Options for megatree lights

[darylc]

Hi Everyone,

I'm thinking about possibly replacing my strip tree with a one made of Boscoyo strip:


I'm wondering what the pros and cons of using each of these types are?

Style 1:


Style 2:


Secondly, what voltage would/do you use? I hate that the 12v versions use the same amps as the 5v versions, effectively using 2.4 times more power, but if I was going to keep the same resolution as my strip tree I'd need 150 pixels tall which would need a lot of injection with 5v. In fact maybe 12v would need the same about of injection?

Interested in your experiences with trees.

Daryl

 

[lizardking]

i use the boscoyo strips with bullet nodes and was very happy with the outcome all the nodes lined up neatly

 

[i13]

The 12V nodes need injection when they draw the same current as 5V. http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/topic,7420.0.html

Mathematically I'd expect they wouldn't need quite as much as 5V but I've never pushed the limits or compared them.

 

[Fing]

Hi Daryl,
I used the Boscoyo Black strips and they are great. handled the 40 oC days and the 45km/hr winds. As liz said they give a very neat evenly spaced solution. I don't think you can go wrong with these. The only issue I had was that they are sent via US postal and they took 4 weeks to get here.... James gave me a "special rate" for buying a box full, so worth sending him an email instead of just buying off his site.


I used 5v square pixels (style 1) and had no problems (except they don't like lightning) they were up for over a month including some heavy rain (NSW) and they have no signs of water ingress, mine are epoxy filled. The black wiring with the black strip looks good as well.


I had 50 pix spaced 100mm apart for each of the 36 strings. I had 6 groups of 6 strips connected in zig-zag and PI only at the bottom, each group controlled by one output of a pixlite 16. I used a meanwell 600w supply which happily handled the load of about 108 Amps give or take. having one supply meant I could used a smaller enclosure, mounted on the pole at ground level, and it also removed any issues with using multiple supplies and PI, ground loops etc.


My strips were 5m long, and i had to cable tie a strip horizontally behind the other strips, about half way up, to stop them twisting in the wind. This was fairly simple and worked very well.


The strips were fixed at the top and connected to the base with 8mm shock cord which kept them taught and gave them a bit of suspension for the windload and thermal expansion.


Cheers
Fing

 

[gerry]

Hi Daryl,

I used the black ones for a mega tree and they were great ! There was a group buy organised so that we saved on postage - from memory about 250 or so fitted in one box (but I could be wrong). AndrewA got the box I shared in Melbourne.

Am sure that there will be others willing to share a box load. I used 12V square pixels and only the odd one popped out despite the string winds that we had.

Took me a couple of times of trial and error to get the spacing and length aligned (as with the holes you can adjust the spacing between pixels) but that's only because members of my family had a different opinion of the spacing then I did .

 

[Boomer#6]

Hi Daryl
I'm also planning a pixel tree using the boscoyo black strips after seeing couple built this season. If you are interested in sharing a box, I'll make some enquiries and get back to you.

My preference is the square nodes because of the light that reflects into the back of the node. When displaying spins and spirals you can see the effect right round the tree.
These photos are of ACL miked's tree (5M strings 5v at 10cm spacing)


I don't know if weight is an issue for you, but the square nodes are 25% heavier.
FYI have used 12V square nodes on my roof line 109 in one length with no injection and no problem

 

[nzlongfellow]

Regards 5V v's 12V.
I use mostly 5V on 12V or 24V power supplies and use 0.5mm 4 core security cable Red 12V, White data, Blue and Black twisted together as -ve return.
I then install a 24/24V - 5V Buck converter at each string at the base and run 600 pixels per string. Pixlite 16 gives me 24 strands and my controller is about 6m away.
Having 12V means I can run my 12V dumb LEDs through a 27 Channel controller, my 12V pixels and my 5V pixels all from the same power supply and same controller.
12V and 24V gives may less voltage drop in the wiring and Buck converters are cheap easy way to use all the controller outputs at for differing voltages.

 

[nzlongfellow]

If we can get a bulk buy of strips I would like enough for 48 x 5m. I may be over from NZ again for a mini this year if they were in by then.
I will also see about direct to NZ. Anyone in NZ interested????

 

[bluzervic]

I used 1/4 inch irrigation hose with pixel clips. This allowed for viewing from all angles.


See my video at about the 5 minute mark.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyOAl1MWIMo


Here is the link to the pixel clips and other display supplies


http://www.seasonalentertainmentllc.com/store/en/60-pixel-node-installation-supplies


-Blu

 

[code]

Great video bluz, you may know already that I also have a pixlite running my tree, do you inject more power to the led pixels on your tree or does the one output on the pixlite have enough power to run all 90 in the strip,

 

[BundyRoy]

Blu,

Thanks for the video. Very helpful. How well do the clips hold their position after put up/put down. On the website it says the price is $7.50 but it doesn't say how many for that price (well maybe it does and I only had a daddy look).

 

[Benslights]

daryl do we have enough interest to do a group buy on the Bosco steap as i would love some for my new place