lowepg Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 So I'm trying to wrap my display around the corner of my property a bit more this year (we live on a corner lot!). One element Id like to add is some extra leaping arches.... in fact, I already have 2 made. Here's the dilemma: Do I buy another LOR AC controller *OR* do I simply run extension cord from my other arches to these ones? They WOULD be running the duplicate sequence- so the only thing Id really be using the controller for is wiring simplicity. The other set of arches is about 50 feet away from the existing ones. So, to just "daisy-chain" off my other arches would mean running 50 feet of extension cord x 7 (7-channels). So, economics lean towards extension cords:LOR-16 controller: $2507 50' cords from homedepot: $907 homemade 50' cords (spt-2), approx $60 (about 1/3 of a 1000' spool). Im I missing any other factors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Spt2 is a no brainer in my opinion. I have several miles of it in my display. I have a big corner lot and most controllers are in garage or attached to the back of fence in back yard. Lots of spt... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I agree, more SPT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iflights Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Go for wiring simplicity and buy another controller. Someone had to say it. We're on the LOR forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Buy another controller?? You must be affiliated with LOR. 4+ times the cost and extension cord to power controller, cat5 etc.. Simplicity is 7 extension cords with spt2. Done and wired in less than 10 minutes and saves couple hundred bucks. Again I will say this is a no brainer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Laff Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 You will always need another controller. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 True... But not to power 7 channels that's 50 feet away from existing controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Spt is cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperyclam Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 if you buy the controller you have an excuse to add on next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcruz Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 SPT2 gets my vote. Buy another controller during the next sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve synek Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I say wait till CCP's go on sale and then make arches that can be a million colors..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowepg Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 I think I will try ext cords... The ONLY other reasons I was considering the extra cost of a controller:1. It would let me split up the power supply more (I could feed the remote controller from a seperate circuit)and2. Since the arches only use 7 channels, I *could* put a few other items out nearby (lights on bushes, etc,) with the spare channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I say controller. The most liberating thing I ever did in this hobby was my first spare controller. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portcity_gt Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I had the same problem, i wanted to put candy cane spinners on my house and run them on the controller for the arches....but that was 50' of cord times 16 so almost a full 1000'roll or buy a controller.I ended up just putting the spinners on the fence 15' from the arches and spent $25 on cords lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledan Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I agree with George. Nothing feels better than to have spares. I now have 5 spare controllers and another 2 that are used due to easy installation and not running 1000 feet of spt from garage to lights. I just can't justify spending money on a controller that I could spend a fraction of the money on with running some zipcord. Spend $60 on spt and buy a spare controller is my vote. I have a spare for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffF Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I agree with George. Nothing feels better than to have spares.......I have a spare for everything.And in this case, having said spare would have made this question go unasked. At least here it would of.But if I didn't have either solution already on hand... I'd just go with the cheapest one because that's me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowepg Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 The problem is - every time a buy a controller intended to be a "spare", a week later I've found some new element to use it for! :-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 The problem is - every time a buy a controller intended to be a "spare", a week later I've found some new element to use it for! :-) And now you know how I wound up with 66 of the damn things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viennaxmas Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 The problem is - every time a buy a controller intended to be a "spare", a week later I've found some new element to use it for! :-)right there with you... LOR also has 8 channel boards... They are a bit cheaper and I have a few places where they fit well... I would go for another controller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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