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RGB Snowflake Line Complete (w/video)


jrock_at_rons

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After months of cut up fingers (from zip ties), burns (from soldering) and more burns (from butane torch shrink wrapping)... my 27-channel 9 snowflake line is complete (aside from mounting).  They will display vertically on the front of the house from the second story down to the ground. 

 

 

Many thanks to everyone on the forums for answering all my questions (John Storms, Darryl, sax, George Simmons, gmacw, sax, k6ccc) about RGB, channel loads, soldering, sequencing and Ken Benedict for the original idea.  

 

The sequence is just something I through together to test the colors and see them in action. 

 

If you have any questions as to how I completed any of it, let me know (or suggestions to make it better). 

Edited by jrock_at_rons
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Great job!

 

The only suggestion I have is you should bring it to my house.  :D

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Very nice! Where did the snowflakes originally come from?

Jrock

I am also interested in where you purchased the snowflakes or did you make them.  If yo made them, do you have a template that you can share?

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Very nice! Where did the snowflakes originally come from?

 

The snowflakes themselves are 24" Philips snowflakes from Target.  I got them when the Christmas decorations were marked down 90% at the end of last season (I think I raided 4 local stores to grab the 9 I have).  I don't see them listed on the Target site yet.  There is a brief picture of the box in Ken Benedicts video in this post. 

 

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/34954-converted-retail-snowflake-to-rgb/?hl=%2Bretail+%2Bsnowflake

 

I basically, zip-tied 26 RGB modules to the inside of each one, pigtailed the 'arm' connections and then connected them to the power/signal source in the middle.  Voila! 4 months later, you have a snowflake line.

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I put mine on flag poles.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/33h6zhyzz5y3e1b/20150913_185555.jpg?dl=0

 

They will go side by side in the yard.  Will be fun. 

 

Plasma, do you have any more detailed plans/pics on how you attached them to the lines?  I was think of something similar but using plastic chain to individually link them together (so I could store them individually at the end of the season.  Thanks.  

 

PS... if you have a video of them running, I'd love to see it. 

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Plasma, do you have any more detailed plans/pics on how you attached them to the lines?  I was think of something similar but using plastic chain to individually link them together (so I could store them individually at the end of the season.  Thanks.  

 

PS... if you have a video of them running, I'd love to see it. 

The way I attached them was with wire ties.  I put some silicon tubing (the kind the waterproof RGB flex strip are in) as a buffer between the steel cable and the Star Flake (I call mine Star Flakes because they will Act as Stars or Flakes).  I zip tie them on at several point and I also use a nut, bolt and two washers to pinch the cable at the bottom of the SF so they won't slip down in the wind.

 

I have a short test video but it is not that great.. But you can get the idea. This is only 12 of them.  These are 90 pixels each (270 channels). 

 

Craig

Edited by plasmadrive
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  • 1 month later...

Here is what I finally decided in terms of mounting them to the house.  Each snowflake hangs from a 1x2 with white plastic chain attached to the rung above it.  When putting them up, I simply started from the top and hung each one to the rung above it.  I'll do the reverse coming down.  It seems to have worked beautifully.  I thought they might blow a lot in the wind but so far nothing. 

 

I'll hopefully be able to get some video this weekend. 

 

post-14207-0-47778600-1447952413_thumb.j

Edited by jrock_at_rons
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Here is what I finally decided in terms of mounting them to the house.  Each snowflake hangs from a 1x2 with white plastic chain attached to the rung above it.  When putting them up, I simply started from the top and hung each one to the rung above it.  I'll do the reverse coming down.  It seems to have worked beautifully.  I thought they might blow a lot in the wind but so far nothing. 

 

I'll hopefully be able to get some video this weekend. 

 

attachicon.gif11-19-2015 11-00-20 AM.jpg

Very clean.. I like it.  

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