simple questions about my falcon f16v5 (first time poster)

[rowjelio]

hello!

This is my first year trying this so please bear with me.

i got a falcon f16v5 , i'm learning to use the xlights software, saw the 2 and a half hour tutorial, another one on setting up a show, and the falcon f16v5 tutorial parts 1 and 2, and a couple other videos,

I need to control some 110v lights, just simple on/off stuff. I think from what have researched, i need to use the DMX port.

I found this great tutorial here :

and if thats how you do it, it doesnt seem too bad, but I do have a question: what if I need more Dmx ports? the falcon f16v5 only comes with one DMX port!

would it be easier just to buy like a single 36 channel DMX controller for that one port?? or does there exist an expansion board ? or would that complicate things? I was looking at this
https://www.amazon.com/Channel-Decoder-Controller-Digital-Display/dp/B0111QLHZS/ref=asc_df_B0111QLHZS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693366139088&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4019077385031496975&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032279&hvtargid=pla-430591735614&psc=1&mcid=892f9b1ddbff3bd98005e069314ecd0d&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693366139088&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4019077385031496975&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032279&hvtargid=pla-430591735614&psc=1


Any advice would be appreciated, thanks so much!

[AAH]

DMX can be daisy chained up to 512 channels. For that 3 channel relay board you could daisy chain 170 of them kind of. 
The number of physical boards that you can daisy chain is probably more like 20 or so with that depending on the RS485 receiver IC that is used.
The 36 channel dmx dc dimmer can't directly control the 110V lights. You can turn relays on and off with a DC dimmer but protection for the output transistor has to be provided with a diode.
A lot of people use my 2811DC15 dimmers for controlling relays and solenoids. There's an example wiring for this in the manual for my 2811dc15/2811dc30. 
The 2811DC15 and 2811DC30 connect into a 2811 pixel network which means if you really wanted to you could control thousands of relays using your F16.

[rowjelio]

Would something like this also work ? 
CHAUVET DJ DMX-4LED 4-Channel Dimmer Pack with American DJ Accu-cable 3-pin DMX Cable (50') Bundle https://a.co/d/212a723

[rowjelio]

DMX can be daisy chained up to 512 channels. For that 3 channel relay board you could daisy chain 170 of them kind of.
The number of physical boards that you can daisy chain is probably more like 20 or so with that depending on the RS485 receiver IC that is used.
The 36 channel dmx dc dimmer can't directly control the 110V lights. You can turn relays on and off with a DC dimmer but protection for the output transistor has to be provided with a diode.
A lot of people use my 2811DC15 dimmers for controlling relays and solenoids. There's an example wiring for this in the manual for my 2811dc15/2811dc30.
The 2811DC15 and 2811DC30 connect into a 2811 pixel network which means if you really wanted to you could control thousands of relays using your F16.

Is there a YouTube video to explain this further ? I apologize I'm not an electrical person so you're gonna have to explain this like I'm 5 haha 

[JonD]

What are you trying to connect?

As AAH mentioned... each DMX universe will support 512 channels.  Each device will require so many channels. Example, a flood light may require 5 channels, and a controller 16 channels, this is a variable depending on what you are connecting.  You can chain several items on the same wire, provided they all are using unique channel numbers.  All of the devices would have to be terminated properly.

Coming from LOR, their AC controller is DMX compatible and your Falcon should support these. https://store.lightorama.com/collections/starter-kit-ac/products/ctb16pcg3