When do you make your SPT wires? Before or during set up?

[Klayfish]

I'm mapping out the rest of my display for 2013. I'm only going to have 32 channels for the "show". We planned the layout for them a few months back. They're in relative proximity to each other, which is great. But my overal display is going to be much larger. Lots of artificial trees, lights, signs, a few blow ups, even a car or two (full size). That stuff will all be static. I really wish I could have more channels, but I'm so incredibly limited in time to sequence, it's all I can handle. Static stuff takes less time. Anyhow, it's going to be spread out over a fairly large area, about 300' x 100' square. I haven't mapped out where it's all going yet. As I'm contemplating ideas in my head, I started wondering about the cords. I know I'm going to need more cord for this year, as my overall display is going to be significantly bigger than last year.

When do you guys make your cords? If you do it months in advance, how do you know how long to make each cord? Do you map and measure the exact placement of everything in your yard? I would think that would get cumbersome if you have a lot of props/electrical connections spread out over a large area. You'd have to be pretty precise in measurement (and what do you measure from?). Or do you set up your layout first, then the last thing you do is set up all the electrical and make the cords then? That's what I did last year. I laid all my stuff out, and my last few days before showtime were devoted to running all the electrical. I mapped the schematics of it out in advance, so I already knew what cords would go where. But I didn't actually make them until after it was all set up.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Klayfish

[WilliamS]

I built them after the props are in place, gave myself 5 extra feet on each one for small changes or movement if someone snags one by accident.

[MCas4380]

I like to make my cord once the props are in place them label them for next year.

[Gary Blair]

I would do it at time of set up.  Too many things can change from planning your display to actually setting it up.  In addtion making cords is not all that time consumming in the scheme of things. 

[james campbell]

I did mine both ways. The first year I put out my props in July and ran the cords and made them then(I also started with 32 channels my first year) second year I made most of the cords during setup. I did premake my rgb cords for my rgb mini trees.  one thing I will say it takes some time to make the cords but if you do it right and label them as you go it will save tons of time next season

Edited April 19, 2013 by james campbell

[George Simmons]

I try to do it during the warmer months when the wire isn't so brittle and my fingers have feeling in them. Like William, I usually make them just a titch longer than needed to allow for human variation.

[Max-Paul]

During the summer. I have a CAD program and have the front yard drawn out in 1' grids and from that I can figure out to a foot how long I need my cables. But still cut them abt 3' longer for just in case.

[Mike C.]

last year was my first year making custom lengthed extension cords. After the first 10/15 I got pretty comfortable, and by the end on the 1000 feet I was pumping them out like clock work.

[LORisAwesome]

I made them during setup and labeled them with labels from one of these.  http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PT1290-Home-Office-Labeler/dp/B002KT1ZX0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1366476858&sr=8-3&keywords=brother+label+maker

 

I label the male plugs with the controller address and channel number.  I sometimes put colored electrical tape at the female end so I can easily tell what color string it is used for.   Sometimes I put a label on the female end.  It depends on what it is used for.

 

If you have multiple runs that start and end at the same places, it is quicker to have multiple spools of SPT.   For example I have 5 controllers that control the roof all mounted in about the same place, and I use four colors in my display.  So there are four runs of SPT for each location on the roof.  I bought four spools of SPT, and it went much quicker because I could make four runs at a time.  It took almost 4000 feet of spt to do my roof, so it worked out pretty good having four spools.

 

Jerry

Edited April 20, 2013 by LORisAwesome

[gmac]

Ditto to what every one else mentioned..........One thing I do is tape multiple extention cords together that are going to the same element or close by elements (I make sort of a wire chase) Takes only a few minutes but saves tons of time taking them up and installing the next season and believe it or not there is hardly no tangeling when wrapping or unwrapping....I also use a silver sharpie marker to label the plug ends.

[Klayfish]

Thanks gang! I feel better knowing that I did it pretty much the same way you guys did last year. This years display is going to differ significantly from last year, so I'll have to repurpose the SPT cords I made last year. So that'll be a bit of a challege, trying to find which cords will fit where. But I did label them all, so that'll help a lot.

Max-Paul,

I wish I had the skills to do it all on a computer program. But I'm literally drawing my schematics on 2 pieces of large construction paper...

Edited April 22, 2013 by Klayfish

[PaulXmas]

I make them as I need them.

One end of the spool at the controller pull untill I reach the place I need place a female end on, go to controller end cut place a male end on plug in done!