH's 2811DC15's and think they would be the go for using the existing lights. Good to hear they are reliable.
Eastwood16G the led ropes really are 240V. You can join a bunch of them together ( 50 m max, I think ) and they are really bright. I generally put two of them down the side fence when we have BBQ's, and they provide more than enough light to illuminate the back yard.
Eastwood16G the led ropes really are 240V. You can join a bunch of them together ( 50 m max, I think ) and they are really bright. I generally put two of them down the side fence when we have BBQ's, and they provide more than enough light to illuminate the back yard.
- Thread starter
- #25
I think I picked the wrong forum name. Jon Snow seems more appropriate, 'cos I know nothing ......
Looking at the jolly old 2811 strips at Ray Wu's, it appears there are only 3 connections, +ve and ground are pretty straight forward, "DO" I assume is data? What is the darn "CLK" connector for on the Pixlite?
Looking at the jolly old 2811 strips at Ray Wu's, it appears there are only 3 connections, +ve and ground are pretty straight forward, "DO" I assume is data? What is the darn "CLK" connector for on the Pixlite?
Attachments
bluzervic
65,768 Channels, 185 Universes
The clock is for refresh, some strips, nodes use the clock signal
Example:
2811's use +V, -V and Data
2801's use +V, CLK, Data and -V
-Blu
Example:
2811's use +V, -V and Data
2801's use +V, CLK, Data and -V
-Blu
Habbosrus
Back again
Hey Goliath, don't stress about not knowing anything. Most of us have been exactly where you are. I remember having exactly the same question in regard to CLK with my first 2811 strip. Honestly, it does get easier. I knew nothing (and I do mean NOTHING) about any of this when I started (unlike my Wife & 18 y.o. Son, who believe they know everything). I must have read the manual 50 times in total by now because I still refer to it on a regular basis. When I don't understand something I check the manual and then ask the kind people here in ACL for confirmation or more info.Goliath said:
It's all good. We all help one another and we do what we can.
gerry
Senior elf
Welcome aboard. Have been in India , so the welcome is a bit delayed.
Was in the same position this time last year, but it is easy once you start and the folks are most helpful.
Can I auggest that you tackle (even if on paper) one item at a time and then order what you need for two elements, build and test , then expand from there.
In my case I decided on 12v 2811 pixels as much as possible and then reused Bigw lights , 27 V with the 27ch Ray wu controller. This year will expand with others. Others have different preferences.
Was in the same position this time last year, but it is easy once you start and the folks are most helpful.
Can I auggest that you tackle (even if on paper) one item at a time and then order what you need for two elements, build and test , then expand from there.
In my case I decided on 12v 2811 pixels as much as possible and then reused Bigw lights , 27 V with the 27ch Ray wu controller. This year will expand with others. Others have different preferences.