scodavis Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Hello everyone, I have a CMB24D controller with the dongles provided by LightORama. I plan to decorate six bushes with dumb RGB bullet pixels. Light-O-Rama doesn't sell dumb RGB pixel strings (otherwise I'd buy them), so I plan to buy the ones from HolidayCoro. I have information on their Pinout (it's the EasyPlug4 configuration) but no information on whether I can use these with the CMB24D without having to wire it differently or fabricate some kind of adapter for the plug styles. Does anyone have experience with this? https://www.holidaycoro.com/kb_results.asp?ID=171 -Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) Just my opinion based on other people's reports - don't buy them from HC. I don't know about their dumb nodes, but there have been a lot of reports of reliability issues with HC smart nodes. With that said, you absolutely will have to use an adapter - or do as I do and cut any connector off. The CMB24 has wire screw terminals to connect. Here is a couple photos of one of mine: Two view of the same piece of the board from different angles. Edited January 20, 2020 by k6ccc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 I have had good luck with the 12V dumb Bullet nodes from HC. (I have over 1K) and not so good with the flat ones (the 3 LED (3 out of 100 failed first pre-season) I have 3 seasons on 12V Bullet smart with only 3 node fails, I added 300 more nodes for this last season. (knock on wood) My floods are 10W LOR NOTE if you choose these STYLE of connections, you are getting in bed with the supplier HC and Ray Wu only look similar. BE AWARE of what you order if you switch vendors. Some offer both . I also recommend NOT having a mix of any similar styles. You will always be grabbing the wrong ones for the controller. 💡 I use Orange and Yellow Cable ties (IEC #3 & #4 ),to indicate 3 or 4 pins (I have lots of both) AND does the duty of keeping the 'collar' at the end of the cable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 If you are going to purchase a CMB24D with LOR dongles then make sure you buy all your dongles from LOR. HC dongles/pigtails and LOR dongles do not match up as they are different sizes so pick one vendor and stay with them for the dongles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsmith37064 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 10 hours ago, scodavis said: Hello everyone, I have a CMB24D controller with the dongles provided by LightORama. I plan to decorate six bushes with dumb RGB bullet pixels. Light-O-Rama doesn't sell dumb RGB pixel strings (otherwise I'd buy them), so I plan to buy the ones from HolidayCoro. I have information on their Pinout (it's the EasyPlug4 configuration) but no information on whether I can use these with the CMB24D without having to wire it differently or fabricate some kind of adapter for the plug styles. Does anyone have experience with this? https://www.holidaycoro.com/kb_results.asp?ID=171 -Scott Hi Scott, I use the HC dumb nodes for my singing tree's and buy all my connectors and lights from them. If you buy the pigtails from HC, then their light strands come with the same connector. No soldering is needed. If you buy LOR pigtails and HC lights, you will need to solder the pigtail to the light strand. HC also sells solder tubes, but you will need a heat gun to melt it. Well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsmith37064 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 7 hours ago, k6ccc said: Just my opinion based on other people's reports - don't buy them from HC. I don't know about their dumb nodes, but there have been a lot of reports of reliability issues with HC smart nodes. With that said, you absolutely will have to use an adapter - or do as I do and cut any connector off. The CMB24 has wire screw terminals to connect. Here is a couple photos of one of mine: Two view of the same piece of the board from different angles. I have had great luck with HC lights and will always use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scodavis Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Thanks to everyone for their responses. What I'll probably end up doing is connecting both sets of dongles (LOR and HC) to the headers of the CMB24D board, and just use what I need for each show. I say that because my Halloween elements are wired to the LOR pinout already. My Christmas show RGB dumb pixels will be from HC because LOR doesn't sell dumb pixel strings. -Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsmith37064 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, scodavis said: Thanks to everyone for their responses. What I'll probably end up doing is connecting both sets of dongles (LOR and HC) to the headers of the CMB24D board, and just use what I need for each show. I say that because my Halloween elements are wired to the LOR pinout already. My Christmas show RGB dumb pixels will be from HC because LOR doesn't sell dumb pixel strings. -Scott Make sure to use end caps for the ones not in use. That way dirt and water will not get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, scodavis said: Thanks to everyone for their responses. What I'll probably end up doing is connecting both sets of dongles (LOR and HC) to the headers of the CMB24D board, and just use what I need for each show. I say that because my Halloween elements are wired to the LOR pinout already. My Christmas show RGB dumb pixels will be from HC because LOR doesn't sell dumb pixel strings. -Scott Look at the upper board. RGB group 8 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BjuuMb1R5x0u-NmzX4J3vtB6zNKjtqf5/view?usp=sharing Use ferrels or tin the wires. BTW LOR does NOT offer spare 10W RGB dongles (or caps), I had to cut an LOR RGB extension . THE WIRE COLORS ARE NOT THE SAME. buzz them out Edited January 20, 2020 by TheDucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 34 minutes ago, scodavis said: Thanks to everyone for their responses. What I'll probably end up doing is connecting both sets of dongles (LOR and HC) to the headers of the CMB24D board, and just use what I need for each show. I say that because my Halloween elements are wired to the LOR pinout already. My Christmas show RGB dumb pixels will be from HC because LOR doesn't sell dumb pixel strings. -Scott If you are talking about two sets of dongles in each connector they won't fit. The connectors are rather small and just putting one set in fills them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, Mr. P said: If you are talking about two sets of dongles in each connector they won't fit. The connectors are rather small and just putting one set in fills them up. Shh! Don't tell my 5 Controllers 😛 I have doubled up 2 ports of CMB24 with a LOR and a HC dongle. on every one Yes, Care is required. 14Ga Ferrels make it easier (and there is 0 wiggle room left) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Since someone mentioned ferrels, I highly recommend them. BTW, I will point out that all of my dumb RGB are used year round, so not using connectors is not an issue for me. For my smart pixels, they are soldered wire right up to the normal 4 pin green connector that plugs into the pixel controllers. And theDucks, I assume you are putting both wired into one ferrel? That would make it far easier to double up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. P Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Heck, I use 18ga ferrules and they are tight. I don't know how you are getting 14ga in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 3 hours ago, k6ccc said: And theDucks, I assume you are putting both wired into one ferrel? That would make it far easier to double up. Yes 2 wires into 1 ferrel. I do oval the plastic to get them to go in. Mr P. I use the tool designed to crimp ferrels. it ends up square. I also use a 90deg scribe to ensure that the terminal grip is open fully. And it can be a chore, but they do go in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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