I Want To Start, But Where?

[coachdad09]

Hello all, 

So i have been doing a lot of research about the Light-O-Rama and I am definitely on board with it. I just have a few questions for some of you who have been doing these set ups for some years now.

1) What should I start off with? I have some LED lights already.

2) I have an outlet outside of my house, can I use that one to power the whole show? Or should I have something else to help me out?

I am really interested in having a show next year, but I just don't want to fry the outlets and stuff, that is my biggest concern. 

Any feedback would be appreciated! Thank you!

[Orville]

3 hours ago, coachdad09 said:

Hello all, 

So i have been doing a lot of research about the Light-O-Rama and I am definitely on board with it. I just have a few questions for some of you who have been doing these set ups for some years now.

1) What should I start off with? I have some LED lights already.

2) I have an outlet outside of my house, can I use that one to power the whole show? Or should I have something else to help me out?

I am really interested in having a show next year, but I just don't want to fry the outlets and stuff, that is my biggest concern. 

Any feedback would be appreciated! Thank you!

I run my entire show off one outlet outside my house.  Been doing it for years.  I'm running 3 {sometimes 4} older CTB16PC V2 Controllers and 3 {sometimes 5} RGB Controllers.  I have a GFCI outlet that I added by wiring it to an old outdoor 3 prong extension cord, then the display is connected to the single double outlet in the GFCI outdoor box to run my shows.  No issues doing this with my show, but it is a small show.

With LED Lights any of the CTB16PC G3 16 Channel AC Controllers will work fine with them.

Also download the software now, it will be in demo mode and you can learn how to use it before putting up your display next year.   The Demo WILL NOT control lights, once you purchase a license, then you'll be able to control lights and create shows for your display.   If you're ever going to think about getting into RGB lights, go with the PRO license if you can.  

For the least level license, I'd suggest Basic Plus, this license level will allow up to a maximum of 4 controllers {64 channels}, and believe me, as soon as you start, you'll usually find out you need more controllers{Channels} to do what you want.  

So if it won't break the bank go for the PRO license, it has a lot more options available to you, especially when it comes to RGB lighting, as well as being unlimited in the number of Controllers you can add as you grow.

 

[tlogan]

I used to run my whole show off of a single outside 15 amp circuit, too, Until I realized that it's the same circuit that all of the bathrooms are tied into. I know, don't ask. We'd be in the bathroom at night and every once in while the lights would dim.  Took me a while to figure it out. When I moved to LOR, I ran extension cords to the controllers from outlets in the garage. Then I upgraded to LEDs. I think that with the LEDs I could have run the whole thing off that original outlet with no dimming. Anyway, since I was adding a couple more controllers this year, I added some extra out door outlets for convenience. Now all my controllers run off the new outside outlets and the computer is in the garage so the only cords running out of the garage are 2 network cables and the speaker wires. 

[Speedster]

5 minutes ago, tlogan said:

I used to run my whole show off of a single outside 15 amp circuit, too, Until I realized that it's the same circuit that all of the bathrooms are tied into.

I had a similar experience the first 2 yrs using a non-LOR lighting system with about a 50/50 mix of incandescent & LED lights.  Every time the outdoor lights would shimmer rapidly, the kitchen lights would dim.  So when I switched over to LOR 3 yrs ago, I decided to have a separate electrical circuit with 4 GFCI outlets installed specifically for our outdoor light display, plus I replaced most of the incandescent light strings with LEDs.  Still have a fair amount of incandescent lights & props, but I don't worry about interior lights dimming anymore since the outdoor light display is on its own electrical circuit.

[Orville]

13 hours ago, tlogan said:

I used to run my whole show off of a single outside 15 amp circuit, too, Until I realized that it's the same circuit that all of the bathrooms are tied into. I know, don't ask. We'd be in the bathroom at night and every once in while the lights would dim.  Took me a while to figure it out. When I moved to LOR, I ran extension cords to the controllers from outlets in the garage. Then I upgraded to LEDs. I think that with the LEDs I could have run the whole thing off that original outlet with no dimming. Anyway, since I was adding a couple more controllers this year, I added some extra out door outlets for convenience. Now all my controllers run off the new outside outlets and the computer is in the garage so the only cords running out of the garage are 2 network cables and the speaker wires. 

Yes, both my bathrooms and master bedroom are all tied into the outside outlet, I think that's a stupid idea to put all that on ONE circuit like that!

I think that outdoor outlets SHOULD BE REQUIRED to be on their own circuit.  

Eventually I'm going to shut off the power, drill a hole from the back of an existing outlet that I know I can use, then take out the interior outlet  and cover with a blank plate.  I have a room that IS NOT used for anything and it's on it's own circuit, so that's where I'm going to tap into for my power to my display. 

But for now, I don't have much choice but to use the set up I have, seeing manufactured homes like mine don't have garages.  If I did, I'd be tapping into the garage circuit.

