would anyone be willing to help with what to go with for my house outline?

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

I have a picture with the measurements..... holiday coro charges 150$ for this service....... i was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with my layout...... probably not... but its worth a try......

[MichRX7]

I guess I don't understand what you are looking for. You have all the measurements. Do you want to go Smart Pixels, Dumb RGB or regular LED Lights? The Smart Pixels and/or Dumb RGB will allow you to get precise with your measurements, but will be more expensive (well, the lights not the controllers). Also, are you doing other items out in the yard? I always like my house to have that personal touch, my wife calls it the gingerbread house, so when you look at it and think of Christmas, what do you see?

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

I’m sorry for not being more specific, but I was wanting to run ribbons or pixels.... the viewing distance is 25-75 feet..... how many pixels, the spacing, how many controllers would I need for this?

[MichRX7]

Well, it depends on your preferences really, and I'm going to drop out of the conversation because I am doing the same thing for my first time this year, so I am no expert. I plan on running strips, now many people on here will tell you strips break easy and you have to replace the whole strip, but to me they are also easier to setup (or seem to be), and if you don't move them around a lot, not a big deal. Since I plan to leave mine up on the house outline, it is less likely to have issues and at $10-$15 for 5m it is less cost. In other places, like animated characters and such, I'll use bullet pixels or square.

The downside to strips (besides what I mentioned) is that they are spaced already which means if you don't like the spacing you can't change it. But if you ask others will have their opinions and give reasons why they did it different. They will also be better able to assist you with how many controllers you need, where to put them, lights per controller, etc...

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

Thank you! And I agree with the ease of set up. We will go on this journey together! Thanks! 

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

Thank you! And I agree with the ease of set up. We will go on this journey together! Thanks! 

A company I purchased a ton of RGB nodes from sent me some of the below for my roof line to test. I loved them. It was my alternative to using the jig I wasted money on to drill holes in PVC pipe and after a 10' run the holes had twisted  on the conduit. Even though the set pins were lining up. My thoughts are that pvc as it gets warm flexes but I could be wrong. I do know for a fact it happened. The first 2 ' was good and I didn't pay attention to the rest until finished.

Needless to say I scrapped that idea.

The below mounted to the PVC pipe. They have double sided tape and 2 screw holes. I used both. 

These are great because you can put them around windows or other shapes and just cut off and seal the wires for any unused/ un needed pixels. 

I used HC clips made for 1/2" pvc and placed some on my garage wall to help mount the nodes. I made a template for spacing for the first section. After that I hung the second section under that and eyeballed the rest for spacing.

Once complete I installed the HC clips on the house and snapped the pvc sections in to place. My longest run is 157 of these. They are 3 RGB per section, not the typical R,G,B single nodes per section.

They are going on third season and are left up all year. No problems whatsoever.

Search the forum or visit LOR's YouTube channel to see a video of my home.

JR

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Injection-WS2811-5050-RGB-LED-Module-Pixel-Strip-Light-3LEDs-IP65-Waterproof-12V/273827268397?hash=item3fc160872d:m:mEfxbY4MorjKHfGvoAA195A

Edited January 23, 2020 by dibblejr

[k6ccc]

As for strips vs pixels, there are advantages and disadvantages of each.  A LOT of it is personal preference.  So here are my opinions.

Pixels look a lot more like Christmas, ribbons on a roof makes it look like a nightclub or casino.

Pixels can be spaced as whatever interval you want, ribbons are available only in a few spacings.

Pixels are FAR easier to repair when (not if) a pixel fails.

Ribbons are more fragile than pixels.

On my roofline, I have GE Color Effects bulbs (between the size of a C7 and a C9) spaced about 8 inches apart.  My viewing distance is farther than yours.

As for controllers, there is a huge amount of variation.  If you want to stay with LOR network controllers, it means Pixie series.  If you go with E1.31, you have a lot of options - both LOR and others.

With smart nodes of almost any type, you are generally better off to have several smaller controllers that are close to the props rather than one controller with long cables (they don't work).

