Rather than simply hanging the RGB Pixels like ordinary lights, I predrilled half inch holes 2.9" apart In order to keep the pixels equidistant from each other and create a uniform look to the house.
SUPPLIES USED
• 340 feet of 1/2" PVC pipe SCH40 ~$2.45 per 10 foot length.
• White Semi-Gloss Spray Paint ~$3.98 each (I used about 4 cans to spray a protective coating on the PVC pipe to help prevent UV damage.
• Drill Press ~$60
• Step Drill Bit ~$6 (Widens the back holes for easy RGB pixel assembly)
• 1/2" Twist Drill Bit ~$9 (Smoothly cuts clean PVC pipe holes on top, step bit for back cleanup)
• Wood to make jig for hole spacing
• Ratchet Extensions (not these exactly, but similar ones to put in the PVC holes. They keep the PVC pipe facing up while drilling to help prevent the PVC pipe from twisting.)a
• White UV resistant zip ties (Adds strain-relief on the wires at each end of PVC pipe)
• 12V RGB Pixel lights
^ 12V allows about 100 lights before needing power injection. 5V about every 50.
• 3 core Waterproof Connectors or pigtails
• 2 core connectors or pigtails for power injecting
• Liquid Tape ~$7 to seal exposed wire ends.
I built a wooden Jig from a 2x6 plank and a pair of 1.5"x1.5" wood screwed down on top creating a "channel" for the PVC pipe to sit on.
The channel is just wide enough for ratchet extensions to slide down and short enough for 1/2" SCH40 PVC to fit on top.
The ratchet extensions fit inside the drilled PVC holes and into the channel. They then slide down the length of the wood (inside the channel) as I go. (This prevents the PVC from twisting while drilling... a common issue, and keeps the holes facing up.)
I left about a 2" gap for the PVC shavings and so I could see the drill bit cut all the way through the pipe underneath.
Once lined up to the drill press, I measured 2.9 inches from the drill bit center to the right of the jig and screwed in a 3/8" ratchet bit inside the channel. As a drilled hole is passed on top of the screwed down ratchet bit, it acts as a tiny anchor and stops the PVC from moving more... thus making each drilled hole hopefully exactly 2.9" apart from each other.
The individual RGB Pixel Lights are wire-spaced about 3" apart but you need to account for wire stuck to one side of the pixel bullet during manufacturing... making some pixels a less-than ideal, tighter fit.
I drilled 5 foot sections of pipe to account for any slight twisting that may occur. Once done, I flipped the PVC over and used a step drill bit to widen the back hole (where the pixels will be inserted). ...It's best to drill through all your PVC first, and then attach the step bit.
I broke off the loose shavings with gloves and sprayed white semi-gloss spray paint on the PVC (to aid against UV damage and brittle PVC pipe over time).
...LET THE WIRING BEGIN!
It's VERY IMPORTANT to know which side of the RGB Pixel is IN and which is OUT. You must know which pixel to start with and therefore, which pixel is the end. For me, the side with the writing is IN and the back side (with no inscription) is OUT. It shows 12V, DI, and GND. "DI" stands for "Data In". The non-inscribed back side would be "Data Out" The color of the wires can vary from manufacturer so make sure you know which wire is which. For me, the red is on 12V, white is data, and blue is ground. Red, white, and blue wires are the cheapest I've typically seen online. You could also get them in all black, all white, all green, or clear. The wire colors don't bother me since nobody will really notice them at night. The first and last pixels may come with extra wires (12V and GND) attached for power injecting! Plan ahead to know where you are going to power inject. I'll write up more on power injecting later. If not injecting power, just clip them short and put on some liquid tape to seal the ends. Strip and tin the wire ends.
I ended up using these waterproof wire connections (10 pairs for about $13) They're kind of a pain since you have to prepare the wire, crimp on connections and waterproof rings, then assemble the unit together. I much prefer these 3 core waterproof pigtails but they're a tad more expensive (5 pairs for about $10). I went with the cheaper option :) Also, I used some extra 18 gauge wire to extend the connector. Red always went to 12V, Black to ground, and the middle wire was either red or black since I cut all of it from the same 2 wires. The extra wire stiffness made inserting them into the connector much easier as opposed to the thin 20 gauge wire the lights use. Solder and heat shrink tubing to complete the connectors.
I prepared several in this manner. For long runs of lights (that connected several light strings together) I chose to solder and heat shrink those connections directly together instead of using the connectors that come pre-attached to the beginning and end. (Makes for a better waterproof option)
Then came the fun part of inserting the lights into the PVC. The strings had to be constantly "untwisted" to make straight wires between pixels. I found it easier to do 50 at a time, then solder the next 50 on at the end. (instead of untwisting long connected strings) Also, your fingers will get sore. I personally inserted almost 1900 lights by hand into the PVC over several weekends. To save your fingers, There is a pixel node set of pliers for $19, but I'm cheap, so I went without and fared just fine. :) Finally added some zip ties to the ends of the PVC sections to act as a strain relief on the wire to the pixel. I had many 5 foot lengths of PVC prepared so I could zig-zag "fold" the PVC pipe lights for later storage.)
Here is a quick test on one of the completed garage outlines:
(Every time I tested a newly competed section and everything worked, my heart was glad! There was a time it didn't work because I soldered the wrong wires together... whoopsie! Thankfully, it didn't break anything and I fixed the issue right up.)
I connected the outlines to the house with reusable zip ties through zip tie anchors.
The garage is now complete and the rest of the house is next.
Everything is now complete and ready for the 2017 show!