Currently I have both bathrooms outlets capped off with a DO NOT USE sign on them, because every time my wife plugged in a hair dryer, it'd pop the GFCI, or in most cases trip the actual breaker, and shut down the show!    Seriously thinking of removing the bathroom outlets all together.   Personally, I prefer that my bathrooms not have any outlets in them at all.

But so far, I've had no issues running my shows this way for years.  Except for when my wife tried to use a Blow Dryeer on her hair, then everything shut down.  Flipped the breaker that popped, and when it happened again as soon as she turned on the blow dryer, time to cap off the outlets and put DO NOT USE on them!  And she knows she can't use the master bedroom outlets either for her hair dryer for the same reason.  

Thankfully, it's only her and I, so I don't have to worry about someone plugging something in and shutting down the show, because we both know not to use any of those particular outlets, especially when the show is running.  After the season is over, the caps come off, reminder signs come down and she can use them in any month except for November, December and no earlier than Jan 7.  Since my show runs 'til Jan 6.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Orville

[dgrant]

I run my whole show off two dedicated 4-gang outlets that are both protected with in-line GFCI's. I'm running %95 LEDs. 

[TheDucks]

5 hours ago, Orville said:

Yes, both my bathrooms and master bedroom are all tied into the outside outlet, I think that's a stupid idea to put all that on ONE circuit like that!

I think that outdoor outlets SHOULD BE REQUIRED to be on their own circuit.  

Eventually I'm going to shut off the power, drill a hole from the back of an existing outlet that I know I can use, then take out the interior outlet  and cover with a blank plate.  I have a room that IS NOT used for anything and it's on it's own circuit, so that's where I'm going to tap into for my power to my display. 

But for now, I don't have much choice but to use the set up I have, seeing manufactured homes like mine don't have garages.  If I did, I'd be tapping into the garage circuit.

Currently I have both bathrooms outlets capped off with a DO NOT USE sign on them, because every time my wife plugged in a hair dryer, it'd pop the GFCI, or in most cases trip the actual breaker, and shut down the show!    Seriously thinking of removing the bathroom outlets all together.   Personally, I prefer that my bathrooms not have any outlets in them at all.

But so far, I've had no issues running my shows this way for years.  Except for when my wife tried to use a Blow Dryeer on her hair, then everything shut down.  Flipped the breaker that popped, and when it happened again as soon as she turned on the blow dryer, time to cap off the outlets and put DO NOT USE on them!  And she knows she can't use the master bedroom outlets either for her hair dryer for the same reason.  

Thankfully, it's only her and I, so I don't have to worry about someone plugging something in and shutting down the show, because we both know not to use any of those particular outlets, especially when the show is running.  After the season is over, the caps come off, reminder signs come down and she can use them in any month except for November, December and no earlier than Jan 7.  Since my show runs 'til Jan 6.

Orville, That was OLD CODE (outside outlet downstream from Bath) , when GFCI was new and expenSive.  Current NEC code requires EACH BATHROOM to be on its own circuit and NOT share with any other location (like outside). Don't blank off any required location (distance between outlets is just 1). .

💡 After double checking outside. remove the cover plate of the inside outlet, use an extended length 1/16 drill bit locate which side has the Stud, pick the opposite TOP corner of the box  (again test for obstructions to that side AND above. drill a hole thru the outside wall at the top corner of the inside box (the new box will be slightly above the inside box AND further from the stud  (avoids back to back AND allows Romex to pass by.. Once clearances  triple checked, carefully cut the proper sized opening for a 'old work' type box (remember there may be wires behind that wallboard).   .

You need about 18" of #12 Romex. You will normally feed the New box from the TOP, then run down the side to the top of the inside box (You are working fro OUTSIDE, in the new hole) that Romex goes into the TOP of the inside box (You have turned OFF the power and pulled the outlet out to access the wires) . Finish mounting the new box into the hole. Caulk the hole edges, the work inside while it dries. Make the proper connections Black, White and Copper/Green..  Back outside, install the GFCI and a 'IN USE' type plate. Test  (button), and check the polarity with one on those 3 wire test plugs (every outlet in the Master Bedroom of my old place was WRONG. Don't assume the inside work was done right)

[tlogan]

On 12/17/2019 at 5:25 AM, Orville said:

But for now, I don't have much choice but to use the set up I have, seeing manufactured homes like mine don't have garages.  If I did, I'd be tapping into the garage circuit.

My house was built in the early 90s and the ONLY outlet in the garage was tied to that same circuit as the bathrooms and outside outlets and is where the GFCI from the entire circuit was located. When we had the buyers inspection, that outlet was covered by shelving and the inspector was about to write it up, but we finally found it. One of the FIRST things I did was to run two 20amp circuits into the garage. Mostly so I could run powers tool and lights and dust collection at the same time.