Rainbow Floods...ASSEMBLED!!

[JBullard]

Tim Fischer wrote:

JBullard wrote:

This is where I buy mine

Thanks. Does a standard Cat-5 cord just slip into these and then you tighten it up?

-Tim

Yes, maybe this picture will help. (I'm having trouble with img code tonight)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/johnbullard/IM000303.jpg

Rubber gaskets and fittings slip over the cat5 cable. Plug in the cable, then hand tighten. No need to even open the contoller case. Very weather resistant. These are used for remote locations, outdoors, in the cell tower industry and other outdoor comunications installations.

[Bill Hoffman]

I used the same power supply as John mentioned. I bought a couple of them 2 years ago at $20 each, as I was playing around with mr-16's at the time. They have gone up in price, but actually a couple of weeks ago I read a thread that had a link you could buy them for $18. For the life of me I cannot find that thread again, maybe I dreamed it. lol :-) Anyway, like John said, not 20 but at 12.5 amps each I would say at least 10 of them.

Bill

[Bill Hoffman]

Tim Fischer wrote:

Bill Hoffman wrote:

Here's another pic.
As you can see by the pics, it's really not that complicated once you see it, it just sounds like it when you try to explain it. I think Greg will agree, he came up with the brain idea just to make things simpler for everyone. I have an IDMX now, but I still think I will stick to my original way of controlling the Rainbow Floods with LORDC.

Bill, that's a nice controller/enclosure. I did mine similarly, but I used an old ATX PC power supply. You have to cut off the ATX plug and jumper a couple of wires together to make it come on, but you can often get these for free with an old junked PC, and even a crappy PC will give you plenty of wattage for many LED fixtures.

The only downside was the size made it hard to find a decent enclosure. Short of spending $50-100 for a real NEMA enclosure, I couldn't find any 'legit' enclosure so I finally resorted to using a plastic storage container. Pics/more info about mine are here: http://www.plymouthlights.com/mr16howto2.htm Note that those pics show my original usage of DB9 connectors, but last year I redid it to use RJ45s using the Rainbow Wall Runner/Rainbow Flood wiring spec.

Tim,

I've seen you use that enclosure before, and it seems like it works great. I bought at bunch of the PrimeStar plastic enclosures a couple of years ago when that warehouse was selling them for like $4 each. I've been using them ever since, but my supply is getting low. lol I saw some enclosures like yours at kroger the other day for $1 each, so I might end up with some of them. Anyway, it really boils down to whatever works, and the cheaper the better.

Bill

[Tim Fischer]

Bill Hoffman wrote:

I actually a couple of weeks ago I read a thread that had a link you could buy them for $18. For the life of me I cannot find that thread again, maybe I dreamed it. lol :-) Anyway, like John said, not 20 but at 12.5 amps each I would say at least 10 of them.

I remember seeing that too. I think it was in the V-Flood thread on PC, but it might have even been the "Sorry" thread...

[Surfing4Dough]

Tim Fischer wrote:

Bill Hoffman wrote:

I actually a couple of weeks ago I read a thread that had a link you could buy them for $18. For the life of me I cannot find that thread again, maybe I dreamed it. lol :-) Anyway, like John said, not 20 but at 12.5 amps each I would say at least 10 of them.

I remember seeing that too. I think it was in the V-Flood thread on PC, but it might have even been the "Sorry" thread...

Possibly this:
http://forums.planetchristmas.com/showthread.php/41294-Introducing-VDRIVE-and-VFLOOD!?p=489585&highlight=enclosure#post489585

[rgardner518]

JBullard wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:

What's the best price/best source on the waterproof RJ45's?

Tim,

This is where I buy mine

http://www.sparcotech.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=RJ45-ECS

Another source is

http://www.bizsyscon.com/product/PACIFIC+WIRELESS__RJ45-ECS__1448.html

About 6 months ago someone on ebay was selling used ones for $3 and something each. Don't have a link anymore but they might still have some.

I bought the rest of their stock.

[Tim Fischer]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

JBullard wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:

What's the best price/best source on the waterproof RJ45's?

Tim,

This is where I buy mine

I bought the rest of their stock.

Great! :?

[rgardner518]

SORRY! I could not let a deal that great, get away!

