dito Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 ok, so i am very new to this. just started in december and got up some decent amount of lights. i dont know why, but i'm hooked on ropelights along my rooflines (3). i have two 30 ft sections and one 55ft section. i already have white led ropelight and blue ropelight up. i'm looking ahead to 4th of july (and beyond). i want to have red and green also, but i was thinking RGB strips might be a better way to go instead of having so many ropelights up, and hopefully cheaper too.i'm pretty sure i am looking for 5050 waterproof RGB strips. i am OK with "dummy" strips. i do NOT need pixel control! ok, so i've found several places that sell them. http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/364353415-Free-Shipping-5M-500CM-Waterproof-RGB-5050-LED-Strip-24-key-IR-Remote-12v-3A-Power-wholesalers.html http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-5M-12V-Waterproof-led-strip-flexible-car-light-5050-SMD-RGB-300-PCS-IP65-IR-/220905475053?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336efe0bed i see that they each have their own controller. this is where i am lost. i've read that LOR dc controller would handle what i plan to control, is this the right one, http://store.lightorama.com/cmdedcca2.htmlanother thing i have read is that i need to power them every ~15ft or every "5M strip". can i get some advice/help here please? am i already off the path or am i in the right direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H1 Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Dito.I like the cool white rope and icicles. Are they on separate channels?Maybe add the RGB strips around your windows and garage doors first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 yes they are on seperate channels (icicles). blue and white. 4 channels. this is a pic before i got the garage doors lined with rope light too. damn, i forgot there's MORE RGB strip i'll have to buy... if anyone ever responds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bretk Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Let me reply in part. As far as power/control per strip. You can probably get away with driving enough current for 10 meters at one point with your controller in the middle. But at $6 a pop you could have a separate controller for each 5 meter pc. And potentially have many more effects (think slow color fade across the front of your house a la cracker). You can easily run one 4 wire trunk line (power plus dmx) to supply all the controllers across the front of your house. So 1 power supply, 350 watt $18, 8 controllers $48, 1 roll 4 wire 100' for 25 on eBay, extra USB 485 dongle for your dmx universe $29, and cat 5 to get there. You can find waterproof rgb at $23 per 5 meter strip easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 ok, let me back up for one minute. if i want to do RGB on my roof should i be looking at RGB strip or RGB rope light(4 wire for each, right)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Bret, I'm confused...350 watt power supply?8 controllers?1 roll 4 wire 100' $25, really?USB for DMX, I actually understand this one!CAT5, I understand this one too!links would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 the only thing i found on ebay for 4 wire RGB was this... http://www.ebay.com/itm/165-Spool-4-Wire-LED-Flat-Rope-Lighting-RGB-Color-Changing-Controller-/260890648911?pt=Lamps_US&hash=item3cbe4b614f Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Bret,Could you please do something different with all those brag bars across your setup?It stretches the size of your posts way past everything else on the page and makes it difficult to read your posts.Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 dito wrote: the only thing i found on ebay for 4 wire RGB was this... http://www.ebay.com/itm/165-Spool-4-Wire-LED-Flat-Rope-Lighting-RGB-Color-Changing-Controller-/260890648911?pt=Lamps_US&hash=item3cbe4b614fI don't think that's what you're looking for.If all you want is solid color, I believe the 5050 LED strips are the quickest and easiest way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bev Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 If you only want a colour out line instead of buying 3 different coloured rope lights you can get some of this type of fully waterproof strip http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209843764-329544925/5m-one-roll-5050-SMD-30LEDs-m-led-strip-waterproof-by-silicon-tubing-and-coating-RGB.html .And one of these power supplies http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209855560-289599951/350W-Dual-Output-Switching-Power-Supply-88-264VAC-input-12V-350W-output-CE-and-ROHS-approved.html .And you can control the strip using the LOR controller http://store.lightorama.com/cmdedcca2.html or in DMX using a controller like this http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209915969-378111925/Easy-DMX-LED-controller-dmx-decoder-driver.html.You have a lot to choose from and you can even have the strip cut into smaller sections on the different peaks etc and add even more wow factor to your display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bev Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sorry this is the link to the DMX controller and you can control 9 sections with this controller http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/701799/209915969-378111925/Easy-DMX-LED-controller-dmx-decoder-driver.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 does this look right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Andrew, ^ are these the ones you are using for your mega tree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 i think this is what Bret was talking about, 5M RGB strip for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dito Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 for the RGB, http://www.ebay.com/itm/280807473466?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Bev Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 If you are going to use 12 lenghts of strip you will need 2 power supplies as 10 full strips will use around 360Watts.And if you want to buy the strip from ebay I would buy one roll first and check it out to see if you are happy that it will be fully waterproof. I know the strip from Ray Wu is fully waterproof as it is fully coated is silcone and worked very well in my display last year.And yes, this was the type I used on my Mega Tree last year.I have bought some strip from an ebay store and am not sure I will trust it to the full elements outdoors but will use it under my eves for wall washing.You may find some more info at http://auschristmaslighting.com/forums/index.php/board,28.0.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bretk Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Wire is eBay item 170535150456Power supply is as shown by AndrewStrips are eBay 180644384432Controllers are from holiday coro or aliexpress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 As well you can add in differnt strips, dumb strips allow color choice, faded, you can do cool white or warm white, or heliotrope any color you choose.Im replacing every strand that was on my house last year with RGB, as the 30/m look like standard lights, if you jump up to 60/m (leds per meter) they start to look like rope lights, and if you go with a smaller LED you can get more up to 120 or more per meter so it almost looks like a cable of lights.There are a few obvious draw backs, more channels, more programming, more knowledge of power supplys. It can get confusing as you also need to know the power rating of the controller you use as well!Dito makes a good point, order a few differnt ones to see which works for you, most dumb strips are cheap. Also be careful you do not end up with a strip that has 3 differnt color LEDs just close to eachother for the color blends. Those will not give you the replacement effect I believe your after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstately Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 dito wrote:for the RGB, http://www.ebay.com/itm/280807473466?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649Hi, I just wanted to point out, The strips from Ray Wu are in a tube, they are rated for under water use, very high quality. I have also bought several different strips on ebay that are coated on top, but the only protection on the under side is the adhesive, so the contacts are practically exposed. So like others have said, You should buy samples and decide whats right for you and your application, but don't think that you're getting a great price on the same quality... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamS Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 For what its worth I believe Donny C has the coated ones in his tub still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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