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Light Strip Decisions


martsycart

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Does anyone have any videos they can share of a roofline done with pixel strips, and which strips you used? I'm trying to decide if I want to go with strips (yes I know the nodes/bullets are easier to repair) and how much spacing between pixels I want. My neighborhood is one of those ones where the houses are basically on top of each other, so viewers are pretty close when they're watching the show. 

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My roofline is using GE Color Effects bulbs and the spacing is something like 8 inches between bulbs.  The photo below shows what those bulbs look like, but is not on the roofline.  The lit part of each bulb is larger than a C7, but smaller than a C9 bulb.  I don't have any video that shows the roofline because I added them after the last time I shot video.

As for pixel nodes vs strips, I am pretty much getting away from strips as much as practical.  Nodes are SO MUCH easier to repair.  Personally I prefer the look of individual nodes over strips for a roofline.  Looks far more like Christmas as opposed to a Las Vegas casino - but that's my opinion...

 

GECE_dual_mounting.jpg

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Mine are ribbons which are mounted on 1/2 inch pvc which are installed beneath the eaves. Decisions, decisions, decisions.20190815_122158.jpg.cd980c7a02ad9c20152c01938ddbb36f.jpg

Edited by Mr. P
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Check my How to Video at around the 7:08 mark to see how I did mine.  The only difference now is that I replaced them with Pixel Strips and in the video I was using Dumb Strips, the outcome is basically the same.  I leave them up all year for use with each major holiday.  You can see them in action in any of my other videos.  At 10:55 you can see them on the Roof Ridge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5i2F72IyBY

1 hour ago, k6ccc said:

Personally I prefer the look of individual nodes over strips for a roofline.  Looks far more like Christmas as opposed to a Las Vegas casino - but that's my opinion...

It's funny you say that.  The first time I didn't use them everyone asked where they went, so I went back to using them.

 

 

 

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13 minutes ago, Little_b said:

Check my How to Video at around the 7:08 mark to see how I did mine. 

Whew, it sounds really cold in that video ;) Where did you get the strips? I'm trying to decide if I want to spend the extra money for ones with the pixels closer together or not.

Edited by martsycart
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A little advice, stick with the basic 10 pixels/m or you will run into power issues and have to power inject. Most ribbons at 10 pixels/m are 36 watts at 3 amps and there are only a few controllers that can handle over 4 amps per port.

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3 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

A little advice, stick with the basic 10 pixels/m or you will run into power issues and have to power inject. Most ribbons at 10 pixels/m are 36 watts at 3 amps and there are only a few controllers that can handle over 4 amps per port.

Something like this

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How do you manage roof peaks? Are the strips flexible enough to handle an angle turn, or do you just run one from the top of the peak down on each side (essentially 2 strips)?

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Roofs peaks are better with bulbs as ribbons are directional. The bulb type that Jim posted in the first pic above is better for the peaks.

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I think I used the wrong verbiage when I said roof peak. I'm just trying to run them up the front facing sides of my roof. Not along the top of the roof. Basically just the red lines in the pic.

House.png

Edited by martsycart
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You have to get creative and see what would work best for your situation. In my case as posted in my pic above I zip tie the strips to 1/2 inch pvc then snap them to clips on my house. I can choose to leave them up or take them down just by snapping the pipe into the clips. Everyone has their own way of securing them as everyone's situation is different.

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34 minutes ago, martsycart said:

I think I used the wrong verbiage when I said roof peak. I'm just trying to run them up the front facing sides of my roof. Not along the top of the roof. Basically just the red lines in the pic.

House.png

I have 3 peaks with this basic shape on my house.  The strips don't have much flexibility to them so you will have to cut it, or use 2 strands basically.  I have a connector that connects the 2 strands together to make them one.  At the top, one side is the "out" the other side is the "in" and the controller input sits at the bottom of one side.

If you think you'll ever get into pixels, go with pixel strands now.  The cost is almost the same, and you can program them to act as dumb strips if you want to use them in that manner.  I agree with Mr. P., go with the 50 pixels per strand.  At first I didn't think there would be enough lights, but they produce a lot more than you think.

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