[Tim Fischer]

Well, I finally had the time and decent weather to do some quick tests with the Rainbow Flood. I compared it to my MR-16's from Christmas in Kent I've been using for 2 display seasons in the past, and my "double Rainbow Wall Runner" I used last year, which is 2 of last year's model RWR's at each end of a 4' clear tube.

I did take pictures, but I'm unhappy with how they turned out. I may redo it again sometime, or if people really prod me maybe I'll post them. But here are my textual observations. I'm being very frank and trying not to be critical, just fair and objective:

Test parameters: All three test devices were set up on my patio table, about 6-8' back from the house, and pointed slightly up and at the gable of our house. To be fair, the RWR was "out of it's element" and being treated as a flood, not hung from a soffit as designed.

• At least between these 3 types, you cannot beat the MR-16's for brightness. But they are spots, not floods, so you end up with a very tight spot pattern, compared to a much wider flood pattern (albeit dimmer) with the other two options.
• All three devices struggle to produce red. On all three, red is at least 1/2 the brightness of the other two colors, maybe closer to 1/3. Remember I'm using last year's RWR's, and this years has a couple more red LED's in to try to compensate, but I'm a little skeptical that's going to be enough, but someone else will have to test this year's model and report back. The RF has the same number of red as green and blue, and red is much dimmer. Same with the MR-16's. I would guess that 2x the number of red LED's in the RF would help to even it out, but then the board would have to be considerably larger.
• Green on the RF is stunning. It's not quite as bright as the "hot spot" of the MR-16, but close enough, and the pattern is much, much wider. It's really beautiful. Green on the RWR was ok, but I didn't find it as impressive.
  
• Blue on the RF is also quite nice, but possibly due to the light tan/brown of the house, didn't pop as much as the green. The MR-16 blue was much brighter in this case, but of course, much smaller. The RWR blue was the least of all.
• Of the reds, the MR-16 was by far the brightest (even though it was much dimmer than the other MR-16 colors) but the small pattern makes it problematic. The RF was better than the RWRs in rendering red, but both were pretty marginal.
  
• The RF makes a very nice "pure white" with all three colors on, but the blue dialed back slightly. I wasn't able to get a "warm white" by playing around but I'm sure it's possible if I knew what I was doing. I suspect this needs a lot of red, however, so it might have to be dimmed down to match the (lack of) ability of the reds.

Some final thoughts:

• Of the three devices, I like the RF's the best, even with the red issue. At the price, one could build two boards, and simply populate the second with only red LED's (leaving the other two colors empty, or maybe a row or so of blue also) and it would still be dirt cheap. I was already using 2 RWR's and it didn't quite match the performance of the RF. The MR-16's are great spots, but unless you had a ton of them and aimed them carefully, they just don't wash walls well.
• I really hope that the red issue is fixed in future versions of the product. I'd sacrifice size and power (and the higher price) for a red that's just as eye-popping as the very beautiful green.
• Hopefully in the next month or so I'll be building a V-Drive and V-Flood and it will be interesting to see how it compares. The pair is higher priced, and requires DMX, but eliminates the need of the DC controller I was using for this test. It uses a different style LED so I'm curious what it will look like.

Now I need to decide if I want to trade in my MR-16's for some more RF's... They're really a great value and I do recommend them after my tests. Thanks for offering them, Greg!

[Bill Hoffman]

I have 4 more RF's on order, so just for curiosity I will order some of the pirhana leds, and build a double enclosure. One board I will build regular and the other I will build with 2 of the channels red and the other one blue. We will see what happens. The only problems would be when you want to go to clear, I would think you could only use one of the boards, but maybe not.

Bill

[Tim Fischer]

Bill Hoffman wrote:

I have 4 more RF's on order, so just for curiosity I will order some of the pirhana leds, and build a double enclosure. One board I will build regular and the other I will build with 2 of the channels red and the other one blue. We will see what happens. The only problems would be when you want to go to clear, I would think you could only use one of the boards, but maybe not.

Bill

If you have 2 single enclosures now, it would be interesting to aim them so they overlapped, then turn on both reds, and compare them to a single green or blue from either fixture. Right now I only have one...

