MEGA TREE 2.O

C

calonestar

New elf
Joined
Oct 24, 2013
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24
My first year with programmable lights of any kind was last year. I did a mega tree with 17 strips and two P12s. Learned alot - like my original frame design looked more like volcano and was flimsy as hell. So, after Christmas last year I did a redesign. Here are some photos w/o lights (I'm putting them on this evening). Enjoy.
 

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The reason I am asking is because a p12 can handle a lot of pixels and you are only using 17 strips
 
Last year I used the P12s. I thought the tree would be 24 strips, but it ended up 17. I didn't like having to run the power separate from the board - too much wiring. So, only U17 had separate power and I stopped there. I used two P12s to avoid having to do that.


This tree has 16 strips (16U's) on 4 Sandevice 6804's. I'm using 5m 2812b 5v strips with 30 pixels per meter w/ power injection at the top.
 
You may get away with no ventilation depending on where in the US you are and how hard you're driving the power supplies but having 1400W of power supplies in a sealed enclosure scares me somewhat. If you were in this part of Aussie where you'll be turning on lights when the ambient temperature is 30C (86F) it's a given that you'd have to have ventilation with fan forced ventilation being preferable.
It's impossible to tell from the photo but the wire from the power supply to the pixel boards looks a bit small. It's fairly usual to work on 1mm2 per 10A.
 
Great workmanship Calonestar. Looks good. By the sound of the flimsy frame, I'm where you were last year. Might need to do some reinforcement based on what you're saying.
 
AAH said:
You may get away with no ventilation depending on where in the US you are and how hard you're driving the power supplies but having 1400W of power supplies in a sealed enclosure scares me somewhat. If you were in this part of Aussie where you'll be turning on lights when the ambient temperature is 30C (86F) it's a given that you'd have to have ventilation with fan forced ventilation being preferable.
It's impossible to tell from the photo but the wire from the power supply to the pixel boards looks a bit small. It's fairly usual to work on 1mm2 per 10A.
Click to expand...


Good Point. Temp here is around 50F at show start time and will drop to 35F/40F by end of show with rain on alot of the days. Last year's box had 2 PS in a way smaller box and went without incident. I'll be sure to check box temp today on the test run. I still have two CPU fans from last year that I thought I would have to use bu didn't. The board wire is 18 gauge. That's what I ran to the P12s last year and it worked. I had some pinking at the top of the tree, but I didn't inject power either. This tree has power injection at the top of the strips.


I'll post more info after the test run
 
Well, finally got this thing standing. Somehow I destoyed the four controllers in the process and had to replace them. Learned the hardway, but do not try to stand a 20' tree with the controller box attached. Mount the box after. I think I did some vibration damage, as the controller box is mounted to the "trunk" and I had to hammer the stand on to it.

Anyway, no heat problems or water/wind issues (been windy and rainin alot making things difficult). I'll post the final set up picks with the stand and guy wires for reference for anyone interested in a "how to".

Sorry for no update sooner, but I've been "in the dark".......literally.
 
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