Power Management is causing hallucinations!!!

[bravado67]

I have an idea for an add-on feature for xLights. In the layout you establish you models and number of nodes for those models. Imagine if it asked you the type of light, mA, voltage, distance from controller to 1st pixel, etc... The type of controller, gauge of wire, PSU, etc... It could then make recommendations on possible power injection points, null pixels, recommend lengths of run based on cable type, etc... Basically, a Noob feature that tells you if you will have voltage drop, ugly lighting, kill your board, or burn down your home. i know this takes all the fun out of everyone's opinion of the right voltage, wire size, controller setup, run length and all the experience to back it up. But for Noobs wanting to enter this hobby there is a steep learning curve. I may laugh about this in 6 months but right now it's challenging. If I ask the builder of a board how I can run 32 strands with 100 nodes from 32 channels and he says, "For 32 strands of 100 I would use 4 350W power supplies. Two for expansion and two for main board. " then I should feel confident it will work. But then I have people telling me that not with 60mA lights I become concerned and frustrated.

Ron

[Phrog30]

Not all 60mA pixels are 60mA. I would buy a kill-a-watt and an amp clamp to test what you actually have.

Formulas are ball park, real world tests are more accurate.

James

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[bravado67]

Not all 60mA pixels are 60mA. I would buy a kill-a-watt and an amp clamp to test what you actually have.

Formulas are ball park, real world tests are more accurate.

James

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

James, I have yet to purchase my pixels. On the fence as to which direction to go.

R

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[jnealand]

No one can tell you all that information with any meaningful accuracy.  This all goes back to start small and learn.  There is much to learn.  You need to buy something, maybe a small controller and one or two strings of lights and start learning.  No one learns calculus before they learn math.  And there is much to learn, prop construction, wiring, soldering, radio transmission, sequencing.  Buy something and get started.  And have fun.  If it is not fun then find another hobby.  It will be challenging and frustrating, but that is all part of the journey to where you are going.

[babybear]

Jim.
     Very very well put.   I agree as that's exactly what I did..... I built a mega tree and set it up for x mas in July.  Yep all that for one weekend, two nights.  Then for x mas I added a small mega tree and a few arches.  Still at that point no music.  Why be overwhelmed. Now I'm building my own candles, gifts and snowflakes.  Yes music this year.  Power injection, LOL you will find out soon enough if you need it.  Pink for white LEDs.  When I started if I read all these post I would not of had a display.  If I had done the math my lights should have not worked. Tree was 540 watts if you did the math but I ran 6 solid weeks on a 400 watt power supply.  Not one issue.  As for injection I just feed power at each end of my strips.  Just don't over think it.  Have fun

[bravado67]

Jim.
     Very very well put.   I agree as that's exactly what I did..... I built a mega tree and set it up for x mas in July.  Yep all that for one weekend, two nights.  Then for x mas I added a small mega tree and a few arches.  Still at that point no music.  Why be overwhelmed. Now I'm building my own candles, gifts and snowflakes.  Yes music this year.  Power injection, LOL you will find out soon enough if you need it.  Pink for white LEDs.  When I started if I read all these post I would not of had a display.  If I had done the math my lights should have not worked. Tree was 540 watts if you did the math but I ran 6 solid weeks on a 400 watt power supply.  Not one issue.  As for injection I just feed power at each end of my strips.  Just don't over think it.  Have fun

You are both right. Once I get my controller and some pixels I can play. Once I get my f16v2 and 3 or 4 strands of RGB I'll be dangerous. Until then I'm going to continue on with my sequencing.

Thanks guys!

[Steve Gase]

I did ask for something similar last year -- but not as sophisticated.
I asked for a way to record the pixel types and power needs so that we could easily view the overall power per element -- and for the show.  the info could be done in a spreadsheet, but I imagined that eventually xlights might become the single source of truth for the show... providing the configuration data shipped to the controllers, and looking for conflicts, and identifying gaps in the channels.