HDPE Arch Kits...

I received my kit today and it is extremely well made. Nice job Matt!

I do have one question. How do I attach the pixel strip anchor to the end where the are no wires attached, after I cut the strip to the length I need for the 9.5' arch? There won't be any connector at that end to stop the anchor from pulling off.
 
Thank you!

For the connection with no wires, did you glue an end cap to keep it waterproof? That is the preferred method and they are here: http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...p-ws2811-ws2812b-5050/701799_32346541092.html

If you have that on there it will provide the grip just like the side with the wires. If you do not have an end cap then you will want to either glue something else to seal the open end of the silicon casing or you can use one of the pixel strip anchors made for the non-silicon sleeved pixel strips. I guess a third option is to crank down the zip ties between the surface mounted components on the pixel strip as well but I would advise against that and am not sure it would work anyway.

I wonder how many other people leave the cut end of the silicon strip open? If it is something I hear others are doing as well I think I will include a couple of those end caps in my kit just in case they need them...

Thanks for the feedback

Matt Johnson
www.johnsonlightshow.com
2014 Contestant on ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight"
http://facebook.com/johnsonlightshow



fatcat46 said:
I received my kit today and it is extremely well made. Nice job Matt!

I do have one question. How do I attach the pixel strip anchor to the end where the are no wires attached, after I cut the strip to the length I need for the 9.5' arch? There won't be any connector at that end to stop the anchor from pulling off.
Click to expand...
 
Matt,
I didn't know about those end caps. I just ordered them. I don't know what I will do with 200 :) but they are on the way.

Thanks again for your support.
 
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fatcat46 said:
I found this question and answer on the SharkBite site:

Q: Can I use PEX pipe outside?

A: PEX pipe is not approved for outdoor applications and is not approved for continuous UV exposure. PEX pipe should not be stored in direct sunlight.

I wonder how it will hold up over time.
Click to expand...

I bought the roll of 100' of 1" PEX pipe. I found that while it does bend with some pressure, it tends to return to it's coiled state fairly quickly. I am making a larger arch using a full strip inside cut to about 17.5'. I needed a way to unroll the pipe and leave it for a while to see if it would return to it's coiled shape. I was thinking of making something when I then looked outside and saw my gazebo! So I un-coiled the pipe around the gazebo about three times around and left it there for about 2 months total. This was through the rain, cold, hot, and sun directly on it for most of the afternoon. Even after 2 months outside I saw no difference in the pipe translucency or color (I was thinking it might discolor some). It also was not brittle at all when I cut out the length of pipe for the arches. Even after all of that the pipe still wants to return to a coiled state. I then took a heat gun to the pipe (carefully) to get it to relax that tendency. Time will tell now that I've stored them in a single loop circle configuration in how they will respond when I want them back to arch shape.
 
Matt, do you know if your 3 pin waterproof cables will match up with the cables from diyledexpress?


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Any bulk discounts on the pixel strip anchors only? I followed your video for everything else. $8 a pop is pretty steep.


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Do you have a link to the specific ones at diyledexpress so I can see them and I will tell you? For the pixel strips every vendor I have ever seen uses the JST connectors and on the waterproof side (outside the base) most items use the three pin 13.5mm connectors.

Matt Johnson
www.johnsonlightshow.com
2014 Contestant on ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight"
http://facebook.com/johnsonlightshow


michaelc said:
Matt, do you know if your 3 pin waterproof cables will match up with the cables from diyledexpress?


Sent from my bat phone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
davecw said:
I am making a larger arch using a full strip inside cut to about 17.5'.
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I too plan to use a full pixel strip (5M/16.4') and have wondered what length to cut the HDPE. Was 17.5' good, or would you cut a different length when used with Matt's arch kits? Thanks.
 
17.5 is about the same amount extra Matt used. I think he had a little more even. Room for the connector, bungee, strip connector.
 
Skunberg said:
17.5 is about the same amount extra Matt used. I think he had a little more even. Room for the connector, bungee, strip connector.
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Thanks Skunberg. I need to go back and see Matt's video again to check out his final length. Still vacillating between buying his kit or cobbling together the pieces he used in his video. His kit is very nice, but the price for 4 leaping arches keep going up if I add in the cost of his kits. The HDPE he used was not the cheapest, but really looks great, so those watching the display will enjoy that diffused light. I've had CCR leaping arches before, so this will be a step up.
 
I built mine just like Matt's. 54 pixels and if I remember the tubing I cut to about 9-1/2 feet. HDPE was cheap, it's the shipping that costs a lot because it's shipped as freight. I got lucky and they misquoted the shipping price and instead of $125 it cost me $12.50.

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timdks said:
I too plan to use a full pixel strip (5M/16.4') and have wondered what length to cut the HDPE. Was 17.5' good, or would you cut a different length when used with Matt's arch kits? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Matt cut his tubing to 9.5 feet. He told me that he used 1/2 of the strip in each of his arches.
 
fatcat46 said:
Matt cut his tubing to 9.5 feet. He told me that he used 1/2 of the strip in each of his arches.
Click to expand...

OK, a half of a strip is approximately 8.2ft, so since he specifically sites 9.5' in his video for the length of the HDPE, that means he has about 1.3' excess total. Trying to convert decimals to inches, I found a conversion that 0.333" is equal to 4", which makes sense. That would indicate that there is an excess of approximately 8" on each end for the bungee cord to stretch from the end of the pixel strip to the leg tie-down inside the foot. Seems reasonable without actually trying it. Don't want it too tight to put a lot of stress on the strip, but tight enough so the strip stays in place while moving the arch from point A to point B.

I'll do some experimenting and post the results here, unless one of you beats me to it.
 
I think for satisfying results get the HDPE, cut it, slide your strip inside and cut where needed. Leaves no second guessing.

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