Arches
Three arch types — main (major), mini (minor), and quad — all using the same strip spec. In xLights the models are named Arch Main and Arch Mini; Hunter’s drawings refer to the same arches as major and minor arches.
Spec confirmed 2026-06-18. All arch strips ordered by 2026-06-22.
Strip spec — all arches
| Type | WS2811 |
| Voltage | 24V |
| Density | 60 LEDs/m (10 addressable pixels/m) |
| ICs per pixel | 6 WS2811 ICs grouped per addressable pixel |
| Pixel spacing | 10 cm |
| IP rating | IP65 (conformal silicone coating) |
| Connectors | xConnect pigtails at each end |
Each strip is cut to length — two half-strips per arch or face, meeting at the crown with an xConnect connector for power injection.
Main Arches
5 main arches spanning the full width of the structure. Arch A (front) is the largest; Arch E (back) is smallest. Strips run along the interior face of each arch from ground up one leg, over the pointed crown, and back down the other leg.
Pixel layout
Full resolution as of 2026-07-12. The earlier plan grouped each arch into 20 “show pixels” at the structural box centres. That was abandoned — every addressable WS2811 pixel is now its own controllable node (~216–233 px/arch), giving native-resolution effects along the whole arch. No F48V5 pixel grouping is applied (grouping = 1). See process_notes.md and wiring.md.
Pixels are distributed evenly along the interior LED run, pixel 0 at the right foot (the SR / data-entry end). The strip is one continuous data run foot-to-foot.
Each arch now has ~220 pixels (>170 = one universe), so each arch occupies two universes, relocated to the tail block u39–u48 (the old u3–u6 / wiki’s u17–21 are vacated). Counts below are provisional pending measurement of the crown overshoot (each curve half runs ~3–4 pixels past the peak; those are blacked in the show).
| Arch | Position | Leg strips | Curve strips | Pixels | Universes | F48V5 port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Front (largest) | 2 × 6.0 m | 2 × 6.0 m | ~233 | u39–u40 | 29 |
| B | 2 × 6.0 m | 2 × 5.5 m | ~229 | u41–u42 | 30 | |
| C | 2 × 6.0 m | 2 × 5.5 m | ~223 | u43–u44 | 31 | |
| D | 2 × 6.0 m | 2 × 5.0 m | ~219 | u45–u46 | 32 | |
| E | Back (smallest) | 2 × 6.0 m | 2 × 5.0 m | ~216 | u47–u48 | 29 (+1) |
| Total | 10 leg pieces | 10 curve pieces | ~1,120 px | 10 universes (u39–u48) |
Because the arches are full-resolution, they are configured straight from an xLights controller upload (like the towers) and are not part of the rose-window FSEQ pixel-expansion step.
Ordered 2026-06-18 — 54 pieces / 456 m total via AliExpress.
Mini Arches
10 mini arches in two symmetric towers (Left and Right), 5 arches per tower. Mini arch 1 is the front (tallest); mini arch 5 is the back (shortest). Both towers use identical strip lengths.
Each arch is one continuous run from ground up one leg, over the crown, and back down the other leg. Strips meet at the crown with an xConnect connector.
| Arch | Pixels | Universe (Left) | Universe (Right) | Strip cut per half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (front) | 134 | 22 | 27 | 6.5 m |
| 2 | 120 | 23 | 28 | 5.8 m |
| 3 | 108 | 24 | 29 | 5.2 m |
| 4 | 98 | 25 | 30 | 4.7 m |
| 5 (back) | 90 | 26 | 31 | 4.2 m |
| Total | 1,100 px | 10 universes (22–31) | 4 half-strips per arch |
Ground-touching legs (all mini arches) start the strip 30 cm above ground for connector clearance above playa mud.
Ordered 2026-06-22 — 20 pieces via Ray Wu’s Store.
Quad Arches
6 quad arch towers at the scaffold corners: front-top-left/right, back-top-left/right, back-bottom-left/right. Each tower has 4 faces, each face its own independent strip run.
Pixel counts
| Tower type | Z-faces (front/back) | X-faces (left/right) | Total px/tower | Universes per tower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front-top (×2) | 84 px/face | 86 px/face | 340 px | 3 |
| Back-top (×2) | 44 px/face | 44 px/face | 176 px | 2 |
| Back-bottom (×2) | 82 px/face | 84 px/face | 332 px | 2 |
Universes 32–45 (14 total).
Strip cuts
Each face uses 2 half-strips meeting at the crown.
| Tower type | Strip cut per half | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front-top | 3.8 m | 16 | No ground clearance needed |
| Back-top | 2.2 m | 16 | Physical measurement from Hunter (OBJ overestimated) |
| Back-bottom | 3.9 m | 16 | −30 cm ground clearance |
| Total | 48 pieces |
Ordered 2026-06-22 — 48 pieces via Ray Wu’s Store.