Uplighting...

[Mark Wild]

Is it really anything more than a load of lights, evenly spaced along a wall pointing upwards? Don't get me wrong I think sometimes it can create a really good effect, but the whole, look what I did I put a load of lights on the floor pointing upwards scenario sometimes gets on my nerves a tad.

Is there any skill involved, if so what are they and what technical and creative skills would I need to do this? Or maybe I'm right, maybe it is just a load of lights evenly spaced along a wall pointing upwards?

[Shaun]

In a sense you're right, it is just lights pointing up, but it really can provide a nice ambiance and set the mood. A lot of it really depends on the venue. Sometimes you'll get a nice venue where you can really maximise the effect by highlighting pillers or architectural features.

[Danno13]

You do have to have a certain eye for what will look good and what colours go with the decor etc. On the whole though, I reckon it's easier than DJing.

[Cj_The_Dj]

How do you wire them? is it some kind of daisy chaining the power leads or is it 1 for each light and at the last light there loads of wires? and how hide the extra cable?

[Danno13]

Have a search on the forum CJ.. there are various ways, I have all my cheap LED pars on IECs with Y-splitters, and all my 1W pars on 16A ceeform in and outs wired together, as I'm awkward like that!

[Mark Wild]

You do have to have a certain eye for what will look good and what colours go with the decor etc. On the whole though, I reckon it's easier than DJing.

A million times easier I'd say ;)

[Corabar Entertainment]

Yes, it is just placing lights pointing upwards, but there can be a bit of artistry involved depending on the venue: for example, we went and did a site visit last week with a client. They want uplighting, but weren't sure where or how many.

The venue is a bit awkward with heaters and ledges in the way - meaning that just bunging them evenly around the room would look dreadful, or if you just put them where they would 'work' it would look very lop-sided.

We've come up with a design that works and should look good for the client, so on the day it should just be a case of placing the lights where we've agreed.

The other thing, of course, it is quite time-consuming to get them all in place, linked, and tidied.

[Cj_The_Dj]

so how do you hide all the extra wire? or do you have :Censored: loads of different sized leads?

[Mark Wild]

Yes, it is just placing lights pointing upwards, but there can be a bit of artistry involved depending on the venue: for example, we went and did a site visit last week with a client. They want uplighting, but weren't sure where or how many.

The venue is a bit awkward with heaters and ledges in the way - meaning that just bunging them evenly around the room would look dreadful, or if you just put them where they would 'work' it would look very lop-sided.

We've come up with a design that works and should look good for the client, so on the day it should just be a case of placing the lights where we've agreed.

The other thing, of course, it is quite time-consuming to get them all in place, linked, and tidied.

Well that's me out :D Unless its pre-fixed with a word that rhymes with hiss.

There's some real uplighting right there ;)

[Danno13]

so how do you hide all the extra wire? or do you have :Censored: loads of different sized leads?

Most of the time I space them pretty evenly apart, or if theres left over wire just coil it up and hide it behind the par, or under the floor stand.

[Corabar Entertainment]

so how do you hide all the extra wire? or do you have :Censored: loads of different sized leads?Yes, we do have different length leads, but obviously you can't have EXACTLY the right length for each one at every job.

What we've done to assist with this, is use microphone stand bases as the base for the uplighters. You can hide some excess underneath then, if necessary.... but obviously it can be a laborious job to get that tidy, stable and safe.


Well that's me out :D Unless its pre-fixed with a word that rhymes with hiss.:lol:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Well that's me out :D Unless its pre-fixed with a word that rhymes with hiss.

There's some real uplighting right there ;)

Or here....one of the venues we supply at. ;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

What we've done to assist with this, is use microphone stand bases as the base for the uplighters.

Were they cheap? Have you a linky?

[Corabar Entertainment]

They were a very good price through CPC - Pulse ones if I remember correctly (I remember thinking at the time "Where's the catch?").

However, they were doing one of their 'special prices' at the time and they are more expensive most of the time (still not silly money, but not the bargain we got) - but well worth keeping an eye out on the 'specials' in the little catalogues as they do come up cheaper from time to time.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I think Uplighting looks really cool when it's done properly. I have done some venues that are pretty ordinary and just one big square shape and the lights have transformed the place. I have done others where it has taken a bit of fiddling about but it's worth it because they have looked great afterwards. I like venues that have columns or archways that you can really enhance with the units.

Danno - Quick question. You mentioned IEC splitters. I never even thought of those. Does that mean for example that if you used splitters you could in reality daisy chain each unit from one power socket? If this is the case then I am definitely interested in getting some. Where would I get something like this? Also, because the units are low power consumption, I take it that there wouldn't be a problem with them sapping too much power?

Thanks

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Danno - Quick question. You mentioned IEC splitters. I never even thought of those. Does that mean for example that if you used splitters you could in reality daisy chain each unit from one power socket?

