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bdkeen 
Beta Testers 
Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380 |
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 Posted: 16 Nov 2008 at 3:28pm |
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70 degrees out yesterday so got roof outlined with led ropes. large star on roof, and icicles hung about 20 minutes before we got hit with down pour and almost 60 mph winds. It's 40 degeees today. Windows done (pre decorated frames really made this a breeze), Mega-tree houisted, mini-trees out, 8-10ft rope light snowman up, arches up, manger up, and font of house completed (the ladder seems to be getting longer and steeper Left to do are bushes and trees, any static lights, and signs. Then cable it all up to the controllers. Sequencing has been done and will tweak anything if necessary as the seasons goes. Hope to have everything on controllers out by end of week and run a live test of the full setup by 22nd. |
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kedogn
Groupie 
Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Location: Lacey, WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 65 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Nov 2008 at 9:34am |
How did you do your frames? I have mine built, bu just cant figure out a way to attach my lights that will work best. Between that, and my gutter clips sucking out loud, thats the biggest thing I am facing right now. Got the roof done this weekend, all 11 rope light snowflakes are up and my Bethlehem Star is in place... btw, that baby is BRIGHT! Too much I think actually, gonna have to tone it back some I think, maybe to 50% power. |
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kennyz06
Newbie 
Joined: 05 May 2008 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
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Posted: 17 Nov 2008 at 9:50am |
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I did frames too this year. How many sets are you attaching? Mine have the red/green/clear sets (3). I stapled one set on, with a staple every few lights, then slipped the other sets under the 1st set's wires. The first set basically holds them all in place. I zip tied the sets together every so often, and hot glued any lights down that were sticking up or that looked out of place. |
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LightsOnLogan
Admin Group 
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3187 |
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Posted: 17 Nov 2008 at 10:34am |
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My display is still going up... slowly...
I have to modify each of 288 sets of those 2008 CDI LEDs before they can head out to the yard. I'm spending more with the soldering iron (putting resistors in) and the heat gun (heat shrink tubing to encase them) than actually hanging the strands themselves!
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bdkeen
Beta Testers
Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 17 Nov 2008 at 5:56pm |
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The window frames are 1/2 in pvc pipe. Red and Green are led rope lights which I simply wire tied to the PVC. The amber are regular minis which are also just wire tied to the frames.
Hooks at the 4 corners of the windows. A little larger at the top sine this would hold most of the weight and cup hooks at the bottom. Bow window used the larger hooks at all 4 corners. Zip-zip-zip-zip - with wire ties at the 4 corners and window done. Since the bow window has the curvature and the pvc is flexible enough it conforms to the window nicely and the 4 wire ties along with the pressure in the center as a result of bowing holds it in place very nicely.
I have all but a few items up and wired to the controllers and just moments ago did a test run of half a dozen or so sequences. Looks pretty good to me, neighbors loved it and even had some folks stopping.
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LightsOnLogan
Admin Group
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3187 |
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Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 7:42pm |
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Well... I finished putting stuff out in the yard and got everything wired up today (finally). Initial tests show a few glitches that need to be taken care of:
1) My LEDs seem to have enough capacitance that after 10 strands they tend to make the controllers act crazy. The house outline has 17 strands, so I need to divide those 6 channels into 12... easy enough, that controller has enough free channels to do so tomorrow.
2) My star is sticking... not sure why since it didn't last year. I'm going to try adding additional load to the star channels. The curtain strobes are sticking as well... same thing to try.
3) Controller 20 (mega tree red 1-12 and white 1-4) has no output at all. It will discover in HWUtility, can be configured, and will accept firmware, but none of the channels light. It worked inside the house last night but it doesn't seem to like the outdoors. I have no spare either. This is the most serious issue at the moment.
4) One of my Fireflies have 5 pixels that keep popping apart at the base (the top half of the base and the dome fall to the ground).
Sigh... I hoped for a good test tonight but instead I still have a full day of work to do. It is looking increasingly unlikely that I will finish for Thanksgiving.
Edited by LightsOnLogan - 25 Nov 2008 at 7:44pm |
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LightChristmas
Beta Testers
Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Location: Equality, IL Online Status: Offline Posts: 993 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 7:54pm |
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Try reflowing ALL of the solder connections. Funky things can happen with double-sided boards...
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LightsOnLogan
Admin Group
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3187 |
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Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 9:24pm |
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I just inspected the board (unplugging all of those tightly spaced spade connections in 20 degree weather is a real pain). The only possibly bad solder joint I could find was on opto #5 so I touched that one up (I'm pretty experienced behind the iron btw). Not seeing any bad solder joints I pulled and reseated the IC chips. Just for grins I also replaced the communications IC with a spare I had on hand (I keep a few of those on hand since others have had problems with that IC). A quick bench test has channels 9-16 lighting up (I'm out of spade connectors for making the jumper to test the other bank on the bench). Just to rule out thermal issues I now have the board freezing for a while before a retest.
Edited by LightsOnLogan - 25 Nov 2008 at 9:24pm |
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LightsOnLogan
Admin Group
Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3187 |
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Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 10:09pm |
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Done freezing board... test... no output. After 4 power cycles the board came back to life and doesn't fail. Something seems to be failing thermally. |
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LightChristmas
Beta Testers
Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Location: Equality, IL Online Status: Offline Posts: 993 |
Quote Reply
Posted: 25 Nov 2008 at 11:09pm |
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Cracked trace on PCB somewhere around the resistor network for the second PIC. You can spend half a day with freeze mist and an ohmmeter, but I suspect you want to "get 'er done".
My patented fix for this 11th hour problem: put a light bulb in the controller box to keep the board from contracting.  |
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