DIY Halloween: Lightning Strike How-To

How I created the lightning strike effect for my Halloween haunt. In-depth Step-by-Step how-to Video:    • How To Make Lightning: Halloween DIY, Part 1   Part 2:    • How To Make Lightning: Halloween DIY, Part 2   Want to say thanks? https://buymeacoffee.com/drscottdiabo... Parts List: 1 JUNKY OLD COMPUTER YOU CAN USE TO RUN THE EFFECTS: An old laptop works well. Light-o-rama still has software versions that can run on machines using Windows98. If you don't have a computer you can dedicate to this, LOR sells a starter package with a "Show Director" that replaces the computer. If this is you, you'll need to visit the main Lightorama website and scroll around. 1 LIGHT-O-RAMA CTB-16 RESIDENTIAL STARTER PACKAGE W/BASIC LICENSE: Assuming you have the computer above. If you already have a CAT5e or CAT6 cable, or need more than 25' between the controller and the computer, you can delete this from your order and buy/use one locally. Otherwise, just order the standard package. Pro tip: CTB-16 controller boxes are NOT WATERPROOF! Plan to keep the CTB-16 indoors/garaged and run regular extension cords from it out to your lights. Also, the Basic license is fine for now. You can upgrade later if you need more options and effects. Buy your system directly from the Lightorama website. https://store.lightorama.com/collecti... LIGHTORAMA HOW-TO VIDEOS: Available on their website as well as on YouTube. Watch these to learn the basics of LOR, how to set up a system for conventional AC LED lights, and how to program a sequence. LIGHTNING STRIKE MP3 FILES: Google "free lightning strike mp3". Find a few good ones. Download them to the computer you'll use to program the LOR sequences. Use each file as the "music" for your sequences. 5 OR MORE STRINGS OF 100-count COOL WHITE LED MINI-LIGHTS: 120V AC, regular conventional LED Christmas lights that plug into the wall. Green, brown, or black wire - must be cool white LED. Do not use warm white or incandescent. My lights are from Walmart, but even the grocery store sells these. Get them where you can. Christmas-LEDs.com is also a good source if you need to buy them out-of-season. But theirs are commercial-grade and $$$ 3-10 LED 6500K COOL WHITE FLOODLIGHTS: 120V AC, must be COOL WHITE, 6200K or above. Try ordering them from Amazon. I can't find them locally anymore. Use these at the base of the lightning bolt, and ALSO in place of the 12v RGB floods I used on the house. You don't need 12v RGB floods and all of their hassle for this project. DO NOT use halogen work lights or anything less than 6200k. Halogens draw way too many amps for LOR. Warmer white lights look like cheap work lights plugged into a Perfect Storm box, not like lightning. (Pro Tip: cool white lights and the Lightorama controller are the "secret" to this effect.) 1 OR MORE EXTENSION CORDS: One for each channel you use. I use the 16ga. 3-prong green HDX ones from Home Depot. You CAN program the mini-lights and the floods all on a single channel. But you may want to put some of your floods on different channels to get more timing options and a richer lighting effect. I used 1 channel for the lightning bolt and base floods, and one channel each, for each of the 4 house floods. The CTB-16 has 16 channels, so you have options. IF YOU WANT LIVE SOUND IN YOUR HAUNT: 2 OR MORE CHEAP STEREO SPEAKERS: Get these from Goodwill, Salvation Army, your local thrift store, etc. I've got a pair of Kenwoods and a pair of Sonys, all screwed to a 2x4 for convenience. 1 CHEAP STEREO MINI-AMPLIFIER: I got mine from Crutchfield 15 years ago. Something like this should work. https://www.amazon.com/Amplifier-Rece... 1 CORD TO CONNECT THE MINI-AMP TO YOUR COMPUTER: May not be necessary, depending on the amp. The goal is to output sound from the laptop, through the mini-amp, to your speakers. This will allow guests to hear the lightning as well as see it. Both the audio and lighting control are generated by the LOR software as it runs your "show". SPEAKER WIRE: Connects the mini-amp to the speakers. I use the cheap stuff from Walmart. It's usually in the electronics or automotive dept.