Just wanted to introduce myself

[asl9622]

Hey everyone! My wife and really want to do a light show this year. I was curious as to how people ran their wires to the controller. I have a two story house and would love to do the lights around the window but have no idea how to attractively run the extension cords to the controller. I am not trying to run a bunch through the house. Any ideas? Thanks. 

[dgrant]

Hi back and welcome to the madness! I can't speak for everyone else but in my case, the windows are done on the outside via frames that I created and hang in each of 8 windows. The controllers are outside so its just extension cords.

[toddm1919]

We have vinyl siding and run the extension cords from our windows in J-channel like this:

We run them over to the down spouts then down to the controllers. You can fit six heavy duty (outdoor) extension cords in them without them showing. The J-channel blends in with the siding so you can barely tell that they are there.

[zeighty]

Really depends on the building material. my roofline lights are fed by cords at the corners. Unless you use a lot of white on for long periods or floods, most people are not going to notice cords if you keep them neat.

Welcome aboard!

[dgrant]

I agree. At night, you never see the cords if you run them off the lower corners and even if across a roof, they don't show up in the dark. Now during the day, it looks terrible...lol, as its been commented too me several times but at night, no cords and lots of pretty lights. If was entering the light fight contest, I'd be hiding cords.

[WhitePlainsNY]

I used the props to hide the cords. The two 12 channel candy cane spinners on the front of my house was a challenge. If you use zipcord then the diameter of the cord is less noticeable if it ends up being out in the open like my attic window frame.

[asl9622]

Thanks for all the responses. I will just be creative with all your tips! I am excited to be a part of this community. Everyone is so nice and helpful.

[Vince4xmas]

Hide as best you can. However, remember:

 

When it's dark outside and the light show run is running, no one cares when your cords are.

[circleracer44]

With me i have made up frames out of pvc that hook to my windows as my house is brick and i use a dark SPT cord (Brown) that runs down to the ground hardly noticable from the road and the dark color of them when the show is going you dont see them at all as it blends in with the brick. Welcome to the crazy hobby of the blinky light sindrome

[George Simmons]

IMO one of the biggest wastes of time and angst by new people is worrying about making everything too perfect.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't take care to keep your yard from looking like a slob convention was just held there.  But rather you should spend more time on your sequencing and less time sweating the small stuff. 

 

I personally don't much care what the display looks like during the day, because I'm not putting it together for daytime viewing. And I no longer sweat what to do with infrastructure items that just can't be put any other place.  One year early on I obsessed about 2 different controllers sitting out in the middle of the yard and about having lights on in a couple of the rooms in the house facing the display.  I went out on any number of occasions (at least half a dozen times, probably more) to check things out and to see how bad that looked from the street.  Once I got outside and started watching the lights I never even thought of those things again until well after I got back inside.  True story. 

 

I'll tell you, what a weight it was lifted from my shoulders when that light of realization came on in my brain.

[asl9622]

IMO one of the biggest wastes of time and angst by new people is worrying about making everything too perfect. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take care to keep your yard from looking like a slob convention was just held there. But rather you should spend more time on your sequencing and less time sweating the small stuff.

I personally don't much care what the display looks like during the day, because I'm not putting it together for daytime viewing. And I no longer sweat what to do with infrastructure items that just can't be put any other place. One year early on I obsessed about 2 different controllers sitting out in the middle of the yard and about having lights on in a couple of the rooms in the house facing the display. I went out on any number of occasions (at least half a dozen times, probably more) to check things out and to see how bad that looked from the street. Once I got outside and started watching the lights I never even thought of those things again until well after I got back inside. True story.

I'll tell you, what a weight it was lifted from my shoulders when that light of realization came on in my brain.

Appreciate the response. My fear about the cords is that my homeowners association will say something if the set up is completely unattractive during the day. I am reaching out to them before I buy a ton of lights etc. Also where do y'all buy your lights?

[dgrant]

I'm on our POA and addressed it head on the first year I ran this. There were no compaints. As for buying lights, the better quality ones are online and there's many sources in here or referenced here in the forums. I have bought a lot of big box store LED's and most seem to work well without spending as much for the good ones. I did however get good ones for my megatrees and so far, they've worked great for the past two years.