Yep. I use these too.

Try here (http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pe00080/iec-splitter/dp/PL10191) Gary.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Gary.

I too use IEC splitters. They do make daisychaining so simple, and ive onfen ran everthing from 1 socket.

Im on the phone internet at them moment, but CPC stock them.

EDIT --- Never nind, Daz beat me to it :D

[jeff wood]

Dan with a cee form plugs..

You know that 16amps is about 4000 watts :)

And yes, uplighting can make a huge difference,,in one of the suites at my res, it absolutely transforms it !

Sometimes when we have white chair covers, with white or silver sashes, LED table centres, and uplighting on blue,,its just something else...

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

They were a very good price through CPC - Pulse ones if I remember correctly (I remember thinking at the time "Where's the catch?").

However, they were doing one of their 'special prices' at the time and they are more expensive most of the time (still not silly money, but not the bargain we got) - but well worth keeping an eye out on the 'specials' in the little catalogues as they do come up cheaper from time to time.


Have you a linky?

:whistle:

[Corabar Entertainment]

I did try, but I can't recall which ones they were. It was one of these: http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp;jsessionid=HKCTKIVEFCVIUCQLCIPZMMQ?N=41 1+521&Ntk=gensearch_003&Ntt=pulse+MICROPHONE+STAND%2C+ROUND+BASE%2C&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&suggestions=false&ref=globalsearch&_requestid=157645

Steve might recall, but he's not around at the moment.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Cheers guys. After I posted the question I had to nip out and as I was near 'Craplins' I thought I would have a look. I purchased one and just tested it and it's fine. It was £5.99 and I noticed that CPC are a lot cheaper so I am going to order some online now. Thanks a lot.

[Disco Leisure UK]

Yes, we do have different length leads, but obviously you can't have EXACTLY the right length for each one at every job.

What we've done to assist with this, is use microphone stand bases as the base for the uplighters. You can hide some excess underneath then, if necessary.... but obviously it can be a laborious job to get that tidy, stable and safe.

:lol:


A guy we checked out last week at a wedding mounted his par cans on cable reels which were sprayed black! :eek:

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I purchased another 6 IEC splitters yesterday and they came this morning. I have tested out a number of the units today in the house and they work a treat so thanks for the advice.
I may need some shorter Male to Female IEC leads aswell now. I have some but could do with some more but saw on the CPC site that they have lots of different sizes but the cable is orange!!?

I'll have a look around the 'web later.

[OllieJames]

...saw on the CPC site that they have lots of different sizes but the cable is orange!!?

I ended up making my own!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Believe me Ollie, I tried to the whole 'change plug to IEC' thing with the LEDJ's and I ended up getting my sparky mate to do it as it was far too fiddly for me.

[Jiggles]

Believe me Ollie, I tried to the whole 'change plug to IEC' thing with the LEDJ's and I ended up getting my sparky mate to do it as it was far too fiddly for me.

I get the re-wirable ones. They are more expensive but well worth it. :)

[Vectis]

Nah. Buy a load of the premoulded Pro Elec black ones on the 1mm core cable from CPC. The 0.5m length ones are under £1 and the 10m ones were only a few quid each.

I bought a shedload of each expecting to be throwing the odd duff one away at that price, but so far they've been great.

I bought a load of 0.5m, 1m, 2m, 5m and 10m leads, colour coded them with insulation tape round both ends, and can therefore make up any length lead in 50cm increments just by joining them together. Obviously it makes sense to go for exact lengths if possible to avoid the possibility of accidental disconnection but a lot of the time this just isn't necessary as you can always find a few handy sockets dotted around the room. There's no need for a "power chain" in most venues, just a DMX chain.
:beer1:

[Excalibur]

I purchased another 6 IEC splitters yesterday and they came this morning. I have tested out a number of the units today in the house and they work a treat so thanks for the advice.
I may need some shorter Male to Female IEC leads aswell now. I have some but could do with some more but saw on the CPC site that they have lots of different sizes but the cable is orange!!?

I'll have a look around the 'web later.

Ones I got weren't. ;) ;) Like the young man from Devizes, they come in different sizes.

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/productdetail.jsp?id=PL09623&Ntt=pl09623

[A1DL]

Dan with a cee form plugs..

You know that 16amps is about 4000 watts :)

I expect Danno is using 16a ceeforms for their ingress protection rating.

IEC60320/C13-14 connectors/splitters are sort of fine for indoor use (I say "sort of fine" as they although they are electrically safe for indoor use, their mating characteristics are poor.

IEC60320 are not suitable for outdoor use, nor for marquees where the area between the inner and outer skin of the tent may be anything from damp to soaking wet. This of course is the area where people hide their cables and connectors.