Hello! Learning about lights for 2022 Christmas

[DarkwinX]

Hey all,

Have started doing some research and pricing up something I can start small on and then expand on each year.

The F48 + extension boards seem like a really straightforward way for someone who is just starting out.

After going through the manual I have a couple of questions I thought I'd ask while hunting for answers in the forums.

Currently looking to use some independent pixel lights to light up a tree in my front yard to some music while the rest of the house stays on traditional lights this year.

Staying on the low voltage side like most of us - If I use a LRS 350 should I be getting someone qualified to wire in the AU power cord or are there alternatives that come pre wired?

I've been hunting around on the Ray Wu Ali express, is there anything I should be careful of when selecting lights from a safety/quality point of view. I was watching some learn Christmas lights videos and he had mentioned some from a particular manufacturer had been a fire hazard recently.

Xconnect seemed like learn Christmas lights recommended connector - is there really much of a difference if you have to wire most of them yourself anyway with pigtails?

Also -Any recommendations on Australian waterproof enclosures?

 

[thewanderingpine]

Welcome to ACL. Where about in Aus are you?
Don't forget to checkout the chat tab - there's often people lurking in there every day.

Bunnings have various waterproof enclosures that everyone makes work. I've got a mix of the tactix ones and some of the Arlec pre-built extension cord ones.

xConnect is a good standard to use. The main thing is to probably pick one and stick to it.

As we get closer to christmas -- you might want to look at https://www.lightitupleds-xmas.com.au -- as an Australian shipping option.

For the LRS 350 -- If you've got a mate who's a sparky and can come round and show you how to do it over a beer -- then that's probably the ideal scenario. It's not very complex. While I'm not positive about the laws in Aus (and it might vary by state) -- it's certainly seem as something that everyone can do themselves in overseas jurisdictions. But you need to make up your own mind on that.

 

[AAH]

Welcome to ACL.
As far as stuff goes to stay away from I'd stick to the better known pixel vendors and definitely stay away from ebay. Ray Wu, ScottLed, Etop are 3 of the biggies.
12V pixels from all of the vendors are the main fire risk. The Ray Wu ones were the standout and it appeared to be an epoxy and water ingress issue. The pixel.report site that went into what was going on appears to be down now. There was a video that was released about/investigating the failures.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so40tbhkpcc

Xconnect is a good option for pigtails. There is only 1 "standard" for how they get wired whereas with the 13.5mm Ray Wu ones there is at least 2 "standards".
I have waterproof enclosures, glands and lots of other stuff on my site.

 

[DarkwinX]

Welcome to ACL. Where about in Aus are you?
Don't forget to checkout the chat tab - there's often people lurking in there every day.

In Victoria - Thanks for that I'll have to drop in.

As we get closer to christmas -- you might want to look at https://www.lightitupleds-xmas.com.au -- as an Australian shipping option.

Oh thats a fantastic website - will take a look through that, seems to be everything except for the controllers themselves.

12V pixels from all of the vendors are the main fire risk.

Right ok - so then 5V is generally a safer option but would require added power every 50 or so lights?

 

[CargoLights]

First, Welcome! It's always nice to have more light displays.

Second, 12V xConnect is by far the most common choice for pixels. That means they're more likely to be carried by a vendor, but they're also in demand and sometimes sell out quickly. It's a good choice, especially if you have time constraints and need to find something that will ship quickly.

Next, most of us just wire our own power supplies, but if you're not comfortable with it, you might consider a ready to run controller. They are generally already wired and in an enclosure. That, or as someone else mentioned, if you have a friend with some knowledge, it's no more difficult than wiring a wall outlet.

Finally, I wouldn't worry too much about the pixel fires. Everything I've seen says there was a bad batch of resin, but nothing I've seen in the last year has had that issue. I believe the issue has been taken care of.

 

[thewanderingpine]

Second, 12V xConnect is by far the most common choice for pixels.

I’m not 100% sure how true that holds for Australia TBH. xConnect sure, but 12 vs 5 seems much more even here than the US.
And for DarkwinX - the 5V rule isn’t “every 50” - its “no more than 50 from a power source” - which is then basically every 100.

12V xConnect is a good place to start though.
@DarkwinX - what sort of tree are you lighting up? How many pixels do you think it needs? Got any photos/etc?

 

[DarkwinX]

And for DarkwinX - the 5V rule isn’t “every 50” - its “no more than 50 from a power source” - which is then basically every 100.

Oh right ok - I watched one of the suggested videos from the manual and he said you could probably get away with more but your colours might go off. Anyway not relevant now since I'll likely be going 12V.

@DarkwinX - what sort of tree are you lighting up? How many pixels do you think it needs? Got any photos/etc?

