Village News

Christmas Lights

Christmas Lights

Final Fitting - Twelve Drummers

Picture 9 – Completed control unit
Once wiring was complete, the backplate was fitted inside the enclosure, then it was given an electrical insulation test, and the continuity of all the connections checked out. It was now ready for powering up to enable programming of the PLC to begin (picture 9). Picture 9 – Completed control unit

Wiring the Components - Twelve Drummers

Picture 6 - Wiring in progress
Picture 7 – Wiring completed

The most labour intensive part of the build was probably the wiring stage. Picture 6 shows the backplate with the equipment mounted on it, and in the very early stages of wiring up.  read more »

Backplate Assembly - Twelve Drummers

Picture 5 – Enclosure with Backplate cut to size and fitted
Firstly a grey PVC backplate was made to fit inside the enclosure to mount all the equipment on (picture 5). Then the equipment layout had to be settled, which was not as easy as with the “11 Pipers” as there was a lot more to fit in a similarly sized enclosure.  read more »

Sourcing the Equipment - Twelve Drummers

Picture 5 – The PLC controller, a miniature relay and relay in base

Eventually a suitable programmable unit (“the brains”) was acquired, an old industrial computer, known as a Programmable Logic Controller (“PLC” for short), now made redundant after about 15 years of 24/7 active service, but still in good working order. Yes, even working computers get made redundant these days!

This PLC would be able to hold all the “actions” in a sequential program and switch relays on and off as required.  read more »

Unit Design - Twelve Drummers

Picture 4 – Schematic circuit drawing for making the parts list and wiring the unit
Now a start could me made on the control unit’s circuit design (picture 4), and then a parts list of all the equipment required could be compiled, in readiness to make a presentation of the requirements to the committee Chairperson for approval to go ahead with parts acquisition and control unit build. Picture 4 – Schematic circuit drawing for making the parts list and wiring the unit

Design & Equipment - Twelve Drummers

Picture 3 – Example of a Frame Junction Box wiring details

It was necessary to know what the combined loading of all these lights would be so that the control equipment and wiring could be suitably sized. However, there was not much forthcoming on this, and so a rough estimation had to be made, which was based on about 15 watts per metre of lighting, and a “character” having about 10-15 metres rope lighting, giving a total load of around 4.5kW when everything was on. After a couple more discussions, most of the other questions had been answered. Also, a  read more »

First Impressions - Twelve Drummers

Picture 2 – Complete display with 51 separate parts and 12 Junction Boxes identified

Even at first sight it looked like another large project, somewhat similar to “The 11 Pipers” but with more lighting elements to control, and luckily without any music requiring synchronising to the lighting animation.

The “11 Pipers” had 22 active lighting elements but this one, “The Twelve Drummers” would have 51 (picture 2), so in hardware terms this would require a much larger control unit.

The Call to Arms! - Twelve Drummers

Picture 1 – Frame builders’ layout drawing

It all started one evening at the beginning of October as, at long last, a bit of good summer weather was being enjoyed, rather late, but better then than none at all!

A phone call was received setting up a meeting with the designer/builders of the Christmas lights frames to discuss “the new one” which was already well under construction.  read more »

The Story of the Light - Twelve Drummers Drumming

Twelve Drummers Drumming was the keenly anticipated light to complete the sequence The Twelve Days of Christmas - here's the story of how the light was designed, built and animated and made its debut for Christmas 2010.  read more »

Angarrack Angle | Hayle Pump Feb-Mar 2011 | Feb 2011

Spotted in Tuesday 15 February 2011 on Hayle Pump

Angarrack Angle - February 2011

    Fat and Full that’s me, even after escorting many visiting friends at least a dozen times up and down both of the Steamers and Hatches hills in order to show off the Angarrack Lights display. It was yet again another fantastic series of sights enjoyed and shared by the visiting hundreds or should I say thousands that came by car, mini bus and coach, many of whom were simply blown away with the new latest addition ‘12 Drummers drumming’.  read more »

Ten Lords A Leaping on Flickr | Roy Curtis | December 10, 2010

Ten Lords A Leaping on Flickr by Roy Curtis Taken on December 10, 2010
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