possible to be too diy?

[chrisatpsu]

an LED in my dumb strings....

[MrChristmas2000]

Youre really smokin there. . . 

[rrowan]

Cool

Only 999 to go

Rick R.

[chrisatpsu]

860 total. 

[meman]

Yes, thats very similar to turning your own toothpicks on a lathe. Theres a bit of joy in the accomplishment, but life only offers so many breaths...ya gotta use them wisely. I'd gather up every crappy soldering iron I could find and hold a soldering lesson/contest for the neighborhood kids. First one to fill up a 32oz cup of finished leds gets a gift card. And they get to say they helped that crazy dude with the Christmas lights next season.

[chrisatpsu]

I'd get the dumb strings from Ray, but these are 5mm rgb leds.    I wanted to get a look similar to how mini lights look on mini trees and wireframe deer.  That's why i'm building my own design.     i have 5mm, 8mm, and 10mm rgb leds, and i'm using them in place of where i'd put minis, c7, and c9's in my display. I knew that this year would be my heaviest labor year so far, as I'm trying to convert almost everything to rgb led. next year i'll still have stuff to do, but not as much as this year.

[TexasStingray]

Instead of soldering the resistors directly make a box and put 1000 resisters in there then run the line to each of the 3 legs. Oh and add a chip and some power. Wait that sound familiar.

[chrisatpsu]

i'd have to see the rat's nest that would turn out to be      I'm gonna do each string in parallel similar to how the smart string are (without the pcb)  and then encase in silicone caulking (without covering the tip)  i'm using 50cts in my mini trees for now, and the wireframe deer are going to be either 35 cnt, or 50cnt, depending on their size.    after i see how they look, if i need more, i can just get more leds ( i'll still have plenty resistors) and add on to the end of the string.

I'm planning on them to be run by RJ's dumb string controller, or a smart string controller if i have many that i can daisy chain.

[chrisatpsu]

i was thinking of running them all in parallel and then running a resistor to limit the current to the lines...   50 leds, 3 resistors, but i'd need too high of a wattage resistor to control it.

[n1ist]

Running them in parallel with one resistor won't work.  The current won't divide evenly since the forward drop varies from LED to LED.

Would it be easier to make a small PCB for the 3 resistors, LED, and pads for input and output?  If you go with SMD resistors, the boards would be real small.
/mike

[chrisatpsu]

but then, i've increased the cost of my strings by a lot  (i can't get a large quanity of small boards inexpensively)  i might as well get the smart strings without leds, and solder on the smaller leds...

[ebrady]

but then, i've increased the cost of my strings by a lot  (i can't get a large quanity of small boards inexpensively)  i might as well get the smart strings without leds, and solder on the smaller leds...

christapsu,

Not really aiming this at you, but more of a general comment.  When faced with a make or buy decision, I usually like to add a hypothetical dollar amount to the overall costs, dependent upon what I believe my time is worth at the moment.

This system has worked pretty well and I can't say that I have regretted any of the directions I decided to take for the last few projects.

[combustionmark]

I have also decided to change some of my displays to RGB LED. I made a small spot welder to "weld" the resistors to the led, no solder. Makes good strong connection, just have to find time to work on it more. There is a tendency to blow off the connection.

Have Fun

[chrisatpsu]

what are you using to waterproof?

[tbone321]

i'd have to see the rat's nest that would turn out to be      I'm gonna do each string in parallel similar to how the smart string are (without the pcb)  and then encase in silicone caulking (without covering the tip)  i'm using 50cts in my mini trees for now, and the wireframe deer are going to be either 35 cnt, or 50cnt, depending on their size.    after i see how they look, if i need more, i can just get more leds ( i'll still have plenty resistors) and add on to the end of the string.

I'm planning on them to be run by RJ's dumb string controller, or a smart string controller if i have many that i can daisy chain.

I can tell you now that unless you have some really small wire frames, 50 cnt isn't evengoing to come close.  Remember, with wire frames you are trying to outline the figure, not just light it up and that requires some failrly close spacing.  Big bulbs are not really an advantage there but give it a shot and see wat you get.  Don't forget to post the results.