One other thought is wiring safety.  Since you are doing a lot of stuff on your porch, make sure you don't leave a huge tripping hazard.  If the underside or the roof over the porch follows the slope of the roof, you could mount a controller to the underside of the roof  and it would be largely out of sight and you could run all the wiring overhead.  You could also likely mount them to the house side of the columns and they would not show in the dark.  A couple of examples that use this annotated photo:

 

1) Uses two Pixie 4, and one Pixie 8 controller.  One Pixie 4 at each red arrow and a Pixie 8 at the yellow arrow.  The Pixie 4s each drive the outer two columns and half of the roof peak and half the eves (four outputs).  The Pixie 8 drives the center two columns, both windows, and the door (five outputs).

2) Uses two Pixie 8 controllers.  Mount each controller at the green arrow.  Each controller feeds three columns, half the roof, half the eves, and one window.  One also feeds the door (six and seven outputs).

If you can't mount the controllers overhead, mount them behind the columns where I have the arrows in a similar fashion to where I placed them overhead.

LOTs of other variations.

 

[Little_b]

As Jim said there are dozens of ways to set this up.  Here are some things I did on my house that may help you decide how to do yours.

I have a variety of controllers from Sandevices, Pixcon16, alphapix, and pixies.  All but the pixies are run on an E1.31 Network.  I use Pixel Nodes on y matrix and mini trees.  The house outline, arches and fence posts are strips.  I use 30/m ws2700 12v strips on all the outline of my house.  I don't take them down so having to do repairs has been minimal.  It's possible to replace a pixel on strip lights, it's just a bit more difficult than connecting wires on nodes for example.  For me I needed to permanently hide the wires and luckily I have plenty of access to the eaves from my attic, so all my power runs through the attic and into the garage where my power supply is located. I have a power injection point at each peak and at the point where it connects to the controller.  On my longest runs of 49' there are 3 strips and an injection at the 2 middle points.  -----P-----P------controller.  I was able to mount an e6804 controller on the front corner on my porch to catch all the strips and the power injections go to the garage through the attic.  I used F and J channel to mount my strips.  I do the same on the outline of my roof and used shingle clips to hold them down.

  If you watch at the 7:08 mark I show how I mounted them.  The video is old, and I have since changed those strips out to pixels, but they mount the same.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5i2F72IyBY

Keep in mind as well, depending on the controller, your first pixel will need to be within 10-15 feet from the controller, or you will need to add null pixels.  They are pixels that don't get used, but help send the signal to the next set of pixels.  I agree with Jim's suggested controller points, I think you may need a power injection point at the peak or one on each side midway up the peak as well.  For my experience, I haven't been able to go more than 2 strips long (or 100 Nodes) without injection.  Easiest way to tell is to turn on white and the color tends to "pink out" towards the end.

[k6ccc]

1 hour ago, Little_b said:

I think you may need a power injection point at the peak or one on each side midway up the peak as well. 

Could be.  Running from each outer end of the rooline to the center is only a hair over 30 feet.  At four inch spacing, that is 91 pixels which should fly without power injection (at least at 12 volts.  You really have to test it.  I do have some 12 volt strips that are 94 pixels long and were down to about 9 volts at the far end and looked quite pink, so it will vary with different strips or strings.

1 hour ago, Little_b said:

Easiest way to tell is to turn on white and the color tends to "pink out" towards the end.

That's the way...

Do it on your bench before mounting so you know before you install them.

 

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

4 hours ago, k6ccc said:

As for strips vs pixels, there are advantages and disadvantages of each.  A LOT of it is personal preference.  So here are my opinions.

Pixels look a lot more like Christmas, ribbons on a roof makes it look like a nightclub or casino.

Pixels can be spaced as whatever interval you want, ribbons are available only in a few spacings.

Pixels are FAR easier to repair when (not if) a pixel fails.

Ribbons are more fragile than pixels.