[Guest guest]

I'm waiting for my single test RF to ship this week, but this pretty much convinces me I'll be buying more. I also ordered some MR16s, on an impulse, hard to say if I'll be ordering more of those to go with the RFs.

i'm lighting mainly palm trees, and will be curious to see how the MR16s work compared to what I've used in the past, which were some pretty wimpy red and green MR16 bulbs. If you want to talk weak red...I have some used bulbs I can send you..

[grandad]

OK,
For all us UK enthusiasts, here is an alternative to the Rainbow Flood.
It utilises almost exactly the same components, although the construction differs.

http://www.bigclive.com/flud.htm

The page also has a link to a Piranha LED supplier.
This one I have built has absolutely amazing output.

Martin




Attached files

[Bill Hoffman]

Tim Fischer wrote:

Bill Hoffman wrote:

I have 4 more RF's on order, so just for curiosity I will order some of the pirhana leds, and build a double enclosure. One board I will build regular and the other I will build with 2 of the channels red and the other one blue. We will see what happens. The only problems would be when you want to go to clear, I would think you could only use one of the boards, but maybe not.

Bill

If you have 2 single enclosures now, it would be interesting to aim them so they overlapped, then turn on both reds, and compare them to a single green or blue from either fixture. Right now I only have one...

Good idea, Tim. I will try that in the next couple of days to see what the difference is.

Bill

[Ponddude]

[align=center]UPDATE TIME![/align]
The shipment of PCBs and fully assembled boards showed up today. I am extremely impressed with the quality of the floods. The wave soldering process is the way to go...if you have half a million laying around...haha. The PCBs are here as well.

I have shipped out about 40+ orders with the mailman this afternoon. I think I have about 20 or so orders left, but I need lunch and I am pretty certain my fingers are taped together. I am trying my hardest to get all the orders out today, so if you haven't seen a shipping notice yet, bare with me. I am going in order of when the order was received.

I also received the proto boards for the Rainbow Spotlights. There are a few issues on the board I have to take care of, but they will work. I will get a few built and get some pictures and videos up comparing them to the MR16s.

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure. Here is what is left of the assembled floods:



And here is a proto board of the spotlight.

[rgardner518]

JBullard wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:

JBullard wrote:

This is where I buy mine

Thanks. Does a standard Cat-5 cord just slip into these and then you tighten it up?

-Tim

Yes, maybe this picture will help. (I'm having trouble with img code tonight)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/johnbullard/IM000303.jpg

Rubber gaskets and fittings slip over the cat5 cable. Plug in the cable, then hand tighten. No need to even open the contoller case. Very weather resistant. These are used for remote locations, outdoors, in the cell tower industry and other outdoor comunications installations.

What typr of controller is that?

[Ponddude]

Alright, all 61 orders went out today...WHEW!!!! I need a shipping manager...haha

If somebody ordered something and didn't get a shipping notice with a tracking number, please let me know ASAP. greg@christmasonmanor.com

[JBullard]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

JBullard wrote:

Tim Fischer wrote:

JBullard wrote:

This is where I buy mine

Thanks. Does a standard Cat-5 cord just slip into these and then you tighten it up?

-Tim

Yes, maybe this picture will help. (I'm having trouble with img code tonight)

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/johnbullard/IM000303.jpg

Rubber gaskets and fittings slip over the cat5 cable. Plug in the cable, then hand tighten. No need to even open the contoller case. Very weather resistant. These are used for remote locations, outdoors, in the cell tower industry and other outdoor comunications installations.

What typr of controller is that?

CMB-16D

[rgardner518]

JBullard wrote:

CMB-16D

Oh, so its a home made job? Can I see the whole picture?

[JBullard]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

JBullard wrote:

CMB-16D

Oh, so its a home made job? Can I see the whole picture?

Sure. Actually this is one of two 24 volt DC controller cases (cover removed for photos) for my 8 Mighty Minis, they were built before I ordered the 10 Rainbow Floods.

I'm rebuilding in a larger case that will contain both the 24 volt and 12 volt power suppllies and 4 of the CMB-16 controllers. That way all of my RGB LED floods will be controlled from one box. I'll just run cat5 from the control box to each of the floods.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/johnbullard/IM000302.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/johnbullard/IM000304.jpg