Visualizer and Pixel strip direction

[mking0310]

I have been unable to find out how to tell the LOR Software that I have some strips that start from the bottom,  and some that start from the top.

And I am having problems with injecting power.

 

I couldn't upload the photos due to size, so I uploaded more details to my dropbox page.  I realize it is a bit unorthodox but I wanted to describe things as thoroughly as possible. 

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/spa/pbm4rut0gwi7qef/rgb_pixels/index.html

[k6ccc]

I'm going to start with your power injection questions.

1.  Two power supplies gives more capacity.  For example using the 12V 29A supplies that Ray Wu (and others) sell.  If you have enough pixels that you have a maximum current draw of 35 Amps, you need the second supply because the first supply can't supply 35 Amps.

 

2.  From the drawing, they are showing feeding the pixel strip at the beginning, the middle and the end.  Part of where you feed power depends on the logistics of your installation.  For example I have some strips in my front yard in front of my 17 roses.  I am feeding 8 roses on one strip and 9 on the other for a total distance of a little over 40 feet of strip.  Both strips are a little over a 5 meters of actual strip with about 18 inches of wire between each one.  I found that there was a little bit too much voltage drop to the last couple roses.  Because it was convenient from the conduit I already had installed, I fed power to the strips at the point between three and four roses from the end of each strip.  I could have fed power at the end as the drawing shows, but it was convenient to do it where I did.  However elsewhere in my yard I have two strips on either side of a planter.  Each strip is about 30 feet long.  I am feeding power at one end of the strip from the E6804 and from the other end via a separate fuse.  In both of my cases, the E6804 power and the power injection is coming from the same power supply.

 

3.  Sounds about what I would expect.

 

4.  Almost anything.  Used to be a I would suggest going to a Radio Shack store to get fuses and holders.  These days I would recommend either an auto parts store or a car stereo type store.  The picture looks like it's automotive type fuses.

 

Now for the other questions.  If I were doing what you are doing, I would inject power every time the strings got to the bottom of the tree.  Likely a bit of overkill, but that's the way I tend to build things..

 

If you are using a Sandevices E1.31 controller (and the bottom drawing shows), you can use the zig zag command to make it appear to be that all the pixels are the same direction.  Easier than dealing with the software in my opinion.

[KStatefan]

If you are using one power supply I would do as Jim suggested and inject at the bottom.  12+ to 12+ and 12- to 12- and leave the data continuous.

 

My visualization is drawn with half the stands starting at the bottom and half at the top.

[mking0310]

Jim, lots of good info. Thank you. 

The bottom drawing is something I found to illustrate power questions only.  I'm just using a holiday coro tiny pix, one output.  Thus, I'm not sure what the zig zag command is but if you have any suggestions on how to get my pixels to operate in the same direction, that would be huge! 

 

I appreciate the time you spent answering my questions. After doing so much reading, and not finding the answers, I decided to finally post. I didn't want to have to go back and forth answering detail questions if I could give as much detail in the beginning, without making someone read a bunch of abbreviations and bs. ... I envy the day that I'm givin advice to newbies.