Mega Tree Power or Help

Baron

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
62
Hello... I could use your help.

I am trying to build out a mega tree for 2021. I am unsure about how to power this thing or how the wiring works. I am a visual person so I took my best shot at what I feel it should be. Here are my tree details:
  • 16' with a 36" star (total of 19' tall)
  • 360 degree
  • 48 strands of 12 volts for tree
  • 270 12 volt pixels for the star topper
  • falcon f16v3 and 2 expansion boards
  • connecting all 48 strands to the controller and expansion boards (the last strand of lights will power the star)
  • running at 30% power
  • I am going to place the controller, expansion boards, and power supply(s) in ammo boxes.
Now that I have the dirty work out of the way... here is where you come into play.
  1. Question 1 Power: I am wondering if I can do 1 large power supply Mean Well RSP-3000-12 or 5xMean Well LRS-350-12. I can directly connect the 3000 to my breaker for power. But if you suggest the smaller ones, great.
  2. Question 2: On my diagram below, if I go with the LRS power supplies, do I connect each power supply to AC via a plug or do I connect them together somehow? If so, how???? Do you have a layout or diagram of how I do it? I am so confused.
Thank you so much for your help.
  1. Mega Tree Wiring Diagram.jpg
 

Old Salt

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 8, 2020
Messages
80
You need to apply a data output from the falcon to at least six groups of eight strings. Someone using the falcon should chime in shortly.
The star should have a separate data and power feed.

Twelve volt pixels require about 1/2w each at full brightness. That's 2.4Kw for 48 strands of 100 pixels. The RSP-3000 would handle it, but I think you'll need more of the LRS-350s. Each is good for about 6-7 strands.

Most displays do not need a 360° tree. A half circle of 25 strings, starting with one at 0° and ending with one at 180° is often enough. You can add more, but are they needed?

I'm not sure where you live, but in North America a 3Kw power supply cannot be connected to normal 110V receptacles. You'd need a 30Amp breaker, and the maximum is 20Amp (with special wiring). Also, you will need to consider the wire size and length of the extension cords you will use.

A possible work around is to have special circuits installed for things like an RV, and use those to power your high power, power supplies.
 
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Baron

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 15, 2020
Messages
62
Thank you so much for your reply. The data will for sure all be going back to the controller. Thanks for your comment.

As far a power. I see your point about the 360 degree viewing. I was going off of what others have told me about my viewing location. It has a larger viewing like 270 degree or more. But great idea.

How do people connect multiple power supplies? Do people connect them together off of the first power supply or do each power supply get connected to a 12v plug?
Thx for your help.
 

Old Salt

Apprentice elf
Joined
Dec 8, 2020
Messages
80
You can connect the ground of the power supplies together, but NOT the +ve leads. Always use the same power supply for the main feed to a string, and any power injection you do for that string.
 

uncledan

Senior elf
Generous elf
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
545
Location
Buellton California
I will give my recommendation based upon my tree which is 48x110 270 degree. If using F16v3 and (2) expansions you will have each bank of the controllers powered from either the RSP3000-12 or an individual LRS350-12. The F16v3 and expansion will each have a V1 and V2 power connection. Each one powers 8 ports/outputs of the controller. V1 and V2 are rated for 30 amps each. The only connection from the output of the psu is to V1 and V2 on each board. So either one RSP3000-12 or (6) of the LRS350-12 (one for each bank of the controller) You won't have to power inject so the only connection from the power supplies are to the V1 and V2 on the F16v3 and expansions. You will have 48 outputs on the controller. You will have to get from the controllers to each individual string on the tree. Mega2020.jpeg
 
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BAZMick

Full time elf
Generous elf
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
484
G'day Baron, for my tree I connected all the power supplies output to a fuse block like Hanson's Power8, Falcon's F8 Distro or AVD's PC1044.
With your tree I'd connect 4x strands to one output on the F16v3 meaning you'd only use 12x outputs plus 1x output for the star leaving 3x outputs spare. I safely ran 160x pixels at 30% on one output without power injection so for yours inject power every 2nd strand. In future if you wanted to free up more ports you could connect 8-10 strands to 6-5x outputs without issue but again power inject every 2nd strand.
Cheers Bazzy
 

uncledan

Senior elf
Generous elf
Joined
Dec 27, 2014
Messages
545
Location
Buellton California
I think the logic here is keep it simple and avoid power injection @BAZMick . F16v3 and two expansions is 48 outputs with 100 pixels each and the star topper on the 48th. I used to load up my outputs with pixels but I found this concept of F16v3 and two expansions very clean and simple for my tree. The only thing that will need to be power injected would be the star topper. Its also much less noticeable if you lose one string as opposed to 4 or 8. I used to run 880 pixels per port with 6 outputs on my tree. Losing 8 strings because a pixel on the first string dies is a bit frustrating
 

