Extending My Candy Canes

[MikeERWNC]

31 minutes ago, k6ccc said:

The biggest issue with that is he now gets to buy another 2 miles of wire.  Just running eight runs of 450 feet is about 3500 feet.  Making it 32 channels adds about 10,000 feet to that.

 

Not if he puts the controllers near the props.

Less distance = Less wire.

His yard is only 150x75 right? That is what is up top.

There is NO WAY he needs to be running 450 feet of cord. He can put the controller in a garbage bag in the front yard and run the cord from there. The longest possible run would be 75 feet in either direction.

As for the 450 feet? He should bury 1 1/2" conduit and run 450 feet of 12/2 with 450 feet of CAT5e to where the controllers are being placed.

[k6ccc]

Read post 9 in the thread.  He explains exactly what he is doing and why he needs 450 feet per channel with the controller at the first prop - and he does.  No way around it.  Actually it is a few feet less, but not much.

 

[HSSUSC]

1 hour ago, k6ccc said:

Read post 9 in the thread.  He explains exactly what he is doing and why he needs 450 feet per channel with the controller at the first prop - and he does.  No way around it.  Actually it is a few feet less, but not much.

 

Who'da thunk some cheap $3 candy canes would turn in to such a project?!?! If they didn't look so good, or last so long, I would've just scrapped the whole thing...But, here we are.

[HSSUSC]

2 hours ago, MikeERWNC said:

Not if he puts the controllers near the props.

Less distance = Less wire.

His yard is only 150x75 right? That is what is up top.

There is NO WAY he needs to be running 450 feet of cord. He can put the controller in a garbage bag in the front yard and run the cord from there. The longest possible run would be 75 feet in either direction.

As for the 450 feet? He should bury 1 1/2" conduit and run 450 feet of 12/2 with 450 feet of CAT5e to where the controllers are being placed.

I think your thinking about pixels... I am using traditional incandescent lights (AC) in these canes.

1 hour ago, k6ccc said:

Read post 9 in the thread.  He explains exactly what he is doing and why he needs 450 feet per channel with the controller at the first prop - and he does.  No way around it.  Actually it is a few feet less, but not much.

 

Ugh, math... With the one 450' run, I'll need 3376' of SPT. If I add a second controller, I'll only need 2720'. So, yeah, a second controller would need less cable, but it has the added expense of a second controller.

[TheDucks]

8 minutes ago, HSSUSC said:

I think your thinking about pixels... I am using traditional incandescent lights (AC) in these canes.

Ugh, math... With the one 450' run, I'll need 3376' of SPT. If I add a second controller, I'll only need 2720'. So, yeah, a second controller would need less cable, but it has the added expense of a second controller.

Try and find 4 used Gen2's .That way  38' would be your longest run (controller in the middle a PAIR of  75' sections. . A side benefit. spare channels (or more props). You probably can find used CTB16'sfor about the price of a1Kft of SPT

[HSSUSC]

2 minutes ago, TheDucks said:

Try and find 4 used Gen2's .That way  38' would be your longest run (controller in the middle a PAIR of  75' sections. . A side benefit. spare channels (or more props). You probably can find used CTB16'sfor about the price of a1Kft of SPT

What I NEED is a smaller fn yard! LOL

[TheDucks]

18 minutes ago, HSSUSC said:

What I NEED is a smaller fn yard! LOL

I don't know many who do all 4 sides. Your yard is a bit bigger than my small yard (60'x110'. Only 20' is in front and there are 2 drives)

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, TheDucks said:

I don't know many who do all 4 sides. Your yard is a bit bigger than my small yard (60'x110'. Only 20' is in front and there are 2 drives)

Im with you on this. 

Save the cost, have your candy cane chase on one side and something totally different on the other. A viewer can only see what's in the FOV at any given time.

Besides, there are so many different numbers being brought up in this thread by the time I got done reading I didn't even know how big the yard is.

I did see something that I didn't like though. Where I live you cannot "legally" run network cable and electrical cable in the same conduit under ground. A few years ago I wired both of my barns, that was the code. Had to have 2 separate trenches as well.

JR

[~DOC~]

4 hours ago, HSSUSC said:

What I NEED is a smaller fn yard! LOL

UGH I have between 300 to 350 feet front road. I see my yard is going to be more copper than grass in the future.😖

[MikeERWNC]

8 hours ago, dibblejr said:

 

I did see something that I didn't like though. Where I live you cannot "legally" run network cable and electrical cable in the same conduit under ground. A few years ago I wired both of my barns, that was the code. Had to have 2 separate trenches as well.

JR

I am not sure about the legality of this.

As an IT guy: Technically the power interferes with the data transfer. I would assume this is more for high voltage. I run three power and one data in my 1 1/2 pipe to my front yard. There have been no issues. I would think this rule was written in the early days of data cable, CAT5. CAT5e and CAT6 have different twists to keep down data loss.

 

6 hours ago, ~DOC~ said:

UGH I have between 300 to 350 feet front road. I see my yard is going to be more copper than grass in the future.😖

 

I have 250 feet. Like I posted before. I just put the controllers close to the props. I still have miles of wire on the ground, but I don't have super long runs. 50' is about my longest SPT run.

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, MikeERWNC said:

I am not sure about the legality of this.

