Residential Mega Tree - Newbie

[sastocky]

I’m a newbie to this but didn’t want to purchase before asking here. I have read for hours but am cautiously optimistic that I am good. 
 

I have a 30’ flagpole that I wat the install the following to make a mega tree:

-16 x 100 Square Pixels with a Pixie16 Controller

-SPK-ST Generic Starter Package with pro license

 

I am also using an FM transmitter and the necessary pixel mounting strips.

The pixels would be at 3 or 4 inch spacing over ~32 feet.

I am open to suggestions. While budget always matters I want to spend wisely and would spend more to do this correctly  

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by sastocky
Additional information

[sastocky]

Also, this is mounted on a flagpole in front of my house that is 16feet from the street. Should I be installing the pixels on 70% of the circumference so it covers the viewing angle.  Suggestions?

[TheDucks]

16x100 (~3A/50) will exceed the current limit  per bank (32A) unless severely dimmed or you power inject

Another possibility is to use strands of 50 with the feeds in the middle (mount controller 12-16' up on the pole) and 2 Pixie16. Each leg would be 1 up (configure port Reverse so node 1 is at the bottom), 1 down. No PI needed (3A/string*8 = 24A, well within the port/bank limits)

[Mr. P]

Honestly, a 30 foot tree that is 16 feet from from the street will not look that good. Yes there will be a lot of lights but graphics that close on something that big will be hard to distinguish.

Personally I would go with 50 strand pixels and only go halfway up the flagpole but that is just my personal opinion.

[k6ccc]

I Would agree with Mr. P on the size.  That is too large for that close to the viewers.

The other concern is strength.  Assuming a residential flagpole, I would be concerned about that much weight and windload on it.  I know I would not want to put that much windload on my 25 foot residential flagpole.

 

[Jimehc]

5 hours ago, TheDucks said:

16x100 (~3A/50) will exceed the current limit  per bank (32A) unless severely dimmed or you power inject

Another possibility is to use strands of 50 with the feeds in the middle (mount controller 12-16' up on the pole) and 2 Pixie16. Each leg would be 1 up (configure port Reverse so node 1 is at the bottom), 1 down. No PI needed (3A/string*8 = 24A, well within the port/bank limits)

What??  It is 100% Do- Able  > https://store.lightorama.com/12vbl16sqpip.html

[dibblejr]

7 hours ago, TheDucks said:

16x100 (~3A/50) will exceed the current limit  per bank (32A) unless severely dimmed or you power inject

Another possibility is to use strands of 50 with the feeds in the middle (mount controller 12-16' up on the pole) and 2 Pixie16. Each leg would be 1 up (configure port Reverse so node 1 is at the bottom), 1 down. No PI needed (3A/string*8 = 24A, well within the port/bank limits)

No it wont. 170 pixels per port is doable at 30%. 100 is easy.

JR

[dibblejr]

3 hours ago, k6ccc said:

I Would agree with Mr. P on the size.  That is too large for that close to the viewers.

The other concern is strength.  Assuming a residential flagpole, I would be concerned about that much weight and windload on it.  I know I would not want to put that much windload on my 25 foot residential flagpole.

 

I had 2.5" black steel , solid 22' length and I could see it bow with my winch tree. You are 100% correct with not wanting to put that weight on a residential flag pole.

Even though the strips would be a little lighter than 1/2" emt I still wouldn't want to do it.

JR

[TheDucks]

4 hours ago, Jimehc said:

What??  It is 100% Do- Able  > https://store.lightorama.com/12vbl16sqpip.html

Where does it say you can 'light them up' at the same time? 

OK I will back off a bit.😉 I can't use 100 of the bullets  I have (3A/50) per port

It comes with a 12V Power Supply - MeanWell RSP-500-12 - 120/240V input - 12V - 41.7A output. That allows 20A per Bank.  (FWIW there are member that run 750W supplies)

BTW that is a nice supply with a corrected power factor (.98), that beats the cr*p out of the ones I use (.50), that randomly cause the GFCI to trip if I put 4 on the outlet (within 12 -15a RATING) when timer switching off (trying to save power between shows. 17W idle * 6controllers * 19hrs = 2KWh per day ).  (Sorry, I'm a Electronics tech. I measure stuff all the time)

OTOH the PS I use takes me slamming every capable node Full White, for simulated Lightning Flashes (Halloween). BRITE without strobes

Those strings Voltage = 12V,  Wattage = 30W (2x15) = 12.5A /bank . Also note: they are designed to be mounted or they can point any which way, with a circuit board on the back side.

Check out K6CCC's tree (he has been at this longer than I) . mounted.

 

 

[TheDucks]

4 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I had 2.5" black steel , solid 22' length and I could see it bow with my winch tree. You are 100% correct with not wanting to put that weight on a residential flag pole.

Even though the strips would be a little lighter than 1/2" emt I still wouldn't want to do it.

JR

Last year the neighbors welded Steel pole snapped with just a normal flag (winds topped 30. 15 is normal afternoons). Today the wind gusts ripped my heavy duty flag / holder off the garage wall. My 17 strand (14') Mtree seemed solid (changed things this year, still waiting for more RGB power cables to show up) currently have a Red White Blue light theme on installed pieces for Veterans day (Go NAVY)

[dibblejr]

7 hours ago, TheDucks said:

Where does it say you can 'light them up' at the same time? 

OK I will back off a bit.😉 I can't use 100 of the bullets  I have (3A/50) per port

It comes with a 12V Power Supply - MeanWell RSP-500-12 - 120/240V input - 12V - 41.7A output. That allows 20A per Bank.  (FWIW there are member that run 750W supplies)

BTW that is a nice supply with a corrected power factor (.98), that beats the cr*p out of the ones I use (.50), that randomly cause the GFCI to trip if I put 4 on the outlet (within 12 -15a RATING) when timer switching off (trying to save power between shows. 17W idle * 6controllers * 19hrs = 2KWh per day ).  (Sorry, I'm a Electronics tech. I measure stuff all the time)

OTOH the PS I use takes me slamming every capable node Full White, for simulated Lightning Flashes (Halloween). BRITE without strobes

Those strings Voltage = 12V,  Wattage = 30W (2x15) = 12.5A /bank . Also note: they are designed to be mounted or they can point any which way, with a circuit board on the back side.

Check out K6CCC's tree (he has been at this longer than I) . mounted.

 

 

I use 400, 500 and even more watt power supplies (per bank) on my 8+ RGB port controllers. Just depends on what I can find at the time esp during these cargo shipment issues. I discovered during beta with two power supplies I have no lag probably due to each bank having its own power.

JR

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, dibblejr said:

I use 400, 500 and even more watt power supplies (per bank) on my 8+ RGB port controllers. Just depends on what I can find at the time esp during these cargo shipment issues. I discovered during beta with two power supplies I have no lag probably due to each bank having its own power.

JR

Jr 400W (12V) is the limit (fusing) of the power bus .  Having extra power  would be great for using the SAME supply for fused power injection. 

Good PSU Slew rate (the ability to react to load changes) is more a factor than extra size for avoiding voltage sag.

Do you run 5V or 12V?