3-D Tree for next year

[aegault]

I've currently got a star with trails in my show that uses 12 channels.

 

I think I'd like to maybe switch to a 3D tree (the ones in a cone shape). It would be just LED light strings, not RGB. I've got maybe 2-3 other extra channels left so it could be up to 14-15 channels which could give me a color change?

 

How many channels would one of those take? I'm thinking anywhere from 12-20' tall.

[Need more lights]

If you did 100 light strings, they are about 33' long. if you looped over and back down, it would double your drops at 16' tall. How many colors do you want to do? if the main 4 RGBW is what you are looking for, then there is 4 channels per drop 1r 1g 1b 1w=4 ...so 16 channels would give you 8/ 4 color drops when doubled over. You need 4 100 light strings of each of the 4 colors then (16 strings). It wouldn't be a tight tree, but it would give you that color change your looking for. You can always add another 16 channels later to tighten it up...Gets pricey quick!  This is why I'm going RGB  

Edited December 28, 2015 by Need more lights

[Ron Boyd]

That height, will, IMHO, will be quite thin, especially using multiple colors. If you will only be using 14-15 channels, one color would look best. If I were to do another tree like this, it would be 14-16 channels per color. Just my opinion.

[dougd]

You could do 4 channels per color. Another option is to do 1 main color with 8 channels. Then do 2 channels for the rest of the colors.

 

Not sure If there are and 33 fool long 100 count strings anymore. Most of the newer strings are much shorter I thought.

[Need more lights]

You could do 4 channels per color. Another option is to do 1 main color with 8 channels. Then do 2 channels for the rest of the colors.

 

Not sure If there are and 33 fool long 100 count strings anymore. Most of the newer strings are much shorter I thought.

Environmental LED has them. 4" spacing

 http://www.environmentalled.com/C6-LED-Christmas-Lights-100L-Blue-p1930.html

[aesl1982]

Holiday lights express and Cdi all Ur online vendors has 33' strings of 100

[Max-Paul]

I really dont think you can do this without adding more channels. But I could be wrong.

 

My tree is 17' tall. Last year I had 12 100 ct strings from CDI. Times 3, 12 strings Red, 12 strings Green, and 12 strings White. With 3 controllers mounted on the pipe. That leaves 12 channels left over for things like 3 channels for a 3D start. 3 more for strobes. I like to stagger the starting of the strobes to help with randomizing. I have a 3', 4', & 6' spiral tree. Snoopy and nativity one two more channels. So I am down to one spare channel.

 

And frankly I would love to add a 4th controller for Blue.

 

Ok I have now upgraded to 24 strings per color. With just one 100 ct string I was going up and back down about 15" apart on the 10' dia ring at the base. Now I have an upside down "W" the three points are about 7.5" apart. Much fuller looking now. But also it catches the wind much more too. The more strands, the better you should anchor the guy wires.

 

IMHO 16' tall is to short, 17' just barely makes it. And if I was to do it over, I would go 18' tall. My ring is made up of 3 - 10' x 3/4" plastic PVC conduit. And I found that I needed to get 4 12' long screw anchors to keep the bottom ring where it is supposed to be.

 

I know, more than you want to invest at this time. But all of the short cuts I have heard leave me wanting to see these trees in operation. I just cant imagine how they look.