brichi Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 so in my show i am building now in preparation for 2017 christmas, I started with the idea that i will only do 1 box and LED light windows to music, HAHAHAHH, this now turned into a lot of fun and i am up to all 6 windows, a 16 foot high LED tree (800 pixels, 2400 leds), 270 LED star, 6 spiral trees (540LEDs) and 8 leaping arches (400pixels,1200 leds) resulting in a purchase of: 1 - Pixie16 4 - pixie4's 1 - pixie 8 7 - 350W p/s' 1 - 200W p/s am i going overboard by having an electrician come in and install a sub panel outside with 6 - 20A breakers? 1 20 amp for each box i have assembled i calculated the draw and its high up there but mainly during a burst of white during a peak of a song, then for the most part all the lights are blinking so i know they only draw a few amps during that time i know this is kind of a generic "do what you feel is right" question but wanted your guys opinion and ideas on how all of you are wiring electric for shows with this amount of boxes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 (edited) I split mine out too. Not just for amp draw. Spreads GFCI leakage out. Makes convenient places to plug into. Room to grow. Lots of reasons. Edited April 7, 2017 by Mega Arch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 Give detailed thought as to where you want them (and likely not all in the same place). I have outlets available in several locations in my yard. When I bought my house 26 years ago, there were no outlets in the front yard at all. Very inconvenient! Below is a Google Earth view of my house that was taken when the front yard landscaping was in a partial stage which is why there is lawn in only half of the yard. The first circuit was added quite a few years ago. This is a dedicated 20A circuit that has two double outlets marked in green on the photo below. For Christmas, my three CCP controllers plug into the outlet at the house on this circuit. Several years later, I added a circuit that feeds an outlet in the attic at the yellow arrow. This circuit was installed for an electrical project that involved installation of a bay window on the front of the house below that location that has several outlets inside and lights. When I started LOR landscape lighting, I added a quad outlet box in the attic, and I have one AC controller plugged in there (for the landscape lighting, this controller feeds my front porch light and the down lights in the bay window). For Christmas, I add a 5V 70A power supply, and E682 controller for the GECE lights on the eves, another 5V 70A power supply for the pixel tree and star, and a LAN network switch. About seven years ago, the fence between my driveway and my next door neighbor's driveway was replaced with a block wall. During construction, an outlet and light fixture was added at the end of the wall - marked by the red arrow. This is not used for Christmas, but is routinely used when I'm doing work in the driveway. By the time I built the brick column at the blue arrow, I was fully into LOR. There are two 20A circuits in the column. Each circuit has four outlets in the box and one has two outlets on the yard side of the column. Year round, has a 12V 30A power supply that powers most of the yard landscaping lights and will have a second power supply when I build the walkway with it's lights. There is also a LAN network switch and WiFi access point in the column (although at some point, the switch and WiFi will be powered via 24V DC from the battery system in the garage data cabinet). There is conduit that goes from the column to three locations in the yard that could be used for cords. I expect to use one that is next to the base of the flag pole to supply power for some candy canes near the edge of the driveway starting this year. BTW, I took full advantage of tearing up front yard. There is a lot of conduit under that lawn. For a size comparison, the white block wall along the northeast edge of the lawn is 65 feet long. There is a quarter mile of conduit under the lawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 When we moved into this house in 2005, we had a 100 amp panel installed and ran twelve 20-amp lines around the house and yard. This was to support my incan static display and it was just barely enough. Now that we've switched over to 99% LEDs, we're using about 10% of that capacity. But it's nice knowing I can plug almost anything in anywhere in the yard. Do it - you probably won't regret it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted April 7, 2017 Share Posted April 7, 2017 I will second the dispersion the locations of the outlets. be sure to bias the quantity at a location by the area of needed coverage/usage (and not run cords across (foot or vehicle) traffic paths A single outlet can be 'split' (over 2 breakers) where you need lots of capacity (eg a CTB16 driving incans) but want a single sized box And leave an extra (not used) when there is nothing else near for tool and tests, so you dont have to unplug your show Conduit (at least on the structure) that is NOT ' NEC full' in case you need to fish a few more circuits later. We all know how these shows stay in control OH Take photos of any Direct Burial/underground in their trenches so you know where to NOT dig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brichi Posted April 7, 2017 Author Share Posted April 7, 2017 great info, thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David501 Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Yes, thank you. This answered my question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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