Is this is a show etiquette issue? [duration]

[Guest guest]

LEDs, so I'm not too worried about an electric bill.

Can I leave the show running all night and have it turn off at daylight, or is there a good reason to stop at 10 or 11pm? FWIW, my house is on a main arterial road with four lanes of traffic in front of it (so there isn't much worry about the neighbors caring about late night traffic).

[Guest guest]

Since the neighbors aren't a problem - I say go for it. Some people getting up at 2:00AM to go to some job, why shouldn't they get a little Christmas cheer on the way, courtesy of you.

[Guest guest]

If the neighbors do not mind then I think it is a good idea. As someone mentioned people on shifts sometimes miss a lot (not just lights).... For years I turned the lights off at 11:00 sharp. One week I adjusted the schedule to stay on to 1:00 AM for some reason ( not sure why ) and forgot it that way for a week.

When I switched it back, I received a polite note on at the door saying "Thank You for keeping the lights on late last week. It gave me something to look forward to on the way home from the paper mill. God bless...... ) Needless to say, since that note I adjusted the schedule to catch the folks who work 3-11.

[Guest guest]

Many people with static shows leave them on all night. I run mine from 5-9:30 for two reasons:
Electric Bill
Flashing lights in the windows

I don't like my lights to keep me up, and I'm sure the neighbors don't want to bekept up either. If you have a location that works for keeping the lights on for extra hours (and you already mentioned the power thing) then I'd say go for it.
I would consider doing that here once I go 100% LEDs, but I'd probably have a more subdued show after 10pm.

[Guest guest]

Here's What I did last year:

• 
  
• The Main show Ran from -- 5:45 pm to 11:00, on M, T, W, Th ... on Fri from 5:45 to 12:00 ...
  
• Once the main show ended, then -- I had a much reduced show:
  
  • 
    
  • Wreaths in every window went to Red, with the Candle in the center of each wreath went down to 50%.
    
  • The 3d Snowman stayed on at 100%
    
  • The front porch garland around the door and the 3 mini tree sitting on the front porch wend down to 50% as well
    
  • The lights around the lamp post were left on
    
  • Playing during this segment is some slow versions of Silent Night

  
  [*]At 5:30 AM the middle show ends, then I run the same show as the Main show from the prior eve, but only until around 8 (when it gets bright enough to not see the lights)

I liked seeing the lights when I left for work in the morning ... and, the kids on the busses going to school did too. I learned later that the kids were actually getting their bus drivers to take a detour past the house if they could to see the show before they went to school.

Also, I liked leaving enough light on all night cause it made it difficult for anyone to be in the yard without being "lit up" enough to be seen.

Hope this helps,

T.

[Guest guest]

Tom B. wrote:

• At 5:30 AM the middle show ends, then I run the same show as the Main show from the prior eve, but only until around 8 (when it gets bright enough to not see the lights)

I liked seeing the lights when I left for work in the morning ... and, the kids on the busses going to school did too. I learned later that the kids were actually getting their bus drivers to take a detour past the house if they could to see the show before they went to school.

Tom,
That is a great idea!
It never occured to me but the school bus in our neighborhood stops right in front of our house (bus stop is right across the street).
I will have to add to my schedule this year!

[Guest guest]

I've had similar experiences with late night visitors. I live in Seattle and the show is in Pennsylvania. So I usually end up staying up a bit later than most due to the time difference. We normally turn off the show in the 11:00 hour. Sometimes I do a bit of tweaking after 11:00. I hardly fails that there are poeple who come by to see the show.

The computer is located next to a window where you can see most of the display. I usually catch up on PlanetChristmas. Sometimes I'll have the show turned off and will turn it back on if I see someone stop.

I usually capture a video of the display during the late night hours as well. I'm always amazed that people show up during these late hours!

Terry

[Guest guest]

jmccorm wrote:

LEDs, so I'm not too worried about an electric bill.

Can I leave the show running all night and have it turn off at daylight, or is there a good reason to stop at 10 or 11pm? FWIW, my house is on a main arterial road with four lanes of traffic in front of it (so there isn't much worry about the neighbors caring about late night traffic).

When I did the local morning show, we turned the show on at 5:00 AM and had people parking to watch. Plus it will keep a few drunk teens from knocking on your door after 11:00PM and ask if you will run the show for their kid who is in the car....yeah right!. :cryingsong:

[Guest guest]

Recently received my first lor 16 channel controller, have several songs programmed and I have a question on show setup. What I would like to do is run the show (15-20 minutes) then have all lights turn on, then repeat the show every 1/2 hour, or so, until around 10pm then have all lights on for about an hour. Any suggestions?

[Guest guest]

rattler wrote:

Recently received my first lor 16 channel controller, have several songs programmed and I have a question on show setup. What I would like to do is run the show (15-20 minutes) then have all lights turn on, then repeat the show every 1/2 hour, or so, until around 10pm then have all lights on for about an hour. Any suggestions?

You need to create a sequence for the time that you want all the lights on. Make it however long you need (10-15 minutes) and just have all the channels on. Have it be the last sequence in your show list. That should do it.

[Guest guest]

Yes don't forget the school children in the buses. We are on a secondary road but still get some school buses that go by. Last year my neighbor and I were out front and the bus driver who drives the bus for the disabled children, asked us if we could please put the lights on one afternoon when it was a cloudy or rainy day for the children to see. So we started putting them on from around 2:20-3:30 on ugly afternoons. That is when I found out there are more school buses that go down this street than I realized.