Pixie 2/ CCR ll controller connections

[Beacon lights]

Hello all, I was wondering if it is possible to connect controllers to a pixie 2 controller. I was thinking about purchasing another pixie 2 controller but it only has one port for a cat 5 cable. I think it would be fine with a bigger controller but was wondering if you could connect two pixie 2 controllers together. Happy holidays!

[Orville]

On 11/24/2024 at 5:55 AM, Beacon lights said:

Hello all, I was wondering if it is possible to connect controllers to a pixie 2 controller. I was thinking about purchasing another pixie 2 controller but it only has one port for a cat 5 cable. I think it would be fine with a bigger controller but was wondering if you could connect two pixie 2 controllers together. Happy holidays!

That's strange, every Pixie 2 controller I have has 2 Cat5 jacks installed on the PCB inside the box.  I have 3 Pixie 2D RGB 12V Controllers, 2 green box and wires, 1 black box and wires.   It's a tight fit, and the cat 5 jacks are mounted vertical inside the box, you have to change out the single Cat5 rubber insert to the one with dual holes.  And it's a tight fit getting the cat5 cable into the upper cat5 jack.

But your Pixie 2 controllers should have dual cat5 capability.

[TheDucks]

I 100% agree with the "STRANGE".  (I use Pixie 4's because I use brand X strings that take more power on 1 port than a P2 power supply has, so I did not know about the alternate 2 hole insert,).

💡 Have a safe & standard place 🙄 (Where is that Skippy jar now <smack>) for all the LOR extra bits that come with your controllers. Only ONE of those controllers will get the JP4 installed.

💡💡 Consider using these CAT5 dandles from LOR so you sk damage from opening and closing the box.

https://store.lightorama.com/collections/spt-wire-and-plugs/products/rjwada They provide Weather resistance as well as some strain relief. 

[Orville]

5 hours ago, TheDucks said:

I 100% agree with the "STRANGE".  (I use Pixie 4's because I use brand X strings that take more power on 1 port than a P2 power supply has, so I did not know about the alternate 2 hole insert,).

💡 Have a safe & standard place 🙄 (Where is that Skippy jar now <smack>) for all the LOR extra bits that come with your controllers. Only ONE of those controllers will get the JP4 installed.

💡💡 Consider using these CAT5 dandles from LOR so you sk damage from opening and closing the box.

https://store.lightorama.com/collections/spt-wire-and-plugs/products/rjwada They provide Weather resistance as well as some strain relief. 

Ever open a Pixie 2?  You can't install those pass through cat5 plugs in one.   There isn't enough room.

What I had to use were short 1 foot long cat5 cables and those cat5 pass through plastic blocks on the cat5 connectors outside my Pixie 2's.   

They're not ideal, and I usually have to replace several of them over a few weeks depending on weather conditions and where they're mounted.   

I keep them well off the ground and in a covered area when possible.   

Then I just connect a cat5 cable from the pass-through block to the pass-through block on the next controller.   

You can find weatherproof cat5 pass-through blocks, and I tried them, but they really fared no better than the much cheaper ones that weren't. 

But these will work in a pinch.  Still got to replace the large rubber single hole grommet with the 2 hole version for dual cat5 use.

[TheDucks]

4 hours ago, Orville said:

Ever open a Pixie 2?  You can't install those pass through cat5 plugs in one.   There isn't enough room.

What I had to use were short 1 foot long cat5 cables and those cat5 pass through plastic blocks on the cat5 connectors outside my Pixie 2's.   

They're not ideal, and I usually have to replace several of them over a few weeks depending on weather conditions and where they're mounted.   

I keep them well off the ground and in a covered area when possible.   

Then I just connect a cat5 cable from the pass-through block to the pass-through block on the next controller.   

You can find weatherproof cat5 pass-through blocks, and I tried them, but they really fared no better than the much cheaper ones that weren't. 

But these will work in a pinch.  Still got to replace the large rubber single hole grommet with the 2 hole version for dual cat5 use.

I'm confused. those pigtails have the same CAT5 wire and plug as a normal cable? Why won't they fit? They are used as dangles like the 50W floods show (don't have any of those either).  

(FWIW I do bulkhead mount them in all my CG1500 enclosures. )

[Box on Rails]

On 11/24/2024 at 2:55 AM, Beacon lights said:

Hello all, I was wondering if it is possible to connect controllers to a pixie 2 controller. I was thinking about purchasing another pixie 2 controller but it only has one port for a cat 5 cable. I think it would be fine with a bigger controller but was wondering if you could connect two pixie 2 controllers together. Happy holidays!