[asl9622]

Well here is my last question before I start ordering. I plan on doing rgb lights in the future. Should I just invest now on the proper controllers and start now with rgbs or can the basic light controller still be used when I make the transition? I guess I just don't want to spend money on one controller then a year from now make the switch and have to buy a new controller, power supply etc? Thanks everyone!

[Don]

Well here is my last question before I start ordering. I plan on doing rgb lights in the future. Should I just invest now on the proper controllers and start now with rgbs or can the basic light controller still be used when I make the transition? I guess I just don't want to spend money on one controller then a year from now make the switch and have to buy a new controller, power supply etc? Thanks everyone!

 

The Light-O-Rama Cosmic Color Ribbons, Bulbs and Pixels come with their own controller and power supplies. If you decide to order them in the future, you will get the controllers needed to run them. The 16 Channel AC controllers from LOR can not control the bulbs, pixels or ribbon.

 

The 'dumb' RGB strips require a DC power source and controller. The CMB24D is a good choice for a controller. LOR sells a power supply, or your can get one on your own.

[dgrant]

RGB, there are two flavors...dumb and smart. Sort of depends on your plans. I'll say its very late in the season to start on those but its all a matter of money and time. Dumb RGB will get you a whole strip that you can change its colors but on the entire strip. They require a DC controller that LOR carries but you'll also need a power supply and the RGB strips. The controller will run 8 strips or sets of strips depending on the power supply capability. Now smart RGB or pixels, require a special controller card such as a San Devices card or a Joshua Systems card. Both work using E1.31 protocol which LOR supports. With these, you'll also need a power supply, pixels and same with the DC controller, you'll need a enclosure to protect either from the elements.

 

So, its all in what you wish to accomplish.

[asl9622]

RGB, there are two flavors...dumb and smart. Sort of depends on your plans. I'll say its very late in the season to start on those but its all a matter of money and time. Dumb RGB will get you a whole strip that you can change its colors but on the entire strip. They require a DC controller that LOR carries but you'll also need a power supply and the RGB strips. The controller will run 8 strips or sets of strips depending on the power supply capability. Now smart RGB or pixels, require a special controller card such as a San Devices card or a Joshua Systems card. Both work using E1.31 protocol which LOR supports. With these, you'll also need a power supply, pixels and same with the DC controller, you'll need a enclosure to protect either from the elements.

So, its all in what you wish to accomplish.

Perfect answer. I wws reading the light o rama store and had one question. Does the rgb controller work on its own or do you still need the light o Rama 16 channel one? Because I would rather buy two of the controller cards for rgb than the other controller set. For now I am going to do dumb rgb just to have color variance.

[George Simmons]

Each controller type is separate.  You don't need any minimum number of controllers.  They're mix and match as your display expands.

Edited October 14, 2014 by George Simmons

[asl9622]

Each controller type is separate. You don't need any minimum number of controllers. They're mix and match as your display expands.

Thank you for the prompt answers. I think I will purchase the RGB dumb controller and use the color options of the ribbons. Keep adding over the years.

[Victor Degroot]

We just used "giant staples" i guess you might call them that, to put rope light around the windows. we just ran extension cords straight down.

 

https://plus.google.com/104250929778785906676/posts/dsJd9GStXBd?pid=6069880483654529794&oid=104250929778785906676

[dgrant]

Perfect answer. I wws reading the light o rama store and had one question. Does the rgb controller work on its own or do you still need the light o Rama 16 channel one? Because I would rather buy two of the controller cards for rgb than the other controller set. For now I am going to do dumb rgb just to have color variance.

The CMB24 connects to the standard LOR network via Cat5/6 so you sequence it as you wish. The strips will connect to the controller. You must have a power supply for it to handle whatever load. Each RGB strip only has four wires, +12V, R, G, B. So you need to think about extensions to the controller location. Being this is low voltage, line loss of the wire needs to be considered. The larger the wire, the less loss.