BAZMick

Full time elf
Generous elf
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
484
Sorry @uncledan I didn't see your first post at the time of writing. I agree the KISS principle is best and I avoided power injection like the plague my first year.
This year I had no choice as I bought someone else's surplus 5v pixels for my tree, I had an expansion board but it wouldn't fit in the junction box so I ran 2x strands on each port and as you mentioned about failing pixels I had one half way up a stand and lost 2x strands in the middle of the tree start going crazy during a show one night. Doesn't look good.
 

TerryK

Retired Elf
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
655
Location
West Central Ohio
...
  1. Question 1 Power: I am wondering if I can do 1 large power supply Mean Well RSP-3000-12 or 5xMean Well LRS-350-12. I can directly connect the 3000 to my breaker for power. But if you suggest the smaller ones, great.
  2. Question 2: On my diagram below, if I go with the LRS power supplies, do I connect each power supply to AC via a plug or do I connect them together somehow? If so, how???? Do you have a layout or diagram of how I do it? I am so confused.
...

Question #1: I think the RSP-3000 is somewhat an 'overkill'. It's rated for about 200 Amp; unless you plan on powering other props with it in the future. For the tree, you did not indicate what pixel you plan on using but a ball park amperage draw can be calculated as [# of strings] * [# of pixels per string] + [# of topper pixel] * [100% white pixel amp] * [planned drive level]. That would be ((48 * 100) +270) * .06 * .3 = 91/92 Amp. A LRS-350-12 supplies about 29 Amp so 3 would be borderline, 4 should drive the tree. What you will need to consider is if a 30% drive level is acceptable. Designing for say 40% or 50% and driving at 30% will build in some headroom.
From here you will need to determine how many strings each supply powers and how to route their power through the controller. A F16 and 2 expansions have 3 V1 and 3 V2 power connectors (6 total) spread across 4 supplies is not very logical. A possibility is to use 6 LRS-350-12 supplies or rather than a RSP-3000 drop to a single RSP-1600-12 (about 120 Amp output). A single supply is less hassle I think. There is a cost factor too but the RSP supplies are of a better quality than the LRS series.

Question #2: Bit difficult to say, your choice I think. Connecting them together there is more of a risk of breakers tripping; inrush current when they are first powered. Meanwell is a bit vague on the LRS-350-xx series primary current specification. With either a larger single supply or the number of smaller ones you are considering I would probably power it with 240AC although I would not be enthused about 240 strung across the yard (not real crazy about 120 either).

As to layout or diagram or confusion, keep asking questions, ACL members will keep supplying suggestions.
 

tooms

12v4life
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
208
Location
Kalgoorlie
I used a Kulp 32 port controller on my 32 string mega tree this year, very simple and easy to troubleshoot. I think controllers are getting to the price point now where it's easier to just have multiple controllers everywhere, less power injection and complexity with power and wiring.
 

bpratt

Senior elf
Joined
Mar 31, 2019
Messages
562
Location
Jimboomba, Queensland
YMMV, but I use a HP 1200w psu for my 24 strand, 100 pixel, 180 degree megatree.

Being that you are in the USA, you might find a few HP 750w psu's might work for you.

My tree is running on 6 ports of my f16v3, which means 400 pixels per port. I do PI between 200 and 201 pixels, and run at 30%.
 

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
Joined
Oct 16, 2016
Messages
639
Location
Christchurch, New Zealand
I run mine from 2 HP 2450W PSU's 64 strand 73 pixel 360 degree tree, only at 20% brightness measured each supply output at about 40A total so 80A for the whole tree at full white. 5 groups of 12 and 1 group of 4 from a Pixlite MkII controller. Other items were also connected to this controller, seemed to run smooth without issue.
Power is injected at every second string
PSU's are way overkill for the entire thing, one could run the tree just fine, however I did get them at $22 each so I had no plans of turning that offer down.
 
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