Miniature WS2811 Pixel Strings

Mark_M

Annoying Elf
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Dec 30, 2018
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Christmas Light world
I have a behind the scenes video I will upload overnight. I use the dumb single colour version of these 'seed lights' for my mega tree and have had no problems.
 

Mark_M

Annoying Elf
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Dec 30, 2018
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Christmas Light world
Nice video @Notenoughlights .

And for heavens sake, some bloody spammers are following our videos and commenting 'Do you want to be YouTube friends?'.
I got some on my videos. PPD, Keith and other people's videos have had the same.


Anyway; back to blinky. I'm hoping to buy some :).
These would be a cool way to re-purpose cheap meteor light tubes into pixel-(lised) ones. I have 42 cheap meteor light tubes that have had water damage in them.
Technically I could use strip, but this seems better for waterproofing.
 

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
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Oct 16, 2016
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Christchurch, New Zealand
Nice video @Notenoughlights .

And for heavens sake, some bloody spammers are following our videos and commenting 'Do you want to be YouTube friends?'.
I got some on my videos. PPD, Keith and other people's videos have had the same.


Anyway; back to blinky. I'm hoping to buy some :).
These would be a cool way to re-purpose cheap meteor light tubes into pixel-(lised) ones. I have 42 cheap meteor light tubes that have had water damage in them.
Technically I could use strip, but this seems better for waterproofing.
I like the meteor tube idea.
I had a thought that they would look nice scattered inside my mega tree in a spiderweb mess type layout, so they don't "line up" but more have a dot of light at really random spaces internally. They wouldn't be used for anything other than colour effects.
 

Mark_M

Annoying Elf
Joined
Dec 30, 2018
Messages
914
Location
Christmas Light world
I like the meteor tube idea.
I had a thought that they would look nice scattered inside my mega tree in a spiderweb mess type layout, so they don't "line up" but more have a dot of light at really random spaces internally. They wouldn't be used for anything other than colour effects.
I should inquire if BTF-Lighting can custom make strings.
If I did meteor tubes I would want about 20 nodes in the 50cm tube. About 2.5cm spacing.

Soldering onto the thing wires isn't too bad. It takes time, I'm able to with my dumb single colour version. I usually rub some sandpaper* to take off the lacquer then solder.

*Sandpaper doesn't always contain sand. 'Abrasive paper' is the term I keep getting told.
 

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
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Christchurch, New Zealand
I should inquire if BTF-Lighting can custom make strings.
If I did meteor tubes I would want about 20 nodes in the 50cm tube. About 2.5cm spacing.

Soldering onto the thing wires isn't too bad. It takes time, I'm able to with my dumb single colour version. I usually rub some sandpaper* to take off the lacquer then solder.

*Sandpaper doesn't always contain sand. 'Abrasive paper' is the term I keep getting told.
Surely a custom PCB and ws2812b leds on that would be easier or are you going for the 360º view?
 

Mark_M

Annoying Elf
Joined
Dec 30, 2018
Messages
914
Location
Christmas Light world
that would be easier
That (video below) Mega tree is made from 24 strands of seed lights. I spent all my time soldering connectors onto each string. It's part of the fun!
Surely a custom PCB and ws2812b leds on that would be easier or are you going for the 360º view?
I have a lot of these tubes lol.
The tubes are about 1.5cm diameter, the module option would not fit. I think strip might also be a struggle.
I mean, these are soo cheap; the plastic has yellowed soo much in 2 seasons. I really can't justify spending loads when I could buy entirely new.
Otherwise I'd just make hanging 'Peace stakes' from bullets in mounting strip.
(Tree in front of garage).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eol6LzKywCk

Wow the difference to 2019 with bright pixels!


I'd go for the seed light variant. Far better waterproofing. The whole led node is dipped in resin.


I just messaged BTF-Lighting on Aliexpress and got this instant automated response:
Due to the recently announced extension of Chinese New Year holiday and related regulations about the Novel coronavirus pneumonia , please refer to the official announcement of WHO and other authorities(https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1223532656778010624?s=19). All orders placed on AliExpress are experiencing processing and shipping delays. The Chinese government advises us not to go out for now,so we can't go to office these days,detail time is still waiting for notification.We are We are fighting with the Pneumonia virus,so I hope you can understand.We will inform you right after the end of the long holidays. Sorry for this! And thank you for your order!Love and peace.

I shall see what their response is when they're able to respond. Would be interesting to see if they could also do WS2811.
 

Notenoughlights

400,000+ twinkly lights
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Oct 16, 2016
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639
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Christchurch, New Zealand
I had some of the seed lights with the fast flashing/slow flashing rgb leds on them, they've been out under my carport for over a year and have severely degraded even though they were "waterproof" I don't think any of them work anymore. It wasn't the leds that broke, but more the wire that corroded. I'd be wary of using these types of lights outside where they could retain dampness or moisture, especially given that they're DC powered.

I did manage to get some large 500mm waterfall/meteor tubes. They have double sided PCB's inside with super bright SMD leds on each side done in sections of 6 from memory. 3 leds per section.
 
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