Minimum for Spiral Tree

[testraub]

Okay, I might be a liitle short of channels this coming year. I need to know what would be the least number of channels for a spiral tree. I have ordered from CDI and MITS (case + 4) each of Blue, Red, Green and Cool White strands. The tree is growing from 12' to 15' and I was hoping to use 16 channels for the tree this coming year plus the older 8 channels from last year. As it stands, I may be able to add one controller, maybe two, but with the Wife being laid off and me only working part-time, the added channels may fall by the way side.

Any ideas on this?



Tom Straub

[ace_master]

Sounds like you've got 24 channels for your tree.

If you used all 4 colors, you will only get 6 channels for each color... I might suggest dropping a color (use them elsewhere?) and bumping it up to 8 channels for each color?

It really is up to you, that's just my 2cents.

[Brian Mitchell]

A good trick to save channels is to only spin the tree in one or two colors and just use the other colors as all on or off. Most people will never catch on and will only see a tree that is 4 colors and very cool.

[Mark Showalter]

Last year my Weber tree had 16 channels. Each channel had a 100 count m6 white and 100 count c6 multi-color string. This year I'm upping my 32 channels to 96 (so far.) The Weber tree will have 16 channels of white and 1 channel red and 1 channel green.

I think the total number of channels needed for the Weber tree is dependent on the type of sequencing you want. For instance, if you had eight channels you could easily do a lot of the same effects as a 16 channel tree. Each of the light strings in an 8 channel tree could start on one side, wind their way up to the top and back down the other side.

[jimswinder]

I had 96 channels....basically 24 combined strings of 100 ct each of Red, Green, Blue and White.

I personally did not like the looks of just the white spiraling by themselves...

But I also did not use my Weber tree JUST for it's spiral effects.

I would build it as if you were going to use each color separately, then test and see if you like some combination of certain colors to cut down on channel usage... (I.E. Red/Green, Blue/White...Red/Blue, Green/White...Red/Green, Blue, White...Red, Green, Blue/White...etc)

[lightzilla]

Well I had a 32 channel tree. 16 channels made up the regular spinning tree and 16 channels made up the spiral part of the tree. My tree was 11ft high

I used close to ever LED light string I had and so I used Red & Orange on the spiral which made the tree look like a ball of flames. lol

However I had good response to the tree and so I may very well keep it like this for next year, but maybe not since I need the red lights for something else.

Maybe orange & purple since I have some purple LED light strings.... my Halloween Christmas tree. lol

[Ron Amedee]

I'm using alot of purple and orange...Purples strings have "LED" Three of the rectifier thingy's and the orange only two....Hince..$17+ on the purples and $14+ on the orange ones....another observation...How come white lights are more expensive than some colored ????? The world may never know........

[thevikester]

Brian Mitchell wrote:

A good trick to save channels is to only spin the tree in one or two colors and just use the other colors as all on or off. Most people will never catch on and will only see a tree that is 4 colors and very cool.

I wanted to bring an old one to the front...this is an excellent Idea Brian

[testraub]

Well... Just an FYI.. I did get the extra controllers/channels, so the Spiral tree will be 16 channels, Blue and white. The "old" Mega treee will be inside it, 8 Channels, 4 each Red and green. ALL LED TREE . Just waiting on the 16PC kits I ordered (x3) Even have enough for a few extra things this year.

Tom Straub