Christmas display 2021 lighting controllers

[Badger]

Well I've started early so I'm. Prepared this year haha I'm. Going to. Making the show work. As just started too. Late late last year with work. Going mad in December but then slower in Jan I've been putting together the pcb controllers to control the lighting display and people. Will be able to log into the webcam system with audio feed later this year and be able to watch the show lights without going around in the cold thought I'd post some pictures for peeps to see the starting of the build 

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[phil d]

Nice, I seem to recognise those red stuffing glands, have you been to elex? lol

 

[kerching]

Wiska glands...none better. It's the only one I've found that closes right up like a "Cats Tea Towel holder"

i plug spare holes in panels with them, for future use. Just snug them up,like a  

 

[Geoff1946]

Lovely workmanship.

 

[binky]

one year I will get around to doing this!  :^O

 

[phil d]

Wiska glands...none better. It's the only one I've found that closes right up like a "Cats Tea Towel holder"

i plug spare holes in panels with them, for future use. Just snug them up,like a  

I'm rather fond of those Wiska grommets too, they are like a blind grommet with an integral cord grip, you fit it in the hole, poke the cable through the skin and it self seals, tell you what it's as tight as a virgins, when it's fitted, just remember to put the grommet in the hole before feeding the cable in otherwise you have to wreck the grommet to get it out.

I know the guys at Wiska, and they always give me a sample of anything new, at an elex a few years ago they'd actually brought me a little kit for dealing with Wiska glands and boxes, it's all in a little box that looks like a Wiska box,

Front and rear view of the grommet, available in red, white, black and grey and a variety of sizesvif you've never used them they are well worth a try.

 

[Badger]

Nice, I seem to recognise those red stuffing glands, have you been to elex? lol

No I got them from the job I've been working on while the fire alarm engineers where there they gave me half a dozen to get me by

And just before people start whottering on about the single insulated it's only 5 volt dc to pcb supply the mains is the double insulated black cable 

 

[kerching]

No I got them from the job I've been working on while the fire alarm engineers where there they gave me half a dozen to get me by

And just before people start whottering on about the single insulated it's only 5 volt dc to pcb supply the mains is the double insulated black cable 

I was going to mention the over sized left hand grommet hole in picture 2... but I thought better of it

at an elex a few years ago they'd actually brought me a little kit for dealing with Wiska glands and boxes, it's all in a little box that looks like a Wiska box

Yeah they gave me one as well....quite handy until you look in the van, see a Wiska box, get it out and it's the mini tool kit

 

[phil d]

No I got them from the job I've been working on while the fire alarm engineers where there they gave me half a dozen to get me by

And just before people start whottering on about the single insulated it's only 5 volt dc to pcb supply the mains is the double insulated black cable 

Oh well, if we're going to be critical shouldn't you be using red and black for your DC circuits yes I know, and the second word of your reply is off lol.

Seriously though what controller are you using, I'm actually quite interested, I used to do massive lighting displays for Christmas years ago, in fact I think the anchor points for the winch to lift the frames in position are still there,they  were like those tableux things off Blackpool prom, lol. SWMBO was asking last year if I was going to start it all up again.

 

[Badger]

Well been doing a bit more but with the expansion modules on this set of boxes 

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[Badger]

One of the expansion boxes finished and complete  

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[kerching]

I am becoming increasingly more impressed by every post....and that takes a lot

 

[Badger]

I am becoming increasingly more impressed by every post....and that takes a lot

considering the first computer controlled setup i did in 2009

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[kerching]

Could at least have got the DIN rail level, or is that for condensate run off?

 

[Badger]

A couple of test runs on the boards making sure they are working works really well only about 30 pixels on the tomb stone 



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[Badger]

Oh well, if we're going to be critical shouldn't you be using red and black for your DC circuits yes I know, and the second word of your reply is off lol.

Seriously though what controller are you using, I'm actually quite interested, I used to do massive lighting displays for Christmas years ago, in fact I think the anchor points for the winch to lift the frames in position are still there,they  were like those tableux things off Blackpool prom, lol. SWMBO was asking last year if I was going to start it all up again.

hi phil, ive got a load of falcon controllers from america last year and only had chance to build them properly this year. the controllers came as pcbs pn their own and im putting them into enclosures ready for permament installation into the garage and sheds etc so the cables only have to be connetced each time they are used. the contollers are f4v3 controllers and expansion boards

https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php?id_product=51&controller=product

https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php?id_product=56&controller=product

https://www.pixelcontroller.com/store/index.php?id_product=49&controller=product

 

[Badger]

right guys and gals a bit of a change has been happening over the last few weeks. 

the main pcbs have now got the ethernet ports which are waterproof all installed just awaiting the rj45 patch leads to be installed next week when they arrive from the supplier but mostly finished now. psus at 5v are all done and installed and the other new box slightly bigger than the boxes originally done for the lighting system falcon controllers have been made up with the audio and video system including a raspberry pi 3 and a vga splitter and hdmi converter 

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[Badger]

the video distribution system with the ethernet cables attached awaiting 3 x connectors and 1 audio connector

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[Badger]

cat5e cables installed into video system and pixel controllers and expanders 

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[Geoff1946]

Impressive stuff. Is there a block schematic of your system?