Best Lights/Method to Cover the Front Lawn?

[Rapajez]

My front lawn is on an incline, tipping toward the street. This year I thought it would be cool to devote 8-12 channels to a giant "keyboard" or grid, covering the lawn. Has anyone done anything similar? Please link pictures/video if so.

If you include this in your show, what looks the best? E.g., Strings of evenly spaced colored rope, or do nets look better? I'll probably use LEDs either way, assuming I don't run out of money this year...

I have to get out there with a measuring stick, but I'm estimating the area to be covered is 40' wd, 25' dp. Channels would be assigned left to right.

[Don]

I had a lawn grid set up at my house for many years. The lights were simply incandescent multi-color lights, with 18" spacing. (Why 18"? It worked for my yard.)

Take a look at my 2009 videos (and earlier) to see them in action.

[dknahoolewa]

This is a show I went and saw last year.

He's got a couple things in his yard.

grid up & Down; Left & Right; and circles (Rays) from the trees.

http://www.planochristmaslights.com/Videos/2011.asp

[Rapajez]

I had a lawn grid set up at my house for many years. The lights were simply incandescent multi-color lights, with 18" spacing. (Why 18"? It worked for my yard.)

Take a look at my 2009 videos (and earlier) to see them in action.

I noticed you mentioned only 4 channels North to South, and 4 East to West. I take it you just put every 4th row of lights on the same channel? I hadn't considered doing it that way. Gives the effect of a lot of channels. Thanks!

Considering doing 2 sets, all N to S, that just mirror (opposite of) each other. 16 rows on 8 channels. Depends on my budget I guess.

Edited September 5, 2012 by Rapajez

[Don]

I noticed you mentioned only 4 channels North to South, and 4 East to West. I take it you just put every 4th row of lights on the same channel? I hadn't considered doing it that way. Gives the effect of a lot of channels. Thanks!

Correct. When I grids on both sides of the yard it took a total of 16 channels. (8 for each side.)

Yes, every 4th row was on the same channel.

[Ken Benedict]

I had a 45 foot long piano with 32 keys: http://vimeo.com/18655461

It was hung from the eaves, but could easily be on a lawn.

Each "key" was three strings of 100 mini incandescents (all keys on pulled 32 amps).

[HiTechLights]

I'm currently using 5 horizontal grids of LED net lights that are 4'x6' - each grid is a channel. It has some very nice coverage. The ground they are covering is small rock/pebble. I've found 5mm bulbs on the net lighting to be the best for this purpose as you can walk freely on them and haven't had very many breaks compared to other bulbs. Feel free to checkout some of the older videos I have at www.MyDesertLights.com/gallery.html.

[Klayfish]

I'll jump in on this thread too. I have a similar situation. Going from my front door to the street: It goes about 120' and is relatively flat, just a very slight downward slope. Then the yard goes another 20' or so to the street. That last 20' has a significant downward slope. So cars driving by have an eye level view of the hill. The yard is very wide, but I'm only using about 60-80' of the width. Last year was our first year doing anything on the hill at all, and it wasn't creative. Just made "waves" up and down. We didn't have a controller last year...only thing I had was a 4 channel box meant for DJs that just blinked 1-2-3-4 and only control I had was the speed.

Here's our idea for this year. We plan to use mini lights to make 8 Christmas trees. Best way to think of it would be a "wedge"(?) from a mega tree laid flat on the ground, to look like a Christmas tree. We're also going to get 8 tree toppers to give it a more authentic look. Each tree will have it's own channel. Since we only have one controller, we've only got 16 channels to play with. The remaining 8 will be used for groups of mini-trees on the lawn. Sound like a decent idea??

Here's a picture of our lawn. Sorry it's not a great picture. I thought I had one taken in daylight, but I'll have to take one and post it later. This is from last year...taken from street level. The Santa in his sleigh is right past the top of the hill, where the flat part starts. The lights in the foreground are on the hill.

[Rapajez]

I had a 45 foot long piano with 32 keys: http://vimeo.com/18655461 It was hung from the eaves, but could easily be on a lawn. Each "key" was three strings of 100 mini incandescents (all keys on pulled 32 amps).

Wow, this is exactly what I was picturing in my mind, only vertical. Due to budget contraints, mine probably won't be as intricate or full of lights. Probably just 8 rows on the lawn. Or 16 rows, 2 per channel, mirrored down the center. Are the upper level of keys RGB lights, or just 3 different sets of single-colors? How many channels did everything take?

