DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx Smart String => Topic started by: Mickpat on June 17, 2012,

Title: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Mickpat on June 17, 2012,
Attached are the Introduction to Smart Strings slides I presented at the Academy.   It was fun to meet everyone who attended.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Rainlover on June 17, 2012,
Thanks for sharing Mick.
Great information.

John
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: winwin on June 17, 2012,
Great info to demystify the smart strings mystery. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: rwave on June 17, 2012,
Mick,

THANKS for your efforts!  I now understand more about Smart Strings; and a nice reference guide.

Richard (from SoCal)   :)
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: rrowan on June 17, 2012,
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Attached are the Introduction to Smart Strings slides I presented at the Academy.   It was fun to meet everyone who attended.

Hi Mick

Nice job and thanks for doing a presentation.

Would you mind if I add your pdf to the wiki?

Rick R.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: jnealand on June 17, 2012,
Thanks for sharing.  Nice to meet you at the Academy.  I did not make this presentation, but I like the info provided.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: ocanada1 on June 21, 2012,
Thanks for doing this presentation at the Academy.  For a newbie, you provided the info that I needed to put it all together.  I made sure that I attended your session, and I'm glad I did.

Anne
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Mickpat on June 23, 2012,
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Attached are the Introduction to Smart Strings slides I presented at the Academy.   It was fun to meet everyone who attended.

Hi Mick

Nice job and thanks for doing a presentation.

Would you mind if I add your pdf to the wiki?

Rick R.

Please feel free to add to the Wiki.   Thanks for all of the feedback on the presentation!
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: mkozik1 on June 23, 2012,
Nice job Mick.  Obvious a great deal of work put into this and it is much appreciated!
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Gary on June 27, 2012,
I saw on page 20 there is a tube of NOALOX. What is it used for? Looking it up on Google, it's only for connections where at least one side is aluminum. Aren't all RJ45 connectors gold-plated copper? Well, some cheapy RJ45 couplers I have are just copper... I'd like to prevent them from corroding so that's why I'm asking here.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Mickpat on June 27, 2012,
I used the NOALOX between the pigtail and the cat5 connector.  I am not sure if one side was copper/aluminum but had issues with black residue accumulating inside the pigtail and on the Cat5 connector.  My thought was NOALOX would prevent this from happening and help protect from moisture.

See http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=7135.0

Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Gary on June 28, 2012,
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I used the NOALOX between the pigtail and the cat5 connector.  I am not sure if one side was copper/aluminum but had issues with black residue accumulating inside the pigtail and on the Cat5 connector.  My thought was NOALOX would prevent this from happening and help protect from moisture.

See http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=7135.0

That was your thought... while taking your display down and looking at your connectors, did you observe that it actually helped? I assume yes?

By the way, what is the texture of the stuff?
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Mickpat on June 28, 2012,
The stuff is a grey jelly.  All of the pigtails on the grass failed because of moisture and I removed them from the show. I let them dry out and they worked okay.  I used 10 other SSC with NOALOX on the roof and had no issues.  I would say NOALOX doesn't hurt and prevents oxidation.   This year, I am going to ensure the pigtails stay dry.

Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: chrisatpsu on June 29, 2012,
So it sorta works anyway by keeping water/ moisture away from the contacts regardless of the metal used in the contacts?
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Gary on June 29, 2012,
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This year, I am going to ensure the pigtails stay dry.

What do you have planned (or others on the board reading this) to do to keep pigtails dry? I'm not using smart strings, but I do have some RJ45 couplers for the alarm loop to keep my equipment from "walking away". I used a electrical tape wrap to tape them up, but after unwrapping them at the end of the season, most of them were moist inside.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: tbone321 on June 29, 2012,
You have to be carefull using tape to attempt to seal them.  It usually doesn't work all that well.  In many cases, it really just serves to trap the water in the connector. 
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: MrChristmas2000 on June 29, 2012,
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This year, I am going to ensure the pigtails stay dry.

What do you have planned (or others on the board reading this) to do to keep pigtails dry? I'm not using smart strings, but I do have some RJ45 couplers for the alarm loop to keep my equipment from "walking away". I used a electrical tape wrap to tape them up, but after unwrapping them at the end of the season, most of them were moist inside.

You can also use press n seal and that saved me last year. Just cut small strips of PnS and wrap it around the connection. It seemed to keep the moisture out just like it does in the refrigarator to protect food.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: Steve Gase on June 29, 2012,
Is there a bulk source for Press N Seal around?
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: MrChristmas2000 on June 29, 2012,
I just get it from WalMart or Kroger. It can be found in the section where there is other plastic and alumnium wrapping materials.
Title: Re: Introduction to Smart Strings
Post by: caretaker on June 29, 2012,
In regards to No-Alox while it is meant for Aluminum connections it is a anti-oxidizer so it should work fine with the pigtails connections.  There is also other spays, compounds that work well for keeping moisture out including Corrosion X and CRC Heavy Duty corrosion inhibitor.