jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 OK...so last night I started to wrap some 3/4" PVC to get an idea how many lights I will need to pre-order for next season, right?But when I was wrapping the lights around the PVC...all my lights were ending up in the same place of the circumference of the pipe...so they were virtually in a straight line!!I have looked at many sites on the "How To's" to make an arch, but obviously I am missing something.Does everyone use lights that are spaced at 4", or are you guys (and gals) using lights with 6" spacing?Any ideas what I am doing wrong? Is there some neat trick someone would like to share with me? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LENNY RUEL Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 There is not a preference that I've seen. Most sets these days are 4" spacing though it is never consistent from light to light, or string to string especially. Maybe the more expensive sets, but the $2 ones can on one string be between 3 and 5 inches along the entire string. That's where the variance comes in. Once they are wrapped and on the lawn in your display it isn't going to be as obvious as it is up close and personal.Lenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Cherry Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Try 1" Gray PVC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Dennis Cherry wrote: Try 1" Gray PVC.That was going to be my next step...trying different sizes of PVC.But thought I would ask first!! :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iresq Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 A trick you can try is to fold your light string in half with the lights offset. It is a little harder to wrap this way but should give you a better distribution of lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 iresq wrote: A trick you can try is to fold your light string in half with the lights offset. Great idea...was wondering if that's how you old pros did it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aproct Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I would suggest not wrapping so tight to the pvc. One, you end up with the results you have of all the lights being in next to each other and two, when you go to bend the arch, because right now you are wrapping a stright pole, if the wires are to tight you will end up pullng the wires out of the sockets. I would recommend wrapping the wiresa at a 45 degree angle to the pvc pole and then slide the wires to make them all packed together. This way you have an alternating light effect and less stress ont he sockets when you go to bend the pcv into place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Aproct wrote: I would suggest not wrapping so tight to the pvc.Yep...that's what I had done. Soon realized that was a mistake because it would not leave me any "play" to bend the PVC.Will try everyones great suggestions again tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Ancona Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I use 1/2" pvc for my arches which are 10' long. Haven't had the effect you are having trouble with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aproct Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 No, Dan, you din't have problems with the 1/2 pipe, just sections of lights out that my kids noted to you!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Ancona Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 one half strand.....At least you saw some lights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aproct Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I saw my lights too! You just picked the wrong day! Again! Just you wait Mister! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Jim,It might just be a simple math problem with 3/4" pvc and 4" light spacing. (c = pi*d, with c being the outside diameter of the pvc.) I've had that problem also, especially with wrapping LED's. What I did with the LED's was to go to 1/2" pvc and the problem went away. I've not had the problem with minis though. In the past two years I've bought a lot of clear minis from Menards, Target and Walmart. All of those had spacing closer to 3" and I had no problems at all with obtaining a random bulb placement on 3'4" pvc. (Although I regretted buying the WalMart minis due to quality issues - another topic entirely.)I also recommend "folding" the light set, although my recommendation doesn't come from the perspective of randomizing the bulb pattern. I recommend it so that if half of a given set fails you'll still have light coverage on that section of arch. It won't be as bright as the rest of the arch, but it sure as heck beats having a totally dark section. (Same advice for wrapping mini trees.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 George Simmons wrote:It might just be a simple math problem with 3/4" pvc and 4" light spacing. (c = pi*d, with c being the outside diameter of the pvc.) I've had that problem also, especially with wrapping LED's.I guess you also have to consider the thickness of all the SPT2 running along the side of the pipe to connect the lights to (or do most people run it outside of the lights) that would change he diameter of the pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iresq Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I use spt-1 but in any event, I wrap over over the wire. First 100, tape wire to poll. Second hundred over the first, tape wire to poll. Third hundred over the 1st two, etc. It does not add significantly do the diameter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Ancona Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I use old mini strand wire taped to the pole. Does not add so much in thickness and weight. Works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aproct Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 I agree with Dan, oh wait I have to he was the one that showed me that....Add a Molex connector to the end, some sprinkler wire and you will be able to set up arches in under 20 minutes next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Aproct wrote: and you will be able to set up arches in under 20 minutes next year!actually...I have been sitting here thinking about this whole arch thing. And with what I want to do, it would cost me about $329 per mega arch (want 4) and $185 per mini arch (want 10) just for the lights, PLUS 28 Channels per mega arch and 20 channels per mini archCan't get around the 28/20 channels...but I am going to try something this weekend to get away from the $3145 in LED lights!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aproct Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Excuse my ignorance, what is a mega arch? Hell I thought my 5 channel arches where expensive at $27.60 ea...and I built 7 of them. Okay then there is the price for the controllers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted January 13, 2010 Author Share Posted January 13, 2010 Aproct wrote: Excuse my ignorance, what is a mega arch?just something I made up....just bigger than my "mini" arch!! :shock::cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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