How To Build Leaping Lights Arches - Strategies for designing and wrapping your arch lights - Tips for assigning channels Press F5 to see full screen slide show mode By: Jeff Ostroff LauderdaleChristmas.com Version 1.6 June 11, 2008 Our Arches 2007 only white channel on Our arches with white & Blue channels on
1. How To Build Leaping Lights Arches - Strategies for
designing and wrapping your arch lights - Tips for assigning
channels Press F5 to see full screen slide show mode By: Jeff
Ostroff LauderdaleChristmas.com Version 1.6 June 11, 2008 Our
Arches 2007 only white channel on Our arches with white & Blue
channels on
2. WARNING: The PVC pipe MUST say SCH 40 on it as shown above.
If not, do not buy that pipe! NOT Schedule 40 Schedule 40 has
thicker walls Photo above shows the thicker walled, more rigid SCH
40 PVC that you need. WARNING: You MUST use Schedule 40 PVC pipe.
Do not get bogus thin walled white PVC pipe at Lowes. Their pipe is
but does not say Schedule 40, a much thicker walled and more rigid
pipe. You need this extra thickness to keep your PVC arch from
sagging. This is especially problematic when you wrap more than 800
lights across each pipe section on arches > 10 ft. Sch 40 should
be used for 15 foot and 20 foot arches, but you might get away
without SCH 40 on 10 long arches. The PVC pipe MUST say SCH 40 on
it as shown below. If not, do not buy that pipe!
3. How Big Should I Make My arches? How Tall will it be? Its
difficult for most people to calculate height of arch, so we
experimented with 3 sizes that provide graceful arch with proper
height and comfortable stress forces. Strategy: Come up with a size
arch that looks good for your yard, then choose from 3 sizes shown
on next page.
4. 3 Arch Sizes For You to Consider: 9 ft MEDIUM: 15 ft arch
length 7 6 PVC pipe MUST BE SCH 40 7 6 PVC pipe LARGE: 20 ft arch
length most popular 10 PVC pipe MUST BE SCH 40 10 PVC pipe MUST BE
SCH 40 (2) 10 foot white SCH 40 PVC pipes (most stores only carry
10 length)) (1) female threaded coupler (1) male threaded coupler
Requires: (2) 10 foot white SCH 40 PVC pipes cut to 7 6 each (1)
female threaded coupler (1) male threaded coupler Requires: (1) 10
foot white PVC You can also use softer gray electrical PVC On this
arch. Not stiff enough for 15 or 20 arches. Small: 10 ft arch
length Requires: 6 ft 41 tall Single 10 PVC pipe 5 ft tall 12 ft 7
ft tall
5. EXAMPLE: 8 Channel MEDIUM 15 ft arch length 9 ft 5 ft tall 7
6 SCH 40 PVC pipe MUST BE SCH 40! 7 6 SCH 40 PVC pipe MUST BE SCH
40! Channel #1 Channel #2 Channel #3 Channel #4 Channel #5 Channel
#6 Channel #7 Channel #8 8 strings of lights Each string 100 lights
Total # Lights: 800 Channels 9-16 To next arch Leave 4- 6 space at
ends Leave 4- 6 space at ends
6. 16 Channel Medium/Large 15 Foot Long Advanced Design:
LauderdaleChristmas.com Solution 2007 (2560 Lights) This is the 15
arch we built for our Christmas lights display Stats: 8 Channels of
White LEDs mixed with 8 Channels of blue LEDs Each Channel: 2
strings of 100 White LED lights (Costco) 2 strings of 60 Blue LED
lights (Sams Club) (Logistics & availability determined where
we bought the LEDs) Total # Lights Per Arch: 2560 Lights Channels
9-16 to Blue LEDs 9 ft 5 ft tall 7 6 SCH 40 PVC pipe 7 6 SCH 40 PVC
pipe Channel #1&9 Channel #2&10 Channel #3&11 Channel
#4&12 Channel #5&13 Channel #6&14 Channel #7&15
Channel #8&16 Leave 4- 6 space at ends Leave 4- 6 space at
ends
7. 16 Channel Smaller 10 Foot Long Advanced Design:
LauderdaleChristmas.com Solution 2007 (1760 Lights) This is the 10
arch we built for our Christmas lights display 8 Channels of White
LEDs mixed with 8 Channels of blue LEDs Each Channel: 1 strings of
100 White LED lights (Costco) 2 strings of 60 Blue LED lights (Sams
Club) (Logistics & availability determined where we bought the
LEDs) Total # Lights Per Arch: 1760 Lights 6 ft 3 6tall 1 Single 10
foot long SCH 40 PVC pipe Channel #1&9 Channel #2&10
Channel #3&11 Channel #4&12 Channel #5&13 Channel
#6&14 Channel #7&15 Channel #8&16 Leave 4- 6 space at
ends Leave 4- 6 space at ends Channels 9-16 to Blue LEDs
8. Below are 2 of our blue & white arches. On the left our
medium sized 15 foot long PVC arch 5 tall, endpoints spaced 9 feet
apart. On the right, our 10 foot long arch 36 tall, endpoints
spaced 6 feet apart.
