Controller Arrived

[jldavis1969]

Just received my package from LOR. Now I get to put a controller together. Hooray!!!!

[jim6918]

Jeff Millard wrote:

You pull this off and you just might break a record!

Jeff

No kidding. I at least hope you have some lights hung to hook to that controller, and maybe some sequences. Good luck and welcome to the madness.

[jldavis1969]

What record are you talking about?

Lights are on the house but controller is probably going to get used for the first time next chirstmas.

[Videoguy84]

Last year I ordered a controller on the 10th of December, arrived on the 17 (Light O Rama continues to amaze me with their fast timely service). Assembled it and had a show up and running just in time for Christmas eve. Of course my show is a much smaller show then most, only runs one night and is indoors...but still...I don't recommend cutting it that close. One lousy bad network cable nearly shut the whole thing down. Have to leave time for these little unforeseen 'speed bumbs'.

[PaulXmas]

jldavis1969 wrote:

What record are you talking about?

Lights are on the house but controller is probably going to get used for the first time next chirstmas.

So you are not going to use it this year?
I think most of us thought you were!

[jldavis1969]

PaulXmas wrote:

jldavis1969 wrote:

What record are you talking about?

Lights are on the house but controller is probably going to get used for the first time next chirstmas.

So you are not going to use it this year?
I think most of us thought you were!

No, sorry to say I'm not using it outside this year, testing and building first. Besides we have 4 inches of snow on the ground and all of the light power cables are under it.

[jim6918]

jldavis1969 wrote:

PaulXmas wrote:

jldavis1969 wrote:

What record are you talking about?

Lights are on the house but controller is probably going to get used for the first time next chirstmas.

So you are not going to use it this year?
I think most of us thought you were!

No, sorry to say I'm not using it outside this year, testing and building first. Besides we have 4 inches of snow on the ground and all of the light power cables are under it.

Well, It's never too early to start. I started in April and wish I had another couple of months. I'll be better prepared for next year.

[csf]

Well I am currently in the proses of finishing my first LOR show, not as close as a call, but pretty closes

My goal is to get it up and running by 12/24, since I have a fairly large size display, and am a college student, I start my display on thanksgiving and keep adding to it until 12/24 (people look forwards to watching it grow over the day)

I ordered it on 11/22
Got it on 12/1
had it set up inside by 12/5

As of today I have written a custom sequence about 90% done
Have about 95% of my lights put up (have 1,200 left to put up)
And have done a full scale test run

I have 16 Channels controlling 5,000 mini lights, 11, spot lights, some rope lights, and a few other light up decorations. But maybe 1/3 of my display will be animated, its quite large.

So pretty rushed to get this all up and running.

I will admit thought I have very good technical know how, and have been doing static light displays for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas for years, and new exactly how I wanted to use LOR before buying it.

[jim6918]

csf wrote:

I have 16 Channels controlling 5,000 mini lights, 11, spot lights, some rope lights, and a few other light up decorations. But maybe 1/3 of my display will be animated, its quite large.

I hope you are using all LED's. I did a quick calculation of your power consumption, and if you are using all incandescents you are way over the controller and/or house circuit capacity. Maybe somebody can verify my calculations for me too:

100 ct minis @ .33 amps X 50 = 16.5 amps

150 watt floods @ 1.25 amps X 11 = 12.75 amps

That's 29.25 amps and you haven't added the rope light, which pulls huge amps per 18 foot section (=/- 1 amp/ 18 feet), and your other decorations. The controllers are only 30 amp max (assuming your got that option) and the typical house circuit is 15 amp (assuming there isn't another load on it, like a garage door opener or freezer) you will be blowing fuses and/breakers as soon as you power up.

Add to this equation that the rule of thumb is 80% load on a circuit, you should keep a 30 amp controller to around 24 amps, and again thats assuming the circuit it is on is a 30 amp; or about 12 amps on a 15 amp house circuit.

There is a really good page about power consumption at:

http://www.planetchristmas.com/FigurePower.htm

[csf]

There not LED but its not as bad as it seams, at least I think.

I have a 30 AMP controller but its on one 15 amp line cause the barker in the timer is 15 amps. So my controller should be safe. And it is a dedicated line to out side. so nothing else but the Christmas lights are on it.

The spot lights have none 150 watts, they are the flowing
3 red at 100w = 300w
3 green at 100w = 300w
4 white at 75 = 300w
1 white at 75 = 75w

If I do the math right that put me at about 8 amps

Now during the show there will never be more then 375w on at the same time of spots, which should be about 3 amps.

As for the mini lights
One tree has
800 white = 2.64AMP
800 color = 2.64AMP
They alternate so the most at one time would be 2.64AMP

The corner that has a tree and a bush has
600 white = 1.98AMP
600 color = 1.98AMP
They alternate so the most at one time would be 1.98AMP

The other tree has
1,200 white lights = about 4 amps (1/2 of them are 150ct sets)
there broken in to 4 rows or 300 lights = about 1 amp

So that gives me about
3amps
2.5 amps
2 amps
4 amp
Total = 11.5 amps

The rope lights, about 700 other mini light's, and a few other decorations are on 2 other channels, but will basically be off for show time.


I wish I had more power available and could light it all up at once, but I don't I have 3 lines available to out side which gives me a total of 45 amps, unless I want to start blowing brakes, cause two of them are more then 15 amps but share other things on the line.

Does any one have any tips for adding more power to a light display? I have heard of some people converting AC lines, but then I have also heard that's not a good way to go.

[miguel]

Just want to let all of you know That LOR does it right Order my new system December 9, 2009 and it arrived December 14, 2009. I assemble the cables to box and was up and running Yesterday Dec 15, 2009 manualy, and today i just got it to build a show.

1500 light and 10 snow flakes

[jim6918]

Sounds like you have at least given serious consideration to the power consumption. There is another valuable link, the LOR Power Usage Utility. It can calculate the power usage of your sequences.

http://www.t2lights.com/christmas/lorutility.htmld thats the

[csf]

Thanks for the information, I definitely appreciate the helpful welcome.

[jldavis1969]

YEAH, Controller build complete, Initial Test of powerup All AOK, Set Unit id ok.

Now I just have to wait for power cables and channel cables to arrive. Should have bought them together. But at least I can install into the box I have.