Mega Tree Advice/Input?

[onlineshopper]

Hi Everyone,

First time getting into pixels and currently getting overloaded with so much information.    I plan to do a mega tree for next year since I definitely won't make it this year.

I going with a 16' 6 ft  Tree with 48 strings at 100 pixels per strings, going with an 8ft diameter.  
I bought the Falcon F16V4 and two extension boards so I can get the 48 ports.


I already messed up and order the ReadyToRun Kit but got the 5v power supply instead of the 12v.  Now I plan to get some 12v power supply.    According to the mega tree calculator I need  6 power supplies.   So would it be 2 Power supply into the controller and 2 into each extensions board?   Also just found out Mean well has a 12v 600 watts power supply but seems like I wouldn't be able to spread the power evenly if I bought 4 instead of 6 350.   Is that right?  Would prefer less power supply for space. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  

[JonD]

I usually figure 16 ports to a 350w meanwell 12v power supply.   I would think you could easily get by with QTY 3 350 watt power supplies, but it would depend on the lights you were using and a few other variables.  I have a 32 string (120 lights per string) megatree, 270 light star, and a few other props close by that would be very close to the pixel count you are suggesting.  I have ran them at 100% power with no issues, but only run them at 40% power.  They only use 3 power supplies no problems.  

If you bought 3 three F16v4 ready to run controllers from Falcon (48 ports) they would only come with a single power supply each (3 x 350 watt) for a comparison.

[jnealand]

Before I spent a lot of money.  I would hook 3 strands of lights to one port at 30%.  There is no reason to run one string per port.  I guarantee you could run 200 per port.  I have at least 16 ports in my display running 240 nodes with no problem and a bunch more running 200 nodes per port all with no power injection.  Heck that tree is going to be so bright that you may need to run it at 20%.  I would also challenge you to look at whether you need a 360 tree or could use just a 270 deg.  Viewers will not see the lights on the back.  Just my 2 cents.

And if you really wanted you could do 4 strands per port and just hook an extra power feed to the end of each string.  Then use one expansion board for a star and some other nearby props.

[k6ccc]

At 100% white, most pixels draw 55 - 60 mAmps, so a 100 pixel string will be 5.5 - 6 Amps.  Granted, very seldom will you run every pixel on a tree at 100% white, but that is what I base my engineering.  Most of us also lower the percentage in the controller because otherwise it's too damn bright!  A 12 volt 350 watt power supply has a capacity of 29 Amps - or between 400 and 500 pixels at 100%.  Note, you never want to run a power supply at 100%.

I am running 26 strings of 100 pixels for my tree plus three strings of 90 pixels for the star using a F16v3 and one 16 port expansion board.  I am running it all on 5 volt pixels and have four 350 watt (70 Amp) power supplies - one to each input on the F16 and expansion.  That's some overkill, but it made the power distribution easier.  At 5 volts, each power supply can power 1,000 pixels comfortably at 100%.  I have a separate PVC electrical box (currently 12 x 12 x 6 - gonna be larger next year) for the power supplies.  The power supply box is mounted at 10 feet up the tree, and the controllers are in another 12 x 12 x 6 PVC electrical box at the 17 foot level behind the star.

In your position, since you are trying to minimize power supply space, I would likely go with the 600 watt power supplies and have one for each of the three boards.

[onlineshopper]

Good info! Thanks everyone!

[LedMutt]

Not to confuse you, I have a megatree 12.5 ft tall , 8 ft at bottom, currently 32 strings at 150 pixels, 360 degree, planning on 64 strings at 150 pixels per string, with power injection, each port will be driving 350 pixels, F16v4 and one expansion board driving the pixels, with 4 12v power supplies, at 30% brightness, made the controller box just for the megatree, some might say the back strings are a waste, but I think it looks a lot better, personal preference...

[onlineshopper]

Not to confuse you, I have a megatree 12.5 ft tall , 8 ft at bottom, currently 32 strings at 150 pixels, 360 degree, planning on 64 strings at 150 pixels per string, with power injection, each port will be driving 350 pixels, F16v4 and one expansion board driving the pixels, with 4 12v power supplies, at 30% brightness, made the controller box just for the megatree, some might say the back strings are a waste, but I think it looks a lot better, personal preference...

Thanks!  A lot of stuff to consider.  I'm thinking we're might be sticking with the 360 tree, we're one of those family's that seat in front of the house and will be seeing the tree from the back side angle and the kids like running around. 

[LedMutt]

Thanks!  A lot of stuff to consider.  I'm thinking we're might be sticking with the 360 tree, we're one of those family's that seat in front of the house and will be seeing the tree from the back side angle and the kids like running around.

Sure..I think a 360 tree looks a lot better...

[taybrynn]

If your in a typical residential location where your megatree is only visible from the street (one side), the 180 tree is a lot cheaper and nobody sees the other side of a 180 except you.

[algerdes]

Not to confuse you, I have a megatree 12.5 ft tall , 8 ft at bottom, currently 32 strings at 150 pixels, 360 degree, planning on 64 strings at 150 pixels per string, with power injection, each port will be driving 350 pixels, F16v4 and one expansion board driving the pixels, with 4 12v power supplies, at 30% brightness, made the controller box just for the megatree, some might say the back strings are a waste, but I think it looks a lot better, personal preference...

1" centers?

[k6ccc]

If you are going to put text or graphics on the tree, a flat tree works better.  Think about your viewing angle.  In my show, the viewing angle for the tree is less than 70 degrees, and for the vast majority of viewers less than 50 degrees.