Anxiety Getting the Best of Me

[Rainlover]

Paul,
A lot of people use spt cord for their extension cords. A lot of people use premade extension cords for the output on their LEs. Cut off the male end and use the female end. I bought a few hundred 6' cords at Lowes last year for 78 cents each. I cut them in half and splice in spt to make whatever length I need. That way I have custom length cords with nice ends.
There may be easier and faster ways to do this, but it works for me.

John

[NavyGator]

I found 6ft cords at walmart for 97cents. if it helps.

Actually it did. A little checking on prices from the home improvement stores and some overpriced public school math showed Wally World to be the cheaper supplier.

As a newbie... why would you not use SPT-1 for your extension cords? I am asking because that was my plan...

At $0.97 and being 16/2 wire they can handle significantly more current (13 amps) than each channel can output (4 amps) plus they have a molded 3 female plug. Using zip wire, SPT-1 or SPT-2, and vampire plugs would probably cost less to make all 16 of the output cords but a molded plug seems more durable to me. Someone else can probably verify that though since I have not worked with the vampire connectors yet.

Rich

[tmtfield]

Rich,

I think it really comes down to each eliment in your display and what you want to do with it. I used all of the cheap extension cords from Lowes this year. They worked great, except it turned into a tangled mess for my 8 channel arches. I am now building custom wire harness for my arches using 16 pin molex connectors.  Now each arch will have only one plug that connects to the LE. I am going to use zip plugs for the female side of the harnesses and SPT-2 wire. I am also going to reuse my cheap extension cords and wire them into spare 16 pin molex connectors. This way I can use my LE's with molex connectors in any application.

Once I build a part in the display, I would like to minimize the amount of time it takes to set it up in the yard.  Once my arches are complete, I am going to start building north pole kits that will contain an internally mounted SSR. My goal would be to use a single through panel 10 pin connector on each pole for power wires and DMX.

Tim

[NavyGator]

I got an enclosure for the LE and power cords. Got parts from Mouser for the dongles. Now that all the coops I have been in have closed it is time to....wait.
 

[lineman]

Heres some pic's of what I do,

[wwwgator]

there goes the other plan for this week end.............NICE WORK!

[NavyGator]

Heres some pic's of what I do,

Looks awesome. What are you using for the channel output wires?

Rich

[lineman]

Heres some pic's of what I do,

Looks awesome. What are you using for the channel output wires?

Rich

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login Hope this helps

[Muskogee Gene]

Like was said before, there are display elements to construct, cords to buy and build, display planning to do and songs to choose.  If you have your display planned, you can actually begin the programming.  Don't wait.  It's already February and just 36 weeks or so till showtime.  Remember that Summer has a way of distracting from the important - things like lawn mowing, sports, gardening, vacations, family time, etc.   

[NavyGator]

Like was said before, there are display elements to construct, cords to buy and build, display planning to do and songs to choose.  If you have your display planned, you can actually begin the programming.  Don't wait.  It's already February and just 36 weeks or so till showtime.  Remember that Summer has a way of distracting from the important - things like lawn mowing, sports, gardening, vacations, family time, etc.   

I am making progress on the display elements (mid trees) that I will be controlling, in fact I am basically done with them. The problem is I only have enough lights to make two but I wanted four. I was not able to get enough lights to make four and at this point I am thinking that most people on the forums would like to help with my supply issue, just not if it leaves them unable to build their next element. I am hopeful that as the year progresses that I will be able to find more lights.

Here are a couple of pictures of the mid trees I will be using. They are a basic octagonal PVC frame painted with Krylon hunter green. The only thing I see that I did different than others is that I adjusted the lengths of the PVC to give a tighter top to the tree. I have 10 RGBW super strings ready to wrap. Each string has 60 LED's, so that is 1200 lights on each tree.

[lineman]

NavyGator do you have any how to or spec,s you care to share like length of pvc looks like 3 ft . i am about to start mine and looking for ideas

[NavyGator]

NavyGator do you have any how to or spec,s you care to share like length of pvc looks like 3 ft . i am about to start mine and looking for ideas

I was considering a how to and started it but have not finished. I will try to in the next week or so.
These are about five feet tall and made from five lengths of 1/2 inch schedule 40 PVC, one can of Krylon hunter green plastic paint and a  couple of cable ties.

The base is constructed using 8 T-fittings, 8-45deg couplers and 16-6 inch long pieces of 1/2 inch PVC (About two foot of waste PVC for the scrap bin).

The longer legs are 62in and the shorter legs are 58in long. One cut in a 10 foot long piece of pipe gives a short leg and a long leg. No waste.

From the top of the legs a 1/4 inch diameter hole is drilled at 1/2 inch in all eight legs and 4-1/2 inch on the long legs.

Everything is just a friction fit.

Run a couple of cable ties through the holes to hold the top together.

I am considering filling the top of the legs with spray foam to keep water, lizards, etc out.

I hope this helps.

Rich

[NavyGator]

My Christmas light anxiety issues are starting to get worked out. Thanks to RJ and his dad everyone in the dongle PCB coop should be getting their boards soon. 

It looks like it is about time to start doing some soldering. Maybe if the timing works out I might be getting finished with building the dongles at about the time when the LE coop finishes.

[SteveMaris]

At least you are in a current coop. I just recently found this place and have nothing ordered.
Great site I might add.

[wwwgator]

got my dongle pcb's today........ahhh, the smell of burning fingers and solder.......

Thanks to all the Coop Managers and especially to RJ and his dad who share all their blinky blinky knowledge to feed our addiction.

Just so you know, I'm blaming you guys for for the long nights at the bench!!! or so I tell the Mrs. !!!