Power cord?

[DanHouston]

What are people using to supply power to their Aether IIs? Anyone using the CAT-5 pigtails to bring power and the DMX signal in? Just looking for ideas as I get close to completing mine for some post season testing.

[drlucas]

The thing with aethers, they have two dmx ports so if you are chaining any of these together it's probably best not to combine the power and the signal on one cat5. I use a separate transformer for powering mine - I also moved from the cat5 connector to a 3 pin pigtail. Next season I might get a better transformer so I can power both off one power source. Maybe I switch to the 4 pin pigtail and bring power. need to think that one through as the power source and dmx source for me are in very different locations of my display so combining them for me doesn't buy me anything.

[tbone321]

I am using landscaping pigtails and landscape wire for mine.  Since they are intended to use landscape transformers, it makes sense to me to use landscape wire as well.  This way, I just lay the landscape wire in the path that I intend to put the Aether's and just pat into it where the Aether's are, just like other landscaping lights do.  I have a real fear to multipurpose connectors like that because it makes it way too easy to plug the wrong device into something and cause damage or destroy it.

[DanHouston]

Thanks guys...good points. I try to stay away from common inputs that someone might plug into something bad. I power inject over CAT-5 for other nodes so was thinking maybe the same here...that said since these are ultimately different from those (being AC rather than DC) probably a good idea to distinguish further.

[Voltorb]

Funny, I was going to ask the same question!  TBONE, what gauge landscaping wire?

[tbone321]

I am using 12 guage because that is what I happened to have.  It is probably much more than what is needed.

[bcstuff]

I use Cat5 and a 4 port passive hub to run 4 Aether IIs
Used it for 2 years with no problems.

You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[DanHouston]

Thanks all.

I tried out the landscape lighting connectors, and they don't seem very convenient given that this stuff does not stay in the yard year round. I was leaning towards using the 4 port hub (seems like a great idea), but as I was poking around I think I have settled on these:

Coming out of the transformer:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Cord made with SPT-2 cable with this on the end (cut half, so you get two per):
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Anyone have any bad experiences with these connectors or think of a reason not to go this way for power to the Aether 2?

[arw01]

They use them on heavy duty semi truck repairs sometimes, they will do the job.  A little dielectric grease is a good idea.

[Steve Gase]

Just to confuse things a bit... 


I run +12V DC over cat5 for my DMX elements.  It allows me to inject power into the cat5 and then have a chain of DMX elements that draw from that power.


The AetherII needs 12V AC (not DC).


I mention this because -- inside the junction box on the AetherII enclosure I connect wires that carry the +12V DC/Ground from the input pigtail to the output pigtail.  The AetherII does NOT tap into the DC power, but it will propagate the power for the next element to use in the chain of DMX devices.




What does this buy you?  It allows me to create a series that looks like this: 


dongle, 12V DC injector, DMX star, AetherII, DMX star, DMX star, AetherII, DMX star, DMX star...

...          12V DC injector, DMX star, AetherII, DMX star, DMX star, AetherII, DMX star, DMX star...


In other words, I don't let the AetherII interrupt the power being passed along my powered-DMX cable.




I often do this for other DMX elements, not just AetherII.  (MR16, LE, etc.)

[rdebolt]

These posts are worthless without PICTURES!!!   

[txag2008]

Coming out of the transformer:
You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Do you intend on running a dedicated power line to each aether using that 5way adapter or will you power the aethers in series from the adapter?

[DanHouston]

Dedicated line because of where they are located....that could change over time and then I would not need the adapter.

[meman]

We had another thread going on that kinda drifted into this topic last week. With all the rain I get, there is no way I'd want to have more hubs out in the yard trying to power these over cat5 ...just not worth it IMO. I used to have one long run of heavy landscape cable, but rethought all that and came up with my current setup:

I run two circuits with 4 Aether IIs spaced 15' apart on each, using regular SPT1 zipline (18ga) for power. It is the same Gauge wire as SPT2, just lighter weight insulation. I use this configuration to keep resistance/distance down from the each 12v AC landscape power source and everything runs fine. I use standard two-wire trailer hitch connector pigtails available online or any autozone, etc. to make disconnection easy. They are very waterproof. 

I'll post a pic below, hopefully you can see the detail of the inline pigtails closest to the power supply.

cat5 _   _________   __________________   _________   _____________    _________   __________________   _________       
        |  |               |  |                               |  |               |  |                       |  |               |  |                               |  |               |   
     Aether------- Aether------12vAC------Aether-------Aether                  Aether------- Aether------12vAC------Aether-------Aether

[Steve Gase]

I run two circuits with 4 Aether IIs spaced 15' apart on each, using regular SPT1 zipline (18ga) for power. It is the same Gauge wire as SPT2, just lighter weight insulation. I use this configuration to keep resistance/distance down from the each 12v AC landscape power source and everything runs fine. I use standard two-wire trailer hitch connector pigtails available online or any autozone, etc. to make disconnection easy. They are very waterproof. 

I tried the SPT1 last year for power with the landscape lighting vampire connectors, but the smaller insulation caused me trouble with getting a good bite.  the wire was too small to reliably fill the space between the 2 teeth.

I've been looking at the SAE connections (the 2-conductor trailer hitch connectors) since it was mentioned in the threads.  I like that idea. 

there are Y-adapters, and there are also extensions available in various sizes... so, I'm now thinking of using that system .  it would work very well to connect the floods, one-after-the-next.  thanks!