My 2013 tree plans

[ԆцряєсϮ]

I used technicoulor lights this year and have had all sorts of problems (well documneted elsewhere). How did you find your pixels? Any problems with failures or getting the correct speed?

Out of the 1344 I replaced about 20 with failures, 9 on the test bench pre show and the rest during the show.
These are 2811's so from what I've read these are designed to run at 3200 which is what I used and had no issues.

 

[Gilrock]

Sorry these pixels HERE are the ones I ended up using, theyre 12V instead of 5 with black wire.
The difference with these as opposed to the original ones I got for testing was the wire colour, the test ones had the multi colour wire .
And the little lugs that clipped the module into the hole were lower down on the black ones.
Which meant the test ones had a clip in depth of 5mm but the black ones only 2mm, this is where I had to silicone them in place

What!!!! I spent $700 on the first link you told us to buy...now you switched it? They better work out for me or you are so not getting a christmas card...LOL.

 

[ԆцряєсϮ]

Sorry that was way back in my first post, which was well before I'd even considered the final building method. I hadn't even decided on 5 or 12 volts then either so I'm pleading innocent

 

[Gilrock]

Well if I'm reading your comments right the 5V pixels were snapping in better which will make me happy. I thought 5V was the way to go when you want individual pixel control. I know they make the 12V versions like you ended up with but I thought those always dump too much extra power to do the job.

 

[ԆцряєсϮ]

The test strings I got were 12V versions of those ones, theres a whole other thread on the 5V 12V debate so I wont go to far into it here. For me 12V suits as the majority of my show is 12V, 12V is far more tolerant on voltage drop, as far as extra power is concerned its negligible on shows like ours.
The whole issue with the pixels not clipping in will be dependant on the length of the shroud around the actual LED and the position of the lugs on the shroud.
With the test strings it was 5mm which clicked in nicely, on the show strings it was 2mm which went in but didnt click in.
I'm 2/3 through my write up now and Ive added some pics and diagrams that show it better.

 

[Gilrock]

Well if there's any situation well suited for 5V it's a pixel tree since you can use a dedicated controller and all the power injection can be done at the bottom with short runs. I use 12V in the rest of my yard also but the voltage I use in one controller really has nothing to do with the voltage in another unless you're worried about having an extra spare for each type.

 

[mborg10]

I finally got around to drilling 48 9mm holes in my tree topper for for mega tree. My straps have 42 pixels but have 44 eyelets. A spare hole at the top and bottom. The spare holes has the strapping doubles over for more strength.

The spare eyelets are then bolted with an m8x20 bolt but & washer to the tree topper frame.

The plan is now to attach it to the top of my pile and stand it straight up, but after using the wife for some assistance I have sacked her and will need 2 mates with some poles to help lift the tree.

The strapping may look tangled but I have tapped 4 straps together and also labelled the bottom with its number. Everything is working so for. Except I over estimated the weight and my wives muscles.

 

[damona]

Is that 48 strings down? Be careful its not a sail. I had a lot of wind issues with my first mega tree. I am in a windy location

 

[mborg10]

Last year the straps were conduit and I have guy wires too

 

[nzlongfellow]

A lot of work Michael, well done. I looked at the strapping idea but could not face doing all those eyelets for what I had in mind.
Looking forward to the final result.

 

[mborg10]

A lot of work Michael, well done. I looked at the strapping idea but could not face doing all those eyelets for what I had in mind.
Looking forward to the final result.

To punch the holes in each strap took 15 mins another 30mins to put the eyelets in. So 45mins per strap x 48 = 36 hours of fun.