ukoberon Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hi All,well after several years of static type displays I really would love to move the 2009 Christmas lights to a sequencer controlled display.Just one problem - I have not got a clue where to start as Im in the U.K. :shock:I clearly have several months to get my head around this and get the show up and running . So a couple of questions to start:1. Is there a UK variant of the Lightorama kit for UK voltage and plugs etc.2. If so can i use my existing lights (some are static LEDs, some are chasing ropes that can be set to solid on, and some are LEds that have flasher type modules in that flash on and off every second or so.Any advice you can give particularly if you are in the UK and have set up sequenced displays would be gratefully received. I need to establish if im being unrealistic or whether I can achieve my goal here.thanksRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Rob,If you will update your profile with you location, then others in the UK will be able to find you by location and be able to offer you assistance. You can also search on location and find members in the UK to asked them more specific questions.I do know from reading that the LOR controllers are dual voltage and will operate on the 240 volt systems.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hi Chuck - thanks for that - have updated. I do hope I can get to run the knind of displays you guys do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightEnthusiast Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hi ukoberon,I'm from Australia and was in the same boat of not knowing what to do! UK and Australia both run on 240v and the standard voltage for LOR is 120v.1. There is not a specific UK variant but if you were to buy http://store.lightorama.com/caasaop.html you would need to send an email at the time of purchasing to LOR and ask them for the boards jumpers to be switched to 240v or it can be done yourself. When the board(s) arrive you can follow the instructions found here: http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/CTB16PC_Man_Web.pdf to help you connect your local UK wires to the board. Have a read through the manual and it should hopefully clear things up and make sense.2. Yes your lights should be fine although the LEDs may have some problems.I'm not in the UK but it isn't unrealistic.You should have a search of these forums for other UK users posts on this topic and i'm sure there are lots out there.Have a look athttp://forums.planetchristmas.com/http://groups.google.com/group/Aussie-LOR-Users/http://www.lightorama.com/support.htmlCheers-LE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Thanks very much for the info - i will take a read through at the weekend. Is it wrong for me to be excited allready? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan C Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 LightEnthusiast wrote: . . . . . There is not a specific UK variant but if you were to buy http://store.lightorama.com/caasaop.html you would need to send an email at the time of purchasing to LOR and ask them for the boards jumpers to be switched to 240v or it can be done yourself. . . . .There is not a specific UK variant, but there may be mods for 240v operation. I recently purchased a CBT16D in kit form. As well as the jumper that needs setting for the units on-board dc power supply, there were two sets of the resistors that connect between the triac gates and the opto-isolators that fire them. These were 220 ohm for a board uto be used on 120v, and 330 ohm for a board to be used on 240v. I am also in a "240v country".Regards,Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hi Alan,where you able to get the modifications done by lightorama or did you have to do them yourself?thanksRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan C Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I decided on the "kit build" version, which requires all the components soldering to the board. In the kit, were the two different value resistors, with a note in the assembly instructions explaining which to choose. It might be worth an email to Dan at Light-O-Rama to find out if there are different versions of the ready-assembled version, but I suspect there may be.Regards,Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Thanks ALan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyfunk Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Since there are jumpers to allow the input voltage to be changed, why are there two different resisters for the two different voltages? If the resisters are hardwired, shouldn't the input voltage also be hardwired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightEnthusiast Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Hi Everyone,That question had me thinking too.I just fired off an email to LOR asking them about the resisters and when i get a response i will post here.Cheers-LE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightEnthusiast Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hi EveryoneHere is the response from Dan:"All cards that are assembled use the 220 Ohm resistors. They will work with 240 volts. There was some debate early on about this and the kits have two values because of that however we do not see any issues with the 220 ohm resistors when used at 240 volts. The jumpers will be adjusted to 240 but you should double check when you receive it."Cheers-LE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan C Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Rob,You may be interested to learn that I have a set of 80 LEDs that run on 24v ac connected to an LOR board at the moment. I connected the transformer for them straight to the 240v output on the card. The only thing to note is that the transformer is a real "wound" unit, not an electronic version. The LEDs dim and operate with the "shimmer" and "sparkle" effects, as well as the standard lamps.Regards,Alan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 All ,thanks very much for your replies so far - i am nervous about taking the plunge as its a lot of money to waste if itdoesnt work - however I will email LOR and discuss frther before placing an order.It would be great as well if anyone with UK experience continued to add to this thread - as I proceed I wil update. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjmiller Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 ukoberon,Do not let the 240 volt/120 volt thing eliminate you from the discussion. It is a non-issue.All I need is an adapter when I travel there to use my US appliances...sj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightEnthusiast Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 sjmillerYour device is most likely 120-240v and does not require any step down converter but just a simple plug converter.ukoberonIts not as complicated as it all seems and continue to ask questions here its the best way to get all your questions answered. The boards will work you will need to attach the wires which is very easy and has thorough instructions in the controller's manual. http://www.lightorama.com/support.html Scroll down to using the hardware and it has all the instructions. LOR offer great support so you can count on them and everyone here to help you get your controllers working!CheersLE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fitzer Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi RobI bought my first 16 channels 220v as I'm living in Ireland .I set up a board in the house using 16 batton holders and 16 ,15w lamps just get to grips with the unit,it worked a treat .But the next units I bought were 110v units as I soon discovered that the light's to buy are so much cheeper in USA . I use a 3kva transformer to supply 110v to a unit .regards Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigetech Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=170294069914uk lightorama boards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukoberon Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 nigetech wrote: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=170294069914uk lightorama boardsnigetech you are having a laugh with this!!!! this is the equivelent of paying $660 for $420 dollars of kit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidGrant Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Hi UKOberon et al,I purchased 2 16 channel controllers last year and they were set to 240v by LOR. They worked incredibly well.The only issue is that the plugs on them are american format but all that takes is snipping off the ends and replacing them with UK plugs.I went for waterproof plugs this year, but next year I have different plans as I am building a Mega tree and will directly attach to the boards.Hopefully this year (finances permitting) I will be up to 96 channels and 50K lights.It seems that there are only a few of us animators here in the UK but hopefully we will grow quickly.Best regardsDavid GrantBlantyre, Glasgow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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