Finding Great Deals

Supplying power to a display can be one of the greatest expenses in creating the display. My original plan was to basically duplicate what William did to supply power. This plan required a dedicated 50 amp circuit via an RV receptacle to a Spider box (a Temporary Power Distribution box with GFCI outlets that is typically used at construction sites). After doing several searches on the Internet, I was beginning to get a bit discouraged. The new retail price of one of these Spider boxes alone is typically around $600.00. I had pretty much resigned myself to building a home-grown contraption consisting of an electrical sub-panel, and several GFCI outlets. Building something myself could definitely be accomplished for considerably less than $600.00. Then I stumbled upon a couple of fantastic deals! I found a Spider box locally on Craigslist for only $150.00 having 6 GFCI 120V 5-20R duplex receptacles plus 1 240V L6-30 receptacle.

Typically, a 30' 50-amp supply cable for a Spider box will retail for $300.00 - $400.00. On eBay, I found a new 36' 50-amp cable with an RV plug on one end and the other end bare for $80.00. All I need is the CS6364 twist lock cable end to attach to the RV cable, and install a permanent RV receptacle at the side of the house. Quick browsing has shown that the typical retail price for the CS6364 connector is in the neighborhood of $70.00. We'll see if I might find one cheaper!

I have also ordered the first of five Light-O-Rama (LOR) controller kits with the show software. In July, Light-O-Rama will be changing their method of licensing, introducing multiple levels of capability ranging from very basic to advanced. By purchasing the software now, I am automatically entitled to a free Advanced license once registration begins. The controllers are offered in various forms: Show-Ready, Assembly-Required, and Build-It-Yourself-Kits. Of course, each of these various forms are offered at different prices. I have decided to save the most money by purchasing the Build-It-Yourself-Kit version. I've seen a preview of the instruction manual and overall, it looks to be fairly user-friendly. The whole idea of soldering everything initially had me a bit worried, but I've been assured that it isn't all that bad; besides, you really can't beat The Light-O-Rama Promise: "If you choose a DIY product that requires soldering, we will stand behind you 100%. Almost every problem can be fixed via email or a phone call. If you cannot get your controller to operate we will attempt to repair it absolutely free. If you damage a component we replace it free!. If we cannot determine the problem we will replace the kit for free! In the extremely rare case, that you physically damage the kit beyond repair, our standard warranty will cover 40% of the replacement cost!" In late February, and again in the Summer, Light-O-Rama will be having a special sale on controllers, at which time I'll purchase the remaining four that I will need.

Did I mention that I have increased my plan to 10,000 lights controlled by 80 channels? It is easy to get carried away - it is also very difficult to accomplish anything close to what I want with only 48 channels... I have pretty well finalized my plan. I will be placing my order for LED lights with LED Holiday Lighting in February during their 2009 Pre-Order Sales Event.