So last year I did a Bunnings "smart" light job with some that listened to audio via a Bluetooth speaker. I think it was a string of 50.. so I want to start with 100 and go to 200. It's only a small maple tree but in my plan it was going to be the feature tree of the yard. I have a bunch of existing lights that I'll phase out as I buy more - I don't have a huge upfront budget!

 

[Snicko]

I am doing my first display this year in SE Melb Also
I went the HE123Mk2 x 2, one for my megatree & one for the rest of the show. Cobble that with a couple differential transmitters and some smart receivers and you are on your way!

I went with 12V Etop Bullet pixels in the pre buy from Light Em Up Leds

 

[DarkwinX]

Xconnect is a good option for pigtails. There is only 1 "standard" for how they get wired whereas with the 13.5mm Ray Wu ones there is at least 2 "standards".
I have waterproof enclosures, glands and lots of other stuff on my site.

So I ended up with some Ray Wu pixels because X Connect smaller batches were out of stock at Light Up LEDs. It makes sense to go with one type and stick with it and xconnect seems like the simpler type to go with. I did get some xconnect tails and figured I'd probably just cut the wires and splice them onto the xconnect pigtails using some self solder waterproof wire connectors.

 

[DarkwinX]

Just thought I'd give this a shot myself with some Googling, will probably get a mate to check. Does that look correct with an AU plug/wiring?

 

[Skymaster]

Assuming that colours go to the correct pins on the plug ends, then yes, that is the standard colouring and you have them in the right connections on the PSU.
I would, however use insulated ferrules/spades/rings to terminate the wires, like the earth connection.

Failing that, the wire should be inserted on the left-side of the screw, and have a slight bend to go clockwise around the screw. That way when the screw is tightened, it pulls the wire in, rather than forcintg it out.
I would also ensure that the insulation is as close to the gripping plate as possible, without being under it. Your current brown active wire is great, the neutral has a bit too much copper hanging out.

 

[DarkwinX]

Thanks for that, great advice! I bought the plug like this from Jaycar so I'd hope it's right on the other end.

Will probably grab a few insulated rings for the other connectors.

The wires are currently sandwiched between two plates one of which is on the screw but I get what you're saying about bending the wire.

 

[TerryK]

@DarkwinX : Yep. Pretty much what @Skymaster said. The indents in the insulation concern me a bit. Those from stripping? Be careful not to crush/cut/mash through the insulation. Even though the wires are under a pressure plate, it still is better if the wires are inserted on the left side; more of a 'just-in-case' than anything. Ferrules work instead of terminals if that is your preference. Note though that ferrules are for stranded wire (anything smaller than approximately 4 AWG) not solid.

The bit of extra copper showing on the blue does not concern me too much. For the ground connection, I typically slide a bit of heat shrink over the crimp part of a terminal. One can use insulated terminals but I've never had much success with not severely damaging the insulation sleeve when crimping the terminal.

 

[DarkwinX]

The indents in the insulation concern me a bit. Those from stripping?

I see what you mean, I bought the plug like this so the kinks were already there. I can always cut and re-strip them.

Note though that ferrules are for stranded wire (anything smaller than approximately 4 AWG) not solid.

Make sense, I haven't ever used solid wire - almost ever. Is it common?

For the ground connection, I typically slide a bit of heat shrink over the crimp part of a terminal. One can use insulated terminals but I've never had much success with not severely damaging the insulation sleeve when crimping the terminal.

Good point so perhaps even getting some non insulated ones and then heat shrink over the top for all of the terminals. Can you just use a hairdryer to shrink? I know you can use a lighter but may risk damaging the heat shrink.

 

[TerryK]

I've always considered solid wire common. It would depend upon what one most often works with probably. Off the top of my head, solid is used mostly in thermostat, telephone, and ethernet wire. Also in the US in the Romex for wiring homes. Solid because it gets cantanerous to bend at larger AWG sizes isn't used. Even stranded much larger than #2 or #4 AWG becomes difficult to bend by hand. Not sure if it applies well but specialty applications (electro-plating) where the conductors are bars more so than wires.

Regarding heat shrink, I'm skeptical that a hairdryer would work (never tried using one with heat shrink); would not get hot enough I suspect. I have a small low priced heat gun obtained from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/ENGINDOT-Reflector-Electronics-Repairing-Watercolor/dp/B09JG7W6VQ/ref=sr_1_93?crid=213Z4JAMQB8KC&keywords=heat+gun&qid=1664981625&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI1LjY1IiwicXNhIjoiNS4yMiIsInFzcCI6IjUuMDUifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=heatgun%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-93

Works nicely with heat shrink and barely with the low temperature solder butt connectors I use on props. In hindsight I should have purchased one with a slightly higher output temperature.