How/What to do for strobes..

[l0chte]

I see strobes in all the videos.. What equipment are they actually using.. I've searched around and saw some things that might work but what do you guys use? Planning on having some in next years show.

[JBullard]

I buy my strobes from Creative Displays, CDI.

[Jim Saul]

I do not have any actual strobes, but turning on the CCRs arches for .05 sec at 100% white is a VERY effective strobe

[TJ Hvasta]

I also got my curtain strobes from CDI.. I cant remember exactly how much they were but 10 @ $5.99/ea sticks in my mind.. had to order a bunch of C9 sockets and SPT1 wire after I recieved them (thot I have an old C9 string lying around). I have six in the MegaTree now, and will have to add the other four when I put the rest of the props out Tuesday.

Remember, On/Off only, no fading/dimming/twinkle or shimmering allowed... that kills them.

[rednosetbird]

I am also thinking about adding strobes next year,maybe a dumb question but do you use one channel for them??going to have mine in a mega tree.

[james campbell]

I have 15 xenon strobes on one channel,they randomize instantly. led strobes have to be precharged to randomize

[rednosetbird]

james campbell wrote:

I have 15 xenon strobes on one channel,they randomize instantly. led strobes have to be precharged to randomize

James so when your sequencing and you want them on for 5 seconds would you just sequence them for that 5 seconds?

[james campbell]

rednosetbird wrote:

james campbell wrote:

I have 15 xenon strobes on one channel,they randomize instantly. led strobes have to be precharged to randomize

James so when your sequencing and you want them on for 5 seconds would you just sequence them for that 5 seconds?

not really, xenon strobes need to build a charge but it is very fast I always start mine a second early and end a second early,you will always get some that will discharge even after you tell them to be off, so yes it would be for 5 seconds but start and end early, also xenon strobes are always on at 100 percent intensity no fade shimmers etc

[TJ Hvasta]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

Remember, On/Off only, no fading/dimming/twinkle or shimmering allowed... that kills them.

Yeah, just what I had said earlier..

[kelly jett]

you need to set a little time before you want the stobes to come on so they'll be ready. i only set them for a second or two.

also when you go into lor hardware utility you can tell the software that you want your strobe light channel to only be an on/off channel. look at the bottom at configure(click on that) and then click on advanced configuration. you can assign the controller location to be on/off only

you can plug all of your strobes on 1 channel no problem. i have about 25 in one of my trees and haven't had any problems with them.

if you have some old incandesent c9 strings you can use those for your strobes. just take out the old lights and you can use the strobes in every 4-5 or 10 sockets you want. i used some c9 cords with strobes every 5 sockets (to spread them out) and hang them in my tree without any issues.

this year im using spt1 wire with sockets spaced about 8-10 ft apart to spread them out down a tree line.

check out allthingschristmasandmore.com they have strobes and their prices are pretty low. ive gotten a few things from them and have been very happy.

[l0chte]

Thank You Everyone!
So many questions answered glad it didn't only help me but others as well.

[beeiilll]

Not to forget another great supplier, Daryl at Christmas Light Shows also carries not only the regular curtain strobes but also the LED strobes and both are in both speeds (1 flash per second and 3-4 flashes per second).

http://www.christmaslightshow.com/strobe-lights.html

Bill

[gmacw]

I too bought my strobes from Paul at CDI. they work awesome. I bought 100 of them duting his bulk buy program he does around March. I have them set up in C9 strings on four different channels. They work well...

[Guest guest]

So what would happen to them if you only put them on at 50% intensity? Would they take longer to build up and discharge and discharge at a lower intensity? And would operating them at half the voltage do any damage?

I really can't see how a lower "steady" voltage of 50% would or could do any damage as it is nothing but a resistive-capacitive discharge circuit, so I'd think using a 50% intensity would lower the light output from the strobe and just take longer to charge/discharge the strobe.

Now if this can damage the strobe, could you please explain how it would do so using only 50% of the normal voltage to fire them off.

I have 3 strobes, but they are not C9 or C7 base, they are the standard lamp base to go into any standard light fixture.

[JBullard]

Orville wrote:

So what would happen to them if you only put them on at 50% intensity? Would they take longer to build up and discharge and discharge at a lower intensity? And would operating them at half the voltage do any damage?

I really can't see how a lower "steady" voltage of 50% would or could do any damage as it is nothing but a resistive-capacitive discharge circuit, so I'd think using a 50% intensity would lower the light output from the strobe and just take longer to charge/discharge the strobe.

Now if this can damage the strobe, could you please explain how it would do so using only 50% of the normal voltage to fire them off.

I have 3 strobes, but they are not C9 or C7 base, they are the standard lamp base to go into any standard light fixture.

Orville,

I suggest you buy a couple of Xenon strobes and try running them at 50%. They will not charge the capacitor, and therefore will not work.

[JBullard]

gmacw wrote:

I too bought my strobes from Paul at CDI.  they work awesome. I bought 100 of them duting his bulk buy program he does around March.  I have them set up in C9 strings on four different channels.  They work well...

Actully CDI's presales are usually late December and January, not March.

This past year the presale price was $ 3.75 each, for the Xenon strobes.

[Guest guest]

JBullard wrote:

Orville wrote:

So what would happen to them if you only put them on at 50% intensity? Would they take longer to build up and discharge and discharge at a lower intensity? And would operating them at half the voltage do any damage?

I really can't see how a lower "steady" voltage of 50% would or could do any damage as it is nothing but a resistive-capacitive discharge circuit, so I'd think using a 50% intensity would lower the light output from the strobe and just take longer to charge/discharge the strobe.

Now if this can damage the strobe, could you please explain how it would do so using only 50% of the normal voltage to fire them off.

I have 3 strobes, but they are not C9 or C7 base, they are the standard lamp base to go into any standard light fixture.

Orville,

I suggest you buy a couple of Xenon strobes and try running them at 50%. They will not charge the capacitor, and therefore will not work.

What I have are Xenon Strobes, they just have the regular light bulb base to go into a porch light fixture or standard household lamp socket, which is where I would use them. 2 I just bought this year for Halloween 2011, got them at the Spirit Halloween Store. #3 I've had for a few years.

I opted to experiment with them just to see what they may or may not do, and this was the results:

#1 of the 3 charged and fired at 20% intensity, #2 of the 3 would charge and fire at 40% intensity, their brightness was also diminished, number 3(the oldest of them) would not fire at anything less than a 65% intensity setting, and it was diminished, but not as much as the other 2 strobes. It also took longer to charge up and discharge to get them to strobe, using these various intensity settings between the 3, but it did yield some interesting results.

I didn't really think it would work either, and was surprised when it did, but it did work, and not all that bad, of course it also affected how many times a minute the strobes did their thing.

I'll still use them at 100% for best results, but I did find it interesting that #1 fired at 20%, #2 fired at 40% and the 3rd at 65%. Thereby proving not all strobes are created equal!

[gmacw]

I'm sure your right about the pre-sale. I was only going by the invoice that was tucked in the boxes they sent.