Christmas lights

Happy New Year!

It is time to start a new adventure!
I have always enjoyed driving around to see various Christmas light displays. The more lights, the more excitement. For about the last three years, I've had a desire building within to erect my own big light display, but for various reasons have never turned that desire into an executed plan. It is time to change that! It isn't going to happen on its own - I must develop a plan of action and follow through with it.

Give credit where credit is due.
This season while cruising the various light displays around Phoenix, I came across one having 10,000 lights. That's a fair sized number of lights, but no where near the size of the Mega-Displays that I would typically frequent. Generally, I would plan a route based on locations of displays having at least 30,000 lights. Some of the home displays in Phoenix are upwards of 500,000 lights! This particular location had the fewest lights of all the stops on this season's route. So, why did I bother? The write-up stated, "Animation and 10,000 lights set to tunes from FM 96.1." I was curious about the lights set to music and the location happened to be near another stop I had planned on my route. Boy! Am I ever glad I put this one on my list! I met William Morris, the owner of the home, a very nice fellow, and I chatted with him for quite some length of time. His website is www.twodoglights.com.

This was my turning point. The "bug" has bit me! William has been a wealth of information. He has posted details of his adventure in 2008, which has spurred me to do the same throughout 2009. This coming Saturday - Jan 3rd, I will be assisting William as he begins taking down his display. I'm looking forward to having him as my Christmas lights mentor!

The plan for 2009:
#1 - Watch for sales throughout the year! Big Christmas light displays = big expense. Part of the planning means knowing the associated costs. Remember LED strings initially cost more than conventional strings, but the operating costs are only 10% of conventional.

#2 - Design the show. I've already nailed down the basics. My goal is roughly 5,000 lights (mostly LED if possible) controlled by 48 channels of Light-O-Rama set to several Christmas music selections.

#3 - Purchase and build light controllers, FM transmitter, and various items used in and for the show.

#4 - Program the light sequences to music.

#5 - Edit video elements for coordinated use in the show. (That's all I'm saying on this subject for now - wait and see!)

#6 - Acquire a temporary power distribution unit such as a CEP 6506-GU, power connection cable, and install a plug-in receptacle for it at my breaker box.

#7 - Set everything up in time to throw the switch after Thanksgiving.

#8 - Plan for 2010.