Re: Controlling Holiday Lights

["AIMatrix" <spam4pyros@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Marc_F_Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:36dml25vjsb2e10q6g02a76j6s6vsjokom@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:58:32 GMT, "AIMatrix" <spam4pyros@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote
> in message  <YCt6h.7093$bj1.41@trndny05>:
>
> >
> >"sylvan butler" <ZsdbUse1+noZs_0611@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
message
> >news:slrnel4ke1.dqe.ZsdbUse1+noZs_0611@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> >I am the OP and been following this post into the ground. Why reinvent
the
> >wheel, if not for just trying, its all been done before.
> >Anyway I went with Light-O-Rama. The clincher was the new support for X10
> >devices witch I was all ready using so I can still use them for the slow
> >stuff (1 min. or more) and the Light-O-Rama controllers for the fast
stuff.
> >The prices are reasonable.
> >The program with coreographing for music is $100 and is well worth it.
The
> >controllers are cheep considering. The high power 16 channel Kit is $160,
> >that's $10 per channel, as cheep as X10 but faster with more power. So
for
> >$300 I am on my way to dancing lights.
> >
> >The posters that have kept this thread going have wasted more than that
in
> >there time and nothing was developed yet.
> >
> >Thru out next year I will buy more kits and make more controllers until
all
> >30,000 of my lights are on Light-O-Rama and I will not have to worry
about
> >the zero crossing optimum frequency of a random program.
> >
> >Andy
>
> Well said ;-)
>
> (It should be apparent that the reason for my extending/participating in
> this discussion is to alert other folks that what Sylvan has proposed for
> controlling TRIACS simply will not work. Nor will his approach to using
> MOSFETs which I will explain as time permits. IOW, the intention has been
to
> minimize the damage to the usefulness and credibility of information in
> comp.home.automation caused by sylvan's proposed electrical alchemy.)
>
> +++++++++
>
> I see no hint at www.lightorama.com that the Light-O-Rama equipment is
> UL-listed. Perhaps I just missed it, but if it isn't, it wouldn't meet
local
> code in many/most US jurisdictions.  This may not pertain to your
situation,
> but it could to many folks. It would be unfortunate to have a 30,000 light
> setup dimmed to dark.
>
> ... Marc
> Marc_F_Hult
> www.ECOntrol.org
yes Mark you are right about the lack of UL rating but most of these holiday
light controllers are considered "hobbyist"
like the kits I am buying.Plug them into professionally installed outlets
and you are good to go. Andy