Hello from Timaru NZ!

[cameronkiwi]

Great to find this form. I have been doing basic displays for the last 6 years, I am now looking into moving to the next level with some smarts! This years mission is to build my first Mega tree with Pixels. I am hoping to also make use of my existing store lights and automate these somehow I have been looking into light o rama Happy for suggestions and pointers!

 

[Mark_M]

Welcome along to AusChristmasLighting @cameronkiwi !
Great to see another Kiwi. I'm up in Auckland.

My first piece of advice out of the gate is buy something cheaper than LOR (Light O Rama). There are many DIY and Sub-DIY controllers available to control standard Bunnings style of lights. It also means you are not locked into LOR software which has a licence fee.
I was looking into LOR, then found this site and thank god I didn't buy into it .

On an electrical aspect; AC controllers don't work very well for the AU/NZ market. Basically all light strings from Bunnings/Kmart/Warehouse use a small switch-mode power supply on the plug.
This means your control via LOR AC would be limited to ON or OFF, because dimming wouldn't work properly.


Anyway... Welcome to ACL .

 

[cameronkiwi]

Welcome along to AusChristmasLighting @cameronkiwi !
Great to see another Kiwi. I'm up in Auckland.

My first piece of advice out of the gate is buy something cheaper than LOR (Light O Rama). There are many DIY and Sub-DIY controllers available to control standard Bunnings style of lights. It also means you are not locked into LOR software which has a licence fee.
I was looking into LOR, then found this site and thank god I didn't buy into it .

On an electrical aspect; AC controllers don't work very well for the AU/NZ market. Basically all light strings from Bunnings/Kmart/Warehouse use a small switch-mode power supply on the plug.
This means your control via LOR AC would be limited to ON or OFF, because dimming wouldn't work properly.


Anyway... Welcome to ACL .

Thanks Mark! It is awesome to find a forum for Christmas lights! There is not many of us down this way to chat to.

Great advice! I will poke around on here and see what I can learn! Lucky I work in IT and have a techy brain so I am happy for some DIY!

 

[Mark_M]

I'll get you started on something.... be warned this may be a little too much.


Typically the Bunnings/Kmart/Warehouse lights have 2 wires from the power supply to the light string. Yet the power supply's multi-function-controller (MFC) can switch two different sections of the lights.

This used to be done with 3 wires, a common anode (+) and 2 wires for each section. The Other 2 wires would be connected to negative by the MFC as per the patterns to create.
In this photo; the top wire is a common.



But now with the 2 wire strings is takes advantage of the LEDs being a diode.
Now the MFC uses an H-Bridge style of circuit to constantly change the positive & negative (polarity) to make each section light up.

This is very annoying thing to bypass.



and just to make it more annoying!
Now there is 3 or 4 controllable sections in some strings of lights using only 3 wires.
This also changes the positive & negative constantly (polarity changing) to light difference sections.
I've seen this technique used on some solar lights and colour changing lights (the smart phone app things).



Hopefully that hasn't made your brain explode .
Just a heads up before spending money on something that won't work!

 

[cameronkiwi]

Ahh, that makes sense… Surprisingly! Most of the stuff I currently have is 2 wire, I have the odd 3 wire thing but I wouldn’t be too worried about them.
Ideally starting with only being able to get them flashing on and off in time would be good, that way as I build out a pixel collection they don’t look too out of place.

 

[kevr]

Great to find this form. I have been doing basic displays for the last 6 years, I am now looking into moving to the next level with some smarts! This years mission is to build my first Mega tree with Pixels. I am hoping to also make use of my existing store lights and automate these somehow I have been looking into light o rama Happy for suggestions and pointers!

Hi from Kaiapoi.

My suggestion when building a tree is built it strong, I see lots of Mega Trees in forums bent and broken due to wind especially so stronger is definitely better.

 

[fugley]

YES !! someone from the mainland

 

[Notenoughlights]

Hello from Christchurch! Happy to give you a run-down if you're ever up this way as I have a huge collection of both pixel and 2/3 wire bunnings lights.

 

[cameronkiwi]

Hello from Christchurch! Happy to give you a run-down if you're ever up this way as I have a huge collection of both pixel and 2/3 wire bunnings lights.

Oh awesome! I might just take you up on that offer