As an IT guy: Technically the power interferes with the data transfer. I would assume this is more for high voltage. I run three power and one data in my 1 1/2 pipe to my front yard. There have been no issues. I would think this rule was written in the early days of data cable, CAT5. CAT5e and CAT6 have different twists to keep down data loss.

 

 

I have 250 feet. Like I posted before. I just put the controllers close to the props. I still have miles of wire on the ground, but I don't have super long runs. 50' is about my longest SPT run.

As for legalities - if I didn’t do it that way with the separate trenches, srperate conduitd etc. it was simple- no pass inspection.

Since one day I may want to sell my home I preferred to pass the inspection and have it certified.  

Back in my younger days I probably would have just ran it all together not carring or even getting the building permits.

But having permitted work always adds to the home resale value.

JR

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, MikeERWNC said:

I am not sure about the legality of this.

As an IT guy: Technically the power interferes with the data transfer. I would assume this is more for high voltage. I run three power and one data in my 1 1/2 pipe to my front yard. There have been no issues. I would think this rule was written in the early days of data cable, CAT5. CAT5e and CAT6 have different twists to keep down data loss.

Almost all US jurisdictions use the NEC (at  least as a starting point). Class 2 can not occupy the same raceway as class 1 (120V power).. I assume Jr's 2 ditches were the narrow, Ditch witch size. A backhoe dug width ditch usually meets the required spacing (I don't remember the number), BUT as you pointed out: NOISE coupling AVOIDANCE is an absolute, especially on longer runs. (PVC conduit provides no EMI shielding)

And for those of you that live in Lightning areas. Lightning protection on BOTH ENDS of your underground CAT5 .. Induced currents from strikes a block away can fry the RS485 drivers (or more)

Something like

https://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-Ethernet-Protector-Lightning-Protection/dp/B00FY7GMEW?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00FY7GMEW Be sure to well ground that green wire

[MikeERWNC]

No inspections here...

I buried the conduit. I run the wire in October and pull it out in January.

I didn't want permanent power and data cable all over my yard.

[TheDucks]

42 minutes ago, MikeERWNC said:

No inspections here...

I buried the conduit. I run the wire in October and pull it out in January.

I didn't want permanent power and data cable all over my yard.

We are not talking about INSPECTIONS. Those particular rules are about SAFETY.  I will agree that I find a bunch of code changes since the 70's seem to be more about selling $OLUTION$ to very rare, and probably, un-inspected, poor quality work (who would skip those solutions to begin with). Low voltage and High voltage need separation. Pulling wire risks abrading the insulation. Add othe elements found outdoors, and you can energize the low voltage lines to a higher level and a user may tot suspect there is now 120V on the cover of a phone plug

[ericm]

if you end needing all that SPT1 wire, I can get you 1000' for $135 shipped to you.

[dibblejr]

8 hours ago, TheDucks said:

Almost all US jurisdictions use the NEC (at  least as a starting point). Class 2 can not occupy the same raceway as class 1 (120V power).. I assume Jr's 2 ditches were the narrow, Ditch witch size. A backhoe dug width ditch usually meets the required spacing (I don't remember the number), BUT as you pointed out: NOISE coupling AVOIDANCE is an absolute, especially on longer runs. (PVC conduit provides no EMI shielding)

And for those of you that live in Lightning areas. Lightning protection on BOTH ENDS of your underground CAT5 .. Induced currents from strikes a block away can fry the RS485 drivers (or more)

Something like

https://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-Ethernet-Protector-Lightning-Protection/dp/B00FY7GMEW?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00FY7GMEW Be sure to well ground that green wire

Yes, ditch witch but the size of the trench never came up. Only the depth.

I have seen the results of power spikes in low voltage wiring before.

I have also seen a guy on fire from an arch. The same arch that blew him over 40’ in the air off his rubber insulator mat.

I had a few years as the Maint supervisor in the NC prison system. We had to hire a contractor to install our facility backup generator. The service pole he was working with and should have had Carolina Power disconnect was very old.

When he attempted I remove the terminal lug, it fell apart causing the ark. I was speaking to the Suoerintendent when the call cane over the radio.

Not a pretty sight and even though all of his clothes were gone , hair gone and skin black he survived. Not sure if it had long term affects in his internal organs or not.

The Army offered me a chance to finish my military career and I took it.

I am HVAC and electrical certified- well was but other than my own stuff or helping others haven’t went back in business.

 

JR

[TheDucks]

19 minutes ago, dibblejr said:

Yes, ditch witch but the size of the trench never came up. Only the depth.

I have seen the results of power spikes in low voltage wiring before.

I have also seen a guy on fire from an arch. The same arch that blew him over 40’ in the air off his rubber insulator mat.

I had a few years as the Maint supervisor in the NC prison system. We had to hire a contractor to install our facility backup generator. The service pole he was working with and should have had Carolina Power disconnect was very old.

When he attempted I remove the terminal lug, it fell apart causing the ark. I was speaking to the Suoerintendent when the call cane over the radio.

Not a pretty sight and even though all of his clothes were gone , hair gone and skin black he survived. Not sure if it had long term affects in his internal organs or not.

The Army offered me a chance to finish my military career and I took it.

I am HVAC and electrical certified- well was but other than my own stuff or helping others haven’t went back in business.

 

JR

I had a 480V contactor in my radar set, blow up in my face, the only thing that save my face was the 100A breaker I was operating that was directly in front. My ears rang for 3 days. Turned out the body had carbon tracked between phases.