How Do I Create The Lightning Illusion

[bgwyn]

I am working on my first Halloween display and I would like some advice to create some nice lightning. Should I use floods, strobes or a combo of each? Are there any good lightning CD's you might recommend? Any advice is helpful to this newbie. We have finished all our sequences and props but I think lightning between shows would be a great addition. Thank you in advance and can't wait to hear your advice.

[Santas Helper]

I used halogen lights last year which worked pretty good. Tried strobes but too unpredictable and too short of a flash for my use. Floods would probably work okay as well.

You want to sequence the lights/lightning just before the thunder sound to give a realistic look IMO (lightning then thunder).

I get some of my products which included lightning CDs from www.HauntMasterProducts.com

Anyway, hope this helps and good luck.

Tom

[-klb-]

I use 3 LED wall washers in my entry way. Not exactly where you expect the light from lightning to be, but I found that the high speed of the LED to go on and off really worked well.

[bgwyn]

Gosh I'm so new...What is a LED wall washer? Thank you

[jerrymac]

Check WowLights. they have a lighning sequence that uses 3 strobes and 3 flood lights (with sound). Works well.

[John Slade]

Seasonal Entertainment sell RGB floods that work great as "wall washers" http://www.seasonalentertainmentllc.com/store/en/diy-products/14-rainbow-floodlight.html

[-klb-]

These are the ones I am using.

http://www.wiedamark.com/colorbar19remotecontrollable.aspx

They have a number of other potentially interesting DMX lights as well. I've been running these off an iDMX, but now you can run them off a native DMX universe. Also, since I go these a number of more DIY options have been developed and marketed.

[John Slade]

A little on the pricey side, but WOW those baby's are BRIGHT!!!!

After a little research, they are pretty comparable for what you're getting.

Seasonal Entertainment has the Extreme flood, 56 LED for $109

vs.

wiedamark wall washer, 120 LEDs for $199...

Edited July 16, 2012 by John Slade

[-klb-]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the extreme flood is brighter, but by its description, I expect it is a wider beam angle than the wall washer. The gable end over the 3 bay doors is about 45 feet wide, and about 20 tall at the peak. We use 15 of these mounted above the bay doors, about 18 inches from the wall to light up the full height of the gable end. As you get further up, there is more mixing between the individual units, as the beams spread a bit, but not bad considering, you can easily do chases and alternating color patterns with these on that gable end.

The Extreme flood is using 3 color LED's, as compared to the wall washer using separately colored 10mm LED (different counts by color)

[DownTown]

If you want some believable lightning, get a Martin Atomic Strobe (see photo)... This is a super bright, DMX light that will light up your entire yard on demand. Even has a lightning function built in. It's an awesome light.

D.T.

[digdeepfundraising]

i have a led strobe and a halogen strobe i aslo have some rgb dumb strips that i set to shimmer that look ok too but i woukd say that halogen gets the best effect

[Ponddude]

Just remember the Extreme uses 3 chipped LEDs which means it is like getting 3 LEDs in each single LED. It is more or less like 168 LEDs on one light. Also remember that the Extreme was designed as a floodlight so it has 100degree LEDs for a wider, more even coverage of light.

[bgwyn]

Wow....thanks guys you gave me lots to consider:)