On my roofline, I have GE Color Effects bulbs (between the size of a C7 and a C9) spaced about 8 inches apart.  My viewing distance is farther than yours.

As for controllers, there is a huge amount of variation.  If you want to stay with LOR network controllers, it means Pixie series.  If you go with E1.31, you have a lot of options - both LOR and others.

With smart nodes of almost any type, you are generally better off to have several smaller controllers that are close to the props rather than one controller with long cables (they don't work).

One other thought is wiring safety.  Since you are doing a lot of stuff on your porch, make sure you don't leave a huge tripping hazard.  If the underside or the roof over the porch follows the slope of the roof, you could mount a controller to the underside of the roof  and it would be largely out of sight and you could run all the wiring overhead.  You could also likely mount them to the house side of the columns and they would not show in the dark.  A couple of examples that use this annotated photo:

 

1) Uses two Pixie 4, and one Pixie 8 controller.  One Pixie 4 at each red arrow and a Pixie 8 at the yellow arrow.  The Pixie 4s each drive the outer two columns and half of the roof peak and half the eves (four outputs).  The Pixie 8 drives the center two columns, both windows, and the door (five outputs).

2) Uses two Pixie 8 controllers.  Mount each controller at the green arrow.  Each controller feeds three columns, half the roof, half the eves, and one window.  One also feeds the door (six and seven outputs).

If you can't mount the controllers overhead, mount them behind the columns where I have the arrows in a similar fashion to where I placed them overhead.

LOTs of other variations.

 

Thank you!!! Amazing!I REALLY WASNT LOOKING FOR ANYONE TO HELO OUT THIS MUCH! God bless y’all!! And.... also... would either of these two ideas include having to use any power injection points? And for the columns, do you think 1 strand of 100 nodes would be okay going down each column?.......

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

5 hours ago, dibblejr said:

, 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Injection-WS2811-5050-RGB-LED-Module-Pixel-Strip-Light-3LEDs-IP65-Waterproof-12V/273827268397?hash=item3fc160872d:m:mEfxbY4MorjKHfGvoAA195A

What are HC clips? And how many of these lights can run/output? What is the spacing on them/how long is 1 strand And.... each set of 3 nodes are 1 channel?

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

4 hours ago, Little_b said:

I use Pixel Nodes on y matrix and mini trees.  The house outline, arches and fence posts are strips.  I use 30/m ws2700 12v strips on all the outline of my house.  I don't take them down so having to do repairs has been minimal. .

Thank you also! that was one of my other questions about power injection locations.... and also, lol my bride wouldn’t let me leave them up on our shingles all year. I could if I have facia at each part, but since the top is 100% shingles. She wouldn’t let me, lol I know this.... simplicity in setup/tear down will be very important. Along taking up room of my shop during the off season.... I need my shop, lol “currently dropping  a 5.3 Chevy in a 88 T too mustang” 😂

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

Guys, thank y’all so much!! This is exactly what I was hoping for. I can put a package together. I know what controllers I need to order, how to mount them,  had someone recommend what style lights to use, and very good videos, thank you all very much!

[dibblejr]

1 hour ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

What are HC clips? And how many of these lights can run/output? What is the spacing on them/how long is 1 strand And.... each set of 3 nodes are 1 channel?

Holiday Coro clips - for my longest run I used  6 clips

Most other runs are 3-4

they count as one pixel/ yes one channel 

about 10’ if I recall one strand goes end to end on my  10’ sections of PVC

i have 152 on my longest section

they are a tad over 3” spacing

every lightster around me likes them.

JR

Edited January 23, 2020 by dibblejr

[Vince4xmas]

Do NOT use strip ribbons! Too fragile!!!!

 

[TheDucks]

I use Bullets on 4" centers.  50 are a bit over 12' when mounted, 24.5' per 100

I happen to us plastic plumbers tape that I enlarge the needed holes to 12mm.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zhA2WHA2l75gs_YzWjuDUqjxITdjKPbX (I added 25 nodes to the original 75.) I have no finished the electrical part.

