Arch Lights - Pixels Strips or Pixel Strings / Bullets?

Arch String / Bullets vs Strips

  • String / Bullets

    Votes: 8 30.8%

  • Strips

    Votes: 18 69.2%
  • Total voters
    26
I’m in johns camp. The strips w/ 3 rgb’s per. I use small bungees at the ends to kept minor, even tension on my strips. Have been using the same arches, 4 of them with 2812 strips for six years now. Not a single failure.


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I forgot that I did a comparison of strips and strings in arches.

Here's a short video.

Left to right.
  • Strip
  • String inside
  • String drilled through the side

I guess I decided last year that I like the side view best.
 
thejoefletch said:
I forgot that I did a comparison of strips and strings in arches.

Here's a short video.

Left to right.
  • Strip
  • String inside
  • String drilled through the side

I guess I decided last year that I like the side view best.
Click to expand...

Funny, I watch your video and like the strip the best.
 
One observation about the WS2813/WS2815/WS2818 strips--or even dumb RGB LED strips:

The 4-pin JST connectors are a tight fit in the 1/2" PVC. I know some people fit 1" Apollo Sharkbite PEX into a 1/2" PVC, and the 4-pins route right through the 1" Sharkbite fine. But then it's tight to go through the 1/2" PVC and then the 1/2" PVC couplers. That might be for the best, though. Nonetheless, WS2811/2812 goes right through the PVC, but the 4-pin versions are a bit of a struggle.
 
One thing that not many people discussed in this thread is the diameter of the tube being used. It makes as big of a difference as the node type.

I use 2" It gives the light a good distance from the LED to tube wall for the light to spread out. The smaller the tube, the less blending in air you'll get and the more you'll see the hot spotting you'll get. So it depends what look you're aiming for. I prefer smooth like neon, so the 2" works for me. Others like the look of the hot spots and thus prefer 1" tube.

Also note that there's two kinds of white PEX out there. There's white, and there's natural. White is white and is more opaque. natural is more milky and passes more light. I've never seen white HDPE, only natural. I prefer the look of the natural color, the white one blocks too much light.
 
Actually, what I like about the 1" is that it fits so perfectly onto the 1/2" PVC. I can use a 1/2" tee coupler, and the LED strip pops right out. Rebar goes into the ground and into the other end of the coupler.

If I knew how to build the base of a 2", I would probably try it and put the 2" in the back row; 1" in the front row. I just don't know how.
 
1pet2_9 said:
If I knew how to build the base of a 2", I would probably try it and put the 2" in the back row; 1" in the front row. I just don't know how.
Click to expand...
Nothing fancy needed. Just drive some rebar stakes into the ground at an angle leaving about 6" exposed and then slip the tube over it. If you don't like the shadow the rebar makes, then leave it on the outside of the tube and zip tie it together.
 
Are you drilling a hole and letting the LED out before it runs into the rebar? I didn't want the wind whipping the rebar into the LED.
 
1pet2_9 said:
Are you drilling a hole and letting the LED out before it runs into the rebar? I didn't want the wind whipping the rebar into the LED.
Click to expand...
I actually stopped doing this a few years ago in favor of a slightly fancier method. But when i did it, I angled the rebar so that it holds the tube without allowing movement. A slightly different angle than the the angle of the tube. So that it binds somewhat.

I've since nade plugs with captive stakes for the end. I picked up some HDPE rod that's the exact same size as the tube's ID. (1.75" i think) I cut it into 2" long sections. Then i drilled it down the center and tapped it for 3/8" threaded rod. I use about 12" of threaded rod. It basically looks like a lollipop that goes into each end of the tube. In the end, i have a tube with 12" stakes in the ends. The rod fits very tightly in the tube. Now when i do the setup, i don't need to go looking for the rebar and hammer, i just grab the ready-to-go arches and shove the ends into the ground.
 
jchuchla said:
No. The pigtails come out the ends of the tube.
Click to expand...

I'm trying to convert English to graphic representation in my head. If you ram (or thread) a rod on the end of the tubing, there needs to be space for a pigtail to route out somewhere, and the rod must elevate the tube itself off the ground by a little bit (so as not to squeeze the pigtail). You didn't mention shaving off a small corner of the rod, so as to make way for the pigtail? Even though it seems that would work?
 
Sorry, forgot to mention that detail. There's a slot on the plug so the pigtail can come out between the plug and the tube wall. I don't have a good photo of that handy. I'll see if i can remember to snap a photo when i pull them out of the shed this weekend. Here's one of where they meet the ground though.
http://photos.chuchla.com/?moid=23910
 
So you did.

Back to the OP, based on your video, I can see why you would prefer bullets--because you're shooting them. If we're doing PEX and strips, it seems generally we are going after smoothness. You are doing the opposite. It's possible that bullets vs. strings, 1" vs. 2" are just better at different things. After all, it's why I do regular PVC: PVC doesn't look as good, but it sure is a lot stronger structurally.

You have a tree that I'm dying to meteor shower. :devilred:
 
I figured you had slotted the rod (which I assume to be the plug). I noticed before that if you cut into the PEX at the end, that takes away from its ability to couple with anything. One of my failed experiments.
 
Im attempting to use strips in PEX. My question is more inline with how to input my LEDs into XLights? If Ive connected 2 strips together and have them in 4 arches does that mean Ive got 2 strings or just 1 string? And how many lights/Nodes or Nodes/String are in 1 LED strip? Any assisitance would be greatly appreciated.
 
As far as Xllights is concerned, you've probably got 4 strings, all on the same port. Specify "port X, Beginning" for the first string, then "port X, behind string1" for the second, et. al. Regarding pixel count, a 5m, 60/m strip has 300 LED's, so you probably have 150 per arch. Halve that if you got 30/m. LED strips come in all shapes and sizes, though.
 
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As far as pixel count goes, only you know how many. Count them!
I've got 66 pixels in each of my arches. That means 198 LEDs per arch. I'm using 12V 60/20 strip. But you'll need to figure out what you've got and how you've cut it up.
 
I am constructing 4 arches of 1" white PVC pipe; 5' span at the ground to cover 20' in the front edge of my yard. WS2811 12V pixel strips inserted inside. All of my previous projects have the bullet nodes and pixel strips running at 25%. When I ran a chase test pattern off one of my e682's tonight, the light is very dim as compared to direct exposure. I am thinking I will have to run 75 to 100% brightness to match other elements. What brightness do you guys run if using white tubes and not clear tubes?
 
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