Mega Tree Plans

[tterbo_1988]

Hi all,

I’m working on the wiring approach for a new mega tree build and would appreciate some advice from those who’ve done similar setups.
I have used Johnyboys guide as the base of this plan

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Hardware / Build details​

• Controller: Baldrick 17
• Power: 3 × Mean Well LRS-350-12
• Controller box: Custom build, allows flexibility to either power balance or inject
• Tree:
  • 32 strands (possibly 30)
  • 150 nodes per strand (12 V bullet pixels)
  • ~4 m tall
  • Portable Hole base with plenty of tie-down points and guy wires
• Topper: Star with ~250 nodes

Planned port usage​

• 300 pixels per port (2 strands per port)
• Either power injection or power balancing per port
• Brightness will be limited in software (not running full white at 100%)

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Questions​

300 pixels per port
Is it better to:

• Run 300 pixels per port with power injection in the middle (after 150), or
• Power balance at the end of the 300 pixels and avoid a mid-run injection?

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if power balancing – wiring method
If power balancing, is this approach sound:

• Controller output goes to a tee at the bottom
• Strand 1: bottom → top
• From the top of strand 1 into the top of strand 2, run down to the bottom
• Bottom of strand 2 back into the tee
• Repeat this zig-zag pattern for the pair

(Effectively sharing voltage drop across both strands rather than injecting mid-way.)

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Alternate-node method
Alternatively, would it be better to:

• Use alternate nodes, so each strand starts and finishes at the bottom
• Inject power between strand 1 and strand 2 at ground level
• Keep all power connections low and accessible

---

What I’m trying to optimise

• Clean wiring
• Easy fault finding
• Minimal voltage drop
• Reasonable setup/pack-down time
• Long-term reliability rather than absolute minimum cable

I can build the controller box to suit either method, so I’m mainly looking for what works best in the real world on a tree this size.
I am leaning towards alternate nodes method

 

[uncledan]

If that's what you want to optimize, then I would recommend F16 with expansion board. I run an F16 with two expansions on my 48x110 tree with 12v nodes with no power injection. Can run at 100% intensity white, I don't. Doesn't get much simpler, plug and play and every year. Not that it happens much but if a bad pixel, unplug the port and only lose one string.

 

[dannyp]

If that's what you want to optimize, then I would recommend F16 with expansion board. I run an F16 with two expansions on my 48x110 tree with 12v nodes with no power injection. Can run at 100% intensity white, I don't. Doesn't get much simpler, plug and play and every year. Not that it happens much but if a bad pixel, unplug the port and only lose one string.

That’s a really big power supply. does it need something that big?

 

[uncledan]

That’s a really big power supply. does it need something that big?

To power my tree at 100% intensity white, yes. Even then it's a little undersized. I try to build things for 100% intensity white. 32x150 as you have planned I would use more than three 350w power supplies. You can try 4 power supplies, one for each bank of four outputs of Baldrick17 and power at the end of each string with same psu. Should work if 18AWG wire on pixel strings and limited to 20-30%. F16 with two expansions makes it very simple for me. That or just power inject the whole tree, that's how most of my display is built

 

[tterbo_1988]

To power my tree at 100% intensity white, yes. Even then it's a little undersized. I try to build things for 100% intensity white. 32x150 as you have planned I would use more than three 350w power supplies. You can try 4 power supplies, one for each bank of four outputs of Baldrick17 and power at the end of each string with same psu. Should work if 18AWG wire on pixel strings and limited to 20-30%. F16 with two expansions makes it very simple for me. That or just power inject the whole tree, that's how most of my display is built

That now makes sense as why there is one port per string. I would only run mine at 30% max which would leave plenty of head room with the three PSU and 300 per port. I could use less ports if I needed extra ports.

 

[uncledan]

I don't have a Baldrick17 but it appears to have a 30a rating for each bank of 4 ports with each rated at 7.5a. Bare minimum I would use one power supply for each bank of 4 ports. Ports 1-4, 5-8 etc each have one psu Personally, I wouldn't build my tree that way but should work

 

[fugley]

this is pretty much my Megatree to a tee ... F16 v5 / 2x mean well / 5v pixels (NO power injection) but is power balanced
was wired with "Alternate Nodes" to bring all joints back to the bottom for ease
was done as 30 strings so i could leave the last port for the topper of another 300 pixels

 

[tterbo_1988]

this is pretty much my Megatree to a tee ... F16 v5 / 2x mean well / 5v pixels (NO power injection) but is power balanced
was wired with "Alternate Nodes" to bring all joints back to the bottom for ease
was done as 30 strings so i could leave the last port for the topper of another 300 pixels

View attachment 30479

I am leaning this way I think

 

[fugley]

I am leaning this way I think

my thought at the time it was clean & simple, plug it in and walk away
every strip is made in the same manner so it doesn't matter which order you use the strips unlike my last tree which didn't use alternate nodes

 

[silver_ice]

I run 2 mega trees, 30 x 150 @ 1in in 6 strings of 5. I just tap power at the bottom (so i split from the input, balance between 2&3 and 4&5) for each strand, 12v bullets, can push about 50% brightness full white on a 7.5A fuse, in practice I run at 30% across 2 400w and its fine. Unlike the above, yes you have to remember which end to put up the top, but works for me, runs on either 6 ports of a baldrick8, or 6 ports across 2 he123rx's in my setup