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Adding pixel arches to existing LOR


kbolin10

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I trashed all of my arches (non rgb) last year and went with 4 circles controlled by my pixie16. Put the controller on one end and no problems. Will be adding 8 more circles this year. That was a test that’s why only 4.

The new pixie 16’s give a farther reach up to 50’ according to LOR. I Beta tested the 1st gens and I have 6- first gens. They only give about 20’.

Big improvement over the first models.

Pixies are much easier to use. If LOR would pre assemble 4’s and 8’s that would be great.

I need 60+ feet to get to my peak. So I will be adding 4 pixie 4’s to place in attic.

JR

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6 hours ago, OzAz said:

I'd suggest you go for strip with 30 LEDs per metre, rather than the 60 as per original link.

In fact you could buy two rolls of these LOR strips cut each in half (for 4 x 2.5m strips of 75 LEDS) and 1 Pixie4 (plus power supply, enclosure and cabling)  and make 4 arches.

Or, if you want to buy a ready-to-run controller with room for expansion then maybe the Pixcon16? 

Of course like anything in this hobby there's a heap of other products and methods of controlling lights and building props.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into those. Unfortunately my front yard is very small so two arches is about all I can squeeze in. What do you suggest as far as power supply, enclosure, and cabling?

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I assumed the arches would have 8 “sections” each to get a wide range of movement. Would this mean I would need a Pixie 16?

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7 minutes ago, kbolin10 said:

I assumed the arches would have 8 “sections” each to get a wide range of movement. Would this mean I would need a Pixie 16?

No.  Typically when people use pixels for arches, they have 25 or 50 pixels per arch.  I have six arches that each have 50 pixels on two inch spacing that are illuminating the inside of 3/4 inch PEX tubing.  The first link is my arches and how they are built.  The second link is my way too sparce videos page, but watch the first video to see some of what I did with them.

http://newburghlights.org/CCP_Arches.html

http://newburghlights.org/Videos.html

 

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47 minutes ago, kbolin10 said:

I assumed the arches would have 8 “sections” each to get a wide range of movement. Would this mean I would need a Pixie 16?

The eight sections you are describing is the way you would make arches with a CTB16PC and standard store bought led or incan lights. You would wrap led lights around a pvc pipe in eight different sections and light the sections in succession for movement. With pixels you just use one strip or string of pixels and a pixel controller.

Edited by Mr. P
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I used Cosmic Color Ribbon inside a 2" poly tubing for my 4 arches.

Displays a "soft" lighting effect.

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5 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

Vince is talking about pixel arches like the ones in the video:

 

 

This is what I want to create as well. I have already bought the stuff. Just need to put it together. Last thing I needed to do was by the pixel controller, power supply, and enclosure. Any ideas on the power supply or enclosure?

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Oops. I stand corrected. I used LOR CCR package for 4 arches (included ribbon, controller and power supply). Just put everything in a plastic enclosure from HC.

I have bought several 12VDC power supplies from HC for other pixel props and have had no issues.

 

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Some will tell you Mean Well power supplies are the only way to go. Mean Well's are nice and they back their product but at $60, no thank you. A good regulated, switching power supply for $15-$20 will work just as good and give you many years of service. Keep in mind when looking that you never want to run a power supply constantly at 100%, always calculate a 20% overhead.

Example: If you run a Pixie4 with four strips rated at 36 watts a strip that would be 144 watts total. I would run a minimum 180 watt power supply. Granted, some will say that you can run the lights at 50%, or not use white very often and a lot of other things but I always calculate at max capabilities of the lights being used.

As far as the enclosures, many use the CG-1500 that you can find cheap anywhere if you do a little searching, $12-$18.

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