I'll jump in on this thread too. I have a similar situation. Going from my front door to the street: It goes about 120' and is relatively flat, just a very slight downward slope. Then the yard goes another 20' or so to the street. That last 20' has a significant downward slope. So cars driving by have an eye level view of the hill. The yard is very wide, but I'm only using about 60-80' of the width. Last year was our first year doing anything on the hill at all, and it wasn't creative. Just made "waves" up and down. We didn't have a controller last year...only thing I had was a 4 channel box meant for DJs that just blinked 1-2-3-4 and only control I had was the speed. Here's our idea for this year. We plan to use mini lights to make 8 Christmas trees. Best way to think of it would be a "wedge"(?) from a mega tree laid flat on the ground, to look like a Christmas tree. We're also going to get 8 tree toppers to give it a more authentic look. Each tree will have it's own channel. Since we only have one controller, we've only got 16 channels to play with. The remaining 8 will be used for groups of mini-trees on the lawn. Sound like a decent idea?? Here's a picture of our lawn. Sorry it's not a great picture. I thought I had one taken in daylight, but I'll have to take one and post it later. This is from last year...taken from street level. The Santa in his sleigh is right past the top of the hill, where the flat part starts. The lights in the foreground are on the hill.

Sounds like a unique idea. Be sure to post the results! I have a small lawn, so I'm trying to do a lot with the space. I'll post a screenshot from the animation screen, once I get it drawn.

[Ken Benedict]

Wow, this is exactly what I was picturing in my mind, only vertical. Due to budget contraints, mine probably won't be as intricate or full of lights. Probably just 8 rows on the lawn. Or 16 rows, 2 per channel, mirrored down the center. Are the upper level of keys RGB lights, or just 3 different sets of single-colors? How many channels did everything take?

The red and green things are supposed to be Christmas presents, but I haven't put a bow on the top yet. They are just mini incandescent lights wrapped around electrical conduit. I do a few things with them, but mostly for "eye candy". Simple to make and nothing ever goes wrong with them. Total was 80 channels, but that was also including the happy faces on top (custom design by Holidaycoro.com).

[TJ Hvasta]

Strings with widely spaced bulbs.. http://lawnlights.com/ may or may not work for inclined yards..

[czajkaej]

Here is another example of what I am doing with my piano. I am planning on just zigging a 70 could white string in a box shape for each key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDZAuuA_Ueo

I am doing more with my setup, but I don't have videos yet. I treat my piano like an arch with some of the effects I use on Wizards in Winter, but I still play the notes when that instrument is emphasized in the song. On another, I use my 13 keys to show a couple walking together, and dancing in front of my "Winter Wonderland".

[jeff bush]

Strings with widely spaced bulbs.. http://lawnlights.com/ may or may not work for inclined yards..

I used these last year. Ran them static and they lasted about 4 days. Fuses were good. Good effect but I would not recommend them based on my experience.

[TJ Hvasta]

Jeff, did you write them and claim warranty?

[jeff bush]

Tj,

No I didn't even think about it to be honest. I set them in place before I set the rest of the lawn decor out. I tripped over the little metal light sticks to keep them out of the water/off the lawn itself which was probably my fault but the sticks blend in so well with the grass they were hard to see! I just unplugged the lights and moved on with the show without them. Probably should have sent them back, very good point.

[Guest wbottomley]

I usually load a strand or two LED's in a potato gun and shoot them up in the air. They land some place in the lawn then I connect a cord. People compliment how they look and ask how I get that effect. When I tell them, they look at me like I'm crazy just like you are reading this post.

[TitusCarnathan]

I just grab the lights and throw them off of my roof and let them land where they land the samy way I decorate a tree just throw the balls and lights on the tree where they land thats where they go

[TitusCarnathan]

but in reality I make a boxed grid individually controlling each string as seen in my videos on bearmountchristmas.webs.com

[Onewish1]

I used these last year. Ran them static and they lasted about 4 days. Fuses were good. Good effect but I would not recommend them based on my experience.

oh no.. I bought those lawn lights and we didn't use them yet.. you broke my heart.. we have a slope in front as well.. always a challange

[magish01]

Tie the lights to the neighbors cat, then release my dog.