Thread: LED placement and type used with your IZOMBIE or FIREFLY lightning gen

Tweet

Originally Posted by Montco Haunt

I am considerign buying 8 lights from Corey. 6 72led and 2 120led. Still not certain yet but close. Let me know if you order them too.

yeah I am still on ropes about Minions...I am thinking now I will probably order 4 of the 72LED...but I have yet to click the buy button...decisions decisions...

Originally Posted by Dminor

I used a bulb similar to this one: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...500W_120V.html but never left it outside to potentially get wet. Then again, as a San Fernando Valley resident, I rarely worry about inclement weather.

Because the lightning strikes are so infrequent or non-constant (for lack of a better word) I'm able to use the same bulbs from last year without any issue.

If weatherproofing is a major consideration for you, I'd definitely look into the Minion's bulbs. I've never used them, but everything else I've ever purchased from Corey has been excellent.

I'm in Simi Valley...I'd love to see your display. When do you have it up and running? I will start putting up my display tomorrow...well all the weather proof stuff that is...

Okay, what do most of you use? I am not happy with my lightning. If anyone uses strobes, how slow or fast do you set the strobe lights?

First run - 100W floodlights. To yellow and not bright enough.
Second run - LED strobe lights. Better. White lights, but to much strobe effect.

Originally Posted by StonebridgeCemetery

Okay, what do most of you use? I am not happy with my lightning. If anyone uses strobes, how slow or fast do you set the strobe lights?

First run - 100W floodlights. To yellow and not bright enough.
Second run - LED strobe lights. Better. White lights, but to much strobe effect.

I use a mix of incandescent flood lights (bright, but yellowish) with LED floods (not as bright, but super white). I ended up buying LED's from Minions Web...they were expensive but the color is great. I wouldn't go with anything less than the 120 LEDs because they are not as bright as I thought they would be. I have two FX Christmas boxes and I operate them with the left channel going into one and the right going into the other. I plug a string of flood lights with two LEDs and one Flood in each. I have them set on two different sensitivity settings. I then face the bulbs from one box hitting my home from the right and from the other hitting the left. The different sensitivities make one side fade out a little quicker than the other and when the big thunder cracks the whole front lights up.

That sounds cool Kngtmre. I looked at Minions lights and considered purchasing them as well. Do you have any video of your lightning?

I'm wondering if I can mix my floods with my strobes and achieve the desired effect. . . .

Originally Posted by StonebridgeCemetery

That sounds cool Kngtmre. I looked at Minions lights and considered purchasing them as well. Do you have any video of your lightning?

I'm wondering if I can mix my floods with my strobes and achieve the desired effect. . . .

I don't. I'm going to finish them up tonight. I'll try to shoot some video then and send it to you. I never liked using strobes the color organs create the flashing effects on a regular bulb much better then strobes IMHO.

Tonight I used 65W Reveal floodlights. After a short run, I also added the LED strobe. The Reveal bulb was fine. Not real bright, but was working. Then by adding the strobe, I might be on to something. The bulb flashes of and on and the strobe does what it is supposed to do. I'm still not completely satisfied, but I think the Reveal bulbs are a step in the right direction without breaking the bank and getting the LED floodlights that I so desperately want. I will keep tinkering.

Ok, let's revive this thread. I had a long talk with Ron at Lights Alive the other day. Nicest guy you'd ever want to talk to. I believe his LED lights are quality but I just can't spend $240 each for his pro light 200. I need at least 3 or 4 to cover the length of my home. Something else I learned is he recommended setting them up only 20 feet from the house. I had intensions of placing them in several trees that are 50' from the house. This would be a deterrent to theft as well as throw the light from above and not blind the tots. Sounded like he didn't think they would throw the light that far. He sure was an honest guy. Now I am thinkign I HAVE to ground mount them 20' to 25' feet away from the house. I am still leaning towards a bunch of 120 LED White Spots from Minions.

So, how far away from your home does everyone place your lights?

Terra, what the chances (I know you are reading this!) that you will ask Cory and Ron for a few each of their LED lights for a Terra Test? I have seen you conduct several informal tests for various products. You know you want to do this!

Ron is a great guy to talk to Not sure if the lights he was showing at Transworld 2011 are the ones he is selling now but I saw them and they reacted great to the FireFly. Immediate response and flickering. They didn't look waterproof though and I had the impression they were a type of Halogen. That price point killed me too, LOL!

I've been using Corey's (Minion's Web) 120 LED Cool white LEDS for two seasons now and they work great for me. I've heard they don't flicker as quickly to the FireFly but aren't a problem for me. Can't really tell, honestly. To me they are awesome and fit their price point (which is still a big investment for a haunter). Note: ran into a snag with Corey's lights last year when putting them away. One of the covers just popped off. Called Corey and he said there was a batch of them that the manufacturer didn't use a good glue. He suggested I siliconed the lid back in place and that seems to do the trick. For good measure I siliconed the lid seam on all of them. Don't need them to pop off in the middle of a rainstorm. Corey did mention that even with the lid off they still have a waterproof coating which is good to know.


I use four of the lights - one in each tree in front of the house. Here's a picture of where two of them are:



To the left and across the driveway are two more trees and those are similarly placed. They are all directed at the house. Each light uses it's own 75 - 100' extension cord. The light is mounted in a yard stake light holder and siliconed in place to prevent water intrusion. Then the yard stake is zip tied in several places along the stalk of the light holder to a tree branch. They are there for three solid weeks and handle wind and rain storms like champs.

Here is a video of the lightning on a full moon night (was I lucky!)

I purchased two 120s and two of the one size smaller...I think they are 90s. Anyway, I put the smaller about 10 ft away and the 120s around 20 ft. I think they are awesome. As a matter of fact I will be purchasing two more 120s to place elevated at the front of my lawn to light up the graveyard.