hours of operation

**a158946** · 08-26-2011, 05:35 PM

I'm trying to plan this years display, and was wondering what hours people usually run their display. In the past, I've just run it from sun down till 9 or 10pm. When you stop all the flashy goodness, do you leave a static display on?

**mikeh65** · 08-26-2011, 07:01 PM

I run my display from 5:00pm to 11:00pm CST every night. I figure it's not REALLY dark until 5 and by 11 I have no more traffic. It also keeps the neighbors happy.

**aixelsyd** · 08-26-2011, 09:28 PM

Last year I ran mine from 5:30pm till 10pm. It's just an animated display no music timed lights (yet). Between 10 and 11 the lights is static. Then back on animated at 6am till 7:30am for the kids going to school.

**bcadman** · 08-26-2011, 09:56 PM

I like the idea of running the show for a little bit in the morning. I wonder how many other displays operate in the morning during the dark hours. ??

**StandingInAwe85** · 08-27-2011, 01:28 AM

I run mine from dusk til 10:30 (midnight on the weekends). After that it's a static display with 100% LED lights. I do it more to provide a little light for the security cameras than for passerby's to look at. I like the idea of running it in the morning hours, I'll have to see how much traffic I get at that time.

**Skunberg** · 08-27-2011, 11:28 AM

I used to run 5pm to 10pm but the wife never got to see them, so now it's 5pm to 1:15am. And keeping my ears open for the neighbors.

Brian

**DIY Sparks** · 08-27-2011, 12:41 PM

Having discovered this tremendous DIY Christmas site only this past February, this coming Christmas will be my first with the flashing and the sparkling and the fading... After learning, researching, ordering, soldering, splicing, programming and answering the same question a hundred times ("Why are you working on Christmas in the Summer?"), the hours of operation thing hit me too. Lots of lights in my neighborhood stay on all night, so me too! But the strobing, epileptic flashing must have a limit. Made a bunch o' LateNight1, Late Night2, LateNight3, etc. sequences with s-l-o-w chases, s-l-o-w fades, all maxed out at 50% (C7 incandescent) intensity. Upon testing at night in dark garage, found these to be peaceful, pleasing and warrant running till 3 or 4am. Drive-bys get to see 'em, and the neighbors get to sleep.

**dmcole** · 08-27-2011, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by DIY Sparks

Made a bunch o' LateNight1, Late Night2, LateNight3, etc. sequences with s-l-o-w chases, s-l-o-w fades, all maxed out at 50% (C7 incandescent) intensity. Upon testing at night in dark garage, found these to be peaceful, pleasing and warrant running till 3 or 4am. Drive-bys get to see 'em, and the neighbors get to sleep.

Interesting idea. But more sequencing? I don't know that I need any more sequencing ;-) ...

And to the OP: 5:30 to 10.

\dmc

**Hunter310** · 08-29-2011, 10:35 AM

I ran my show last year from 5:30pm - 10pm (Sun-Thurs) and 5:30pm - 11pm (Fri & Sat), and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I ran until 11pm. After 11pm, I ran a somewhat static show from closing time until sunrise. The somewhat static show was a fade on of all colored lights for 2 1/2 mins then fade off; fade on of all white lights for 2 1/2 minutes then fade off; then fade on of all lights for 2 1/2 minutes the fade off. I would repeat this during the overnight hours at 50% intensity until sunrise. Like others said, this was more for security than having a show. As my porch light is off during my show, and not wanting to stay up to turn on the porch light (although I was usually up as the show ended) it provided light in the yard to hopefully deter any vandalism.

**jboyles7** · 08-29-2011, 11:13 AM

I run 5:30 to 11 PM every week night. Then until 12AM on weekends. Then 2 AM for Christmas Eve, Christmas and New year's eve. Re: Midnight mass, Folks like to com on Christmas, and new year's I have a crowd after the new year.

Early in December my transmitter may not come on until 6PM -- it is on a light sensor / timer.