Mike

[Mike Schmidt]

As part of this seasons display I want to wrap 1 or 2 very, very large Oak trees and have absolutely no experience in doing so. I am wondering if anyone can offer any helpful hints for this process?  Examples....Start from top , working down? Start from bottom working up? Space wraps the same as what the lights are spaced on the strings? Easy ways to negotiate the large and small branches going off from the Trunk. Because this tree/s  is pretty mature, am I able to leave the wrapping on the tree until next season as well?

Any helpfull hints would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,   Mike

[k6ccc]

What type of lights are you planning on?  By that I mean 1) strings of traditional lights, 2) strings of dumb RGB lights, 3) smart pixels?  #1 needs to be expanded a bit.  All one color and channel, multiple color strings on one channel, multiple strings of different colors on different channels?  Same thing on #2 - the entire tree on one RGB channel set or multiple?

 

[TheDucks]

Jim covered the types of lights. Each has its limitations (or advantages).

Some Dimensions please (there are different kinds of OAKs): Trunk CIRCUMFERENCE  (and how much is the viewing angle. AKA partial wrap)

I think I would avoid Smart Pixels because of the issues repairing them. a dead Pix will darken the rest in that string. Getting to that one may be a real bear

AC controller and LED strings allows as many as 35 strings end to end (of 50-70 LEDS) and you might get away wit 2 of these PER Channel. A single LED fail takes out the current string (or segment for long strings).. USE commercial grade, the cheap ones leads rust off=fail)

DUMB RGB allows color changes, but  you will need to keep the length from the controller feed to the end LED down(~100 nodes). A 'T" (middle) feed allows 200, but then you need to watch TOTAL AMPS drawn. A single LED fail is just a blip

All these questions about your tree and expectations and we haven't even gotten to the  HOW part 😀

[Mike Schmidt]

Not sure how you guys had arrived at RGB lights because I didn't mention that. And truck circumference and what different kinds of Oaks...Hmmmm  I will be stringing M5 Led lites. All will be the same color. I am aware that there are limitations to successive strings one can hook together. If needed I have many extra channels. My question was simply this. Are there any tricks to wrapping Trees ( wrapping usually means "go around" the tree and branches ) If I am using strings that are 6" light spacing, I am to assume that I should stick with something close to that for a distance between wraps? Do you need to occasionally secure the strings? and how is an easy way to do that? Does one watch how the plug-ins are orientated to prevent moisture from getting inside the plugs-ins that will be out in the elements for a few months, or do people usually cover the plug ins as they go up? Does it really pay to go beyond a certain diameter of the tree branch's? I would like to wrap soon and hope that I could just leave them for a few years ( I Hope ) unless the critters have there way with them. I take all of my lights (500 channels and many lights) down each and every year so that doesn't happen, but wrapping this or these trees will be a big job as there quite mature, and I don,t cherish the thought of doing it annually. This is why I thought I would ask for some helpful tips from those who may have done this once or 3 times.

Thanks for the replies

[TheDucks]

Sorry, so many folk are switching to RGB. I had to ask.

I was envisioning a light Net, but you have made it clear that these will be typical M5.

I used .080 weed whacker cord for 1 location.  The cord is vertical, zip tie to the cord for spacing (spiral wrap)