While everyone else has focused on the single CAT5 thing, I'll answer your question. Yes just put the Pixie 2 with one Cat 5 plug at the end of the Chain. Latter on If you add more controllers to that network you will need to keep that Pixie 2 at the end of the chain.

[Orville]

14 hours ago, TheDucks said:

I'm confused. those pigtails have the same CAT5 wire and plug as a normal cable? Why won't they fit? They are used as dangles like the 50W floods show (don't have any of those either).  

(FWIW I do bulkhead mount them in all my CG1500 enclosures. )

If I can get to one, I'll open one of my Pixie 2's, take some photos, and also show you a shorter version of the cat5 pass throughs I purchased(that I was going to try and use in my Pixie 2's) and show you why they won't work in a Pixie 2 controller, this way you can see the issue why you can't use them in a Pixie 2.   The way the cat5 connectors, power cord, pig tails and PCB is mounted, just isn't enough clearance inside the box to use them.

 

[TheDucks]

46 minutes ago, Orville said:

If I can get to one, I'll open one of my Pixie 2's, take some photos, and also show you a shorter version of the cat5 pass throughs I purchased(that I was going to try and use in my Pixie 2's) and show you why they won't work in a Pixie 2 controller, this way you can see the issue why you can't use them in a Pixie 2.   The way the cat5 connectors, power cord, pig tails and PCB is mounted, just isn't enough clearance inside the box to use them.

 

Thanks Orville. I still don't see how ANY CAT5 can be used, if it is as bad as you say.  The 8P8C (RJ45) is bare and the cable is a bit smaller than most. 

(I have 7 controllers with 2 of these each as well as a Gen 2 AC with them as dangles. )

[Orville]

On 11/28/2024 at 10:51 AM, TheDucks said:

Thanks Orville. I still don't see how ANY CAT5 can be used, if it is as bad as you say.  The 8P8C (RJ45) is bare and the cable is a bit smaller than most. 

(I have 7 controllers with 2 of these each as well as a Gen 2 AC with them as dangles. )

You can use cat5, the connectors are next to each other(the ones that are vertical are the original CCB100D 5V RGB controllers).  My mistake, I got those 2 mixed up.

As long as you use the cat5 rubber grommet for either a single or dual cat5 access is no problem. 

The issue with using the pass through connectors is you would need to remove the PCB from inside the Pixie 2 box, which the ports are sealed through the top, and wires are too short to remove the PCB up high enough to slide the pass-through Cat5 connector through the grommet hole, which would also require reaming out for fitting the pass-through, the power cord is also an issue, it is also sealed, even though it has screws holding a lip over the power cord, it would be nigh impossible to remove without damage to the box and power cord.

You can get 2 Cat5 cables in a Pixie 2 just fine using the correct cat5 pass through grommet.  I use 1 or 2 foot ones that hang just below the grommet and allow me to click on a plastic rectangular cat5 pass-through block.   This way I don't have to open the Pixie 2 to connect them to another controller.

The pass-through connectors I bought from Amazon, are a single pass through and allow a cat5 cable to be clicked into each side, one short cable inside the box, longer cable on the exterior side.

But the issue is the cat5 connection point on the pass-through, even if it would have fit, the PCB blocks access from getting the Cat5 connector inserted into the cat5 jack built into the pass-through connectors.

Believe me, I tried on a bad Pixie 2 that got destroyed by lightning, and there just isn't any way I could find to use any type of those cat5 cables connector pass-through connectors without mounting the Pixie 2 inside a larger box, but would still require a lot(far too much) modifications to do it.   Just not worth all that work.

And why I settled on using short Cat5 cables and the plastic rectangular pass-through cat5 blocks.  Some folks might call them cat5 cable extenders, but still a pass-through that allows 2 normal Cat5 cables to be connected together.

But I have yet to find a Pixie 2 that doesn't have the capabilities to use 2 Cat5 cables.  I still find that one very odd if someone has a Pixie 2 that isn't dual cat5 capable.

I wouldn't even think LOR would make a Lighting Controller of any kind that isn't a dual cat5 capable version, especially considering these are supposed to be add on Controllers.

Now, if it wasn't a LOR made controller, that could be possible, as I've seen some NON-LOR lighting controllers and they only have one cat5 jack(which really makes no sense to me).

 

Edited November 29 by Orville

[Beacon lights]

Thanks guys! I just purchased a pixie4 and will connect them both just fine.