9. Step 1: Build 3 of these wood PVC pipe support jigs out of 2
x 4 studs or other thin wood and drill a 1 hole for the PVC to pass
through. You can make the hole as big as you like. These jigs will
support your PVC pipes as you wrap. Your lights. Nothing fancy, it
just needs to stand on a table and support the PVC. Upside down
folding chair works too. You can rest the PVC pipe on the X formed
by the crossing legs. Step 2: Clean both ends of your PVC pipe
before you start. PVC cement will NOT Stick unless surface is
squeaky clean! You can slightly sand it to roughen it up too. Step
3 (Medium & Large Arches Only): Apply PVC cement to one PVC
pipe and slide on the threaded FEMALE coupler. Then get the other
PVC pipe and cement on a threaded MALE coupler. Now screw both
pipes together to form your 15 or 20 arch. Step By Step Assembly
Instructions
10. Step 4: Get some 1 L-brackets, and put 2 together using a
bolt and nuts. The stack of nuts is used to insert this bracket
assembly into the chuck of your drill so the drill can grip the
bracket to spin it CLOCKWISE To keep the nuts tightened down.
Making the coupler to the drill Step 5: Then drill through the
bracket and PVC pipe to create a cross section pass feed through
for your nut and bolt to secure the bracket to the PVC pipe. Step
6: Attach the bracket to the PVC pipe through the holes that you
just drilled, using a nut and long bolt. The stack of nuts you see
allows the drill chuck to grip better. Tighten all the nuts, and
glue if needed or try a locking nut. Now you are ready to insert
this bracket assembly into your drill, set for motorized spinning
of your PVC pipes to help you wrap the lights onto the arches. Make
sure your drill is set to spin CLOCKWISE or youll loosen the nuts
on your bracket assembly.
11. Step 8: Line up 15 feet of tables and place your 3 PVC
support jigs on the tables. Then pass the PVC pipes through the
Jigs until they are supported. Duct tape the wooden support jigs to
the table. Some people use folding chairs upsidedown. Step 9:
Connect your drill to the other end of the PVC pipe to the bracket
assembly that you built. You are now ready to start wrapping your
lights! Step 7: With your PVC pipe laid out, mark off 6 from each
end as keep outs for the lights. For this 8 channel arch, get a
magic marker and mark off the PVC pipe into 8 equal segment lengths
that you will wrap your wires around: 20 ft arch: Use 2.37 feet per
segment (28 ) 15 ft arch: Use 1.75 feet per segment (21) 10 ft
arch: Use 1.125 per segment (13 ) Marking the pipes for wrapping
& assembly setup No Lights here!
12. Step 10: Start by taping the first set of lights to the PVC
pipe about 4 to 6 from the end. This will allow clearance off wet
grass in southern climates, or snow in northern climates. Also
pre-label plugs >> When wrapping lights, always make sure
they are on to make sure they still work as you wrap them. Step 11:
Have a second person operate the drill at a constant, manageable
speed, allowing you to feed the lights into a tight spiral onto the
PVC pipe as it rotates. Keep an even tension while wrapping at an
angle to avoid previous wrapped lights. You should be continuously
moving previous light bulbs out of the way, so that you do not wrap
over and block any light bulbs. Every 10 wraps or so, stop and push
the loops tight against previous loops. You should not see white
PVC shining through the spiral loops. Ready to start wrapping
lights!
13. . . Soldered on SPT1 or SPT2 green wire Cut enough wire to
leave 5 foot cord Tape wires to PVC pipe To avoid bulk extension
cables, cut your own thin SPT1 wire Step 12: Snip off the power
plug from the end of the first set of wrapped lights. We will
solder on a length of SPT1 wire running down the PVC pipe, and
re-solder the same connector back onto the other end of the cable.
Step 13: Cut a length of SPT1 wire long enough to run down the
length of the PVC pipe and providing a 5 foot extension past the
PVC pipe as shown in drawing at top. Solder this SPT1 wire to the
end of the light string where you cut off the plug. Step 14: Label
plugs as you finish each one. You connect them to your lighting
controller later. Example: White Ch 8. Try to use plugs that allow
other plugs to connect on top for future versatility, connecting
multiple arches to same channels. I used the wrong kind here. Ill
re-solder different ones on later.
14. Tip: Wherever your lights or wires might come in contact
with a jig or support, wrap them in smooth packing tape or duct
tape to prevent damaging your lights from rubbing against the
support. Let the chafing and scrapes rub against the tape, not your
lights and cables. Tip: Pre-cut and size all your custom made SPT1
cords ahead of time so youll have them ready when you wrap lights,
and minimize down time. Have all your labels already attached to
your plugs. Pre cut all your pieces of tape that youll need. After
the first channel or 2, youll develop a good system to pull this
off. Have one or 2 other people help you. It goes fastest with 3
people. Tip: When splicing your SPT1 wire pairs, make sure they are
at least 1 apart to eliminate risk of ever shorting together. So
cut one wire longer than the other. Then you can solder and wrap
with electrical tape or use heat shrink tubing.
15. Heres our 15 foot long, 5 tall archEach Channel: 2 strings
of 100 White LED lights (Costco) 2 strings of 60 Blue LED lights
(Sams Club) Total # Lights Per Arch: 2560 Lights
16. Each Channel: 2 strings of 100 White LED lights (Costco) 2
strings of 60 Blue LED lights (Sams Club) Total # Lights Per Arch:
2560 Lights
17. Alternative Method For Wrapping Light Strings: Tater
Twister Some people use the base motor from the Presto tater
Twister instead of a power drill. The base motor turns at a slower
pace, and you can rig it up with a foot switch for single person
wrapping of lights. No longer sold in stores, you can only get from
sellers on eBay or Amazon.
18. 32 Channels Total LauderdaleChristmas.com controller hookup
solution for 2 arches You can use the same controller to control
multiple arches, just plug them all in parallel! Arch #1 Arch #2 8
White Channels 8 Blue Channels 8 White Channels 8 Blue
Channels