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Author Topic: Best modules for holiday lighting  (Read 3786 times)

Hemingray

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Best modules for holiday lighting
« on: May 09, 2007, 11:37:11 PM »

Lol. I know it's a bit early to think about christmas lights, but I would like to know the best modules I can use for mine. Photo link below. (The domain/server belongs to a friend of mine in the UK. I myself reside in Arkansas)

http://www.1984.org.uk/~hemingray/christmas/2006/
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dave w

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Re: Best modules for holiday lighting
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2007, 12:12:22 PM »

Lamp Module will work fine for incandescent strings, but not for LED strings. The local control function keeps LED strings well lit, even in the OFF state. Appliance Modules have local control also, so they work no better with LED lights. You can plug 7 watt night light into an appliance or lamp module to shunt the local sense current and get a LED string to completely extinguish when OFF, but you can also use "Socket Rockets". The Socket Rocket has no local control, so LED strings are dark in the OFF state when controlled by a Socket Rocket. (I don't know why I am blathering about Socket Rockets since I doubt you have them in the U.K.(?).

FWIW
Probably telling you what you already know, but X10 can not be used to set Christmas lights to music. Protocol is way too slow.

BTW nice display.
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steven r

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Re: Best modules for holiday lighting
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2007, 01:18:12 PM »

...I know it's a bit early to think about Christmas lights... ...I myself reside in Arkansas...
With a display like that, I imagine you have to plan way ahead.
Being in Arkansas the socket rocket could work for you. It all depends on whether you plan to just turn them on and off or automate them. A socket rocket will give you a quick way to plug in lights it you don't have an outlet handy. I imagine for a setup like your
display, it's likely you would do better with appliance or lamp modules. Unless you need to dim the lights or have them respond to an All Lights On command, I recommend sticking with appliance modules and having a few extra handy as backup. Also any motor driven displays like the moving dear heads would need appliance modules.
Post pictures of the display next Christmas!
« Last Edit: May 10, 2007, 01:21:28 PM by steven r »
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dave w

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Re: Best modules for holiday lighting
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2007, 04:12:00 PM »

...I know it's a bit early to think about Christmas lights... ...I myself reside in Arkansas...

Being in Arkansas the socket rocket could work for you.

Thanks steven r...I gotta quit skimming these posts and actually read each word  ;)
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Hemingray

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Re: Best modules for holiday lighting
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2007, 11:57:37 PM »

At current, We do not have any outdoor LED lights. Will likely use appliance modules. I could use a single AM486 and my network of 12v relays (AM486 driving a 12v PSU). Previous method of control was an old 486 with a parallel port, some spare parts and relays.
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