Note the simple tape splice. The tape was rated at 20 lbs BEFORE I did the 12MM holes.

Edited January 24, 2020 by TheDucks
4 not 3 centers

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

So basically I would need this.....

http://store.lightorama.com/pismpico1.html

And two of these,

http://store.lightorama.com/pismpico.html

What power supply and boxes are you guys putting these in? WowLights sells a poxie4 with the enclosure and power supply. But it’s 169$. 

also, what are you guys using for extension cords?....  I think I’m going to run the 3 node lights that dibblejr recommended.  it’ll still give it the classic spacing look, each light will look bright, and I like how easy the mounting will be to PVC. 

Thanks guys. This has helped out a lot!

[k6ccc]

6 hours ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

So basically I would need this.....

http://store.lightorama.com/pismpico1.html

And two of these,

http://store.lightorama.com/pismpico.html

If you follow my suggestion #1, that is correct.

6 hours ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

What power supply and boxes are you guys putting these in?

All of my controllers are in standard PVC electrical boxes.  The smallest is a 6x6x4 and the largest is 12x12x6 - depends on what is in the box.  I get the boxes at Home Depot.  For power supplies, I am using mostly 350 watt Chinese power supplies similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EWG6YT8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Some I get from Ray Wu, and I bought five of the Amazon link supplies.  A lot of people swear by Meanwell power supplies.

6 hours ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

also, what are you guys using for extension cords?

In my case, most of my pixel extensions are plain old 18 AWG SPT-1.  Now you are about to say "that's only two wires".  Yep, I use one run SPT-1, and split another piece of SPT-1 to get the third wire.  Then zip tie them together.  Keep in mind that I almost always have the controller very close to the pixels.  For example, this was the top of my pixel tree:

The controller is in the PVC box and the wires are about three feet long.  I solder the wires to the wires on the strips - I don't use any sort of disconnects at the pixels.  The only connector is the little 4 pin green connector that plugs onto the controller.  The solder connection is under the blue heat shrink tubing:

The above picture is showing the top two pixels of the strip.  The zip tie is there to mechanically hold the wire so that there is no mechanical strain on the pixel while handling the strip or wiring.

I finally found three conductor colored zip cord a few weeks ago and ordered 500 feet (which should last for years).  I will use that for rebuilds and new construction.

https://www.holiday-light-express.com/RGBwireplugs.php

 

[weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com]

*Each Pixie4/8/16 controller port is fused at 4 amps and can typically power up to 100 pixels.  More pixels on a port requires power injection that Light-O-Rama does not currently support. ....

does this mean you cant power inject on any pixie controllers????

[dibblejr]

3 hours ago, weigh2fast4u@yahoo.com said:

*Each Pixie4/8/16 controller port is fused at 4 amps and can typically power up to 100 pixels.  More pixels on a port requires power injection that Light-O-Rama does not currently support. ....

does this mean you cant power inject on any pixie controllers????

1- I have 157 nodes on my longest run with a pixie8 with no pi. Been running on third season no failures.

2- Pi- no company is going to recommend pi- liability. 

3- IMO - stay away from Ray, if he changes something in his stock and you order the same item and they don’t fit you get hosed. Not worth all the back and forth.

4- all pixies can power up to 170 nodes. PI May or may not be required. Testing your situation and pixels is the only true way to determine this. PI nodes does not feed back to the controller if done CORRECTLY. 
 

4- distances from controller to the first pixel has increased dramatically from when I beta tested the Pixie16 to the latest version however in all cases the distance was underrated.

From any business point of view its better to air on the side of caution then to say so thing like, you can have 80’ from controller to first pixie. Then someone comes along and says “ mine can’t light correctly at 40’”,  it all depends on the situation.

As far as building they are all the same the only dif being which wattage of psus you use. I use more than I need so in the event I ever need to pi I can get it from the ps in the enclosure or place another ps close to where needed.

 

JR