Sign Retrofit to LED
What You Need to Know Retrofitting your sign to LED
The real trigger for most to retrofit is maintenance. It makes sense to convert rather than fix. The life of Fluorescence Lamps, the cost and difficulty to repair neon and the life of the repairs all point to retrofitting rather than fixing. The energy savings benefits of LEDs are obvious and immediate. The energy costs drop by a factor of 7-10.
What is A SIGN LED RETRETROFIT?
An LED retrofit is exactly what you might be thinking. We strip out the old lighting (Fluorescence or Neon) along with the ballast or transformers. We replace these with a power supply (outputting 12VDC or 24VDC. The LEDs take the place of the old lighting. Sometimes it is not practical to retrofit an existing sign – in those cases the existing sign needs replacement.
What is an LED
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is normally a 12VDC or 24VDC device. The element within the LED module has changed. Today these are brighter than in the past. Still, they are not bright enough so there are 2 or 3 LEDs in a small module. Each module is wired to the next in a string. The bigger technical development is in a small lens over the LED. These lenses spread the light better. In this case wider over the years. The result is newer LEDs have a wider light output, meaning fewer LEDs can be used and the cost goes down.
How is color measured?
Color is measured in temperature in degrees of Kelvin (K) from 1,000 to 10,000. In your home the yellow “warm” color is about 2000 to 3500K. Home lighting is normally “warm white” and ranges from 2000K to 3500K. Outside or in a kitchen you may be using “white” Light, A “cool white” color. These are from 3500K to 5000K. Signage is more intense and bluer, white at 6000K to 7500K. If this was in your home, you would feel it is a harsh light. Signs are much higher, normally 6500K, but up to 7200K. We use 6500K.
Cost Savings
LEDs are using electricity at a rate of about 1/7 – 1/10 that of Fluorescence Lamps. They last about 20,000 hours. They last a lot longer (ten times longer) and are much more efficient (about seven times) the result is energy savings. The average module is about a Watt. Most signs will be taken between 50 watts to 200 watts. This is much less electricity.
Does it make sense to retrofit?
It would be easier to say when it does not make sense. It the sign will be replaced in the next year – don’t retrofit. It the sign needs other work, and the cost of all the work exceeds the cost of a new sign – don’t retrofit. In all other cases, the maintenance, electric costs, quality of the light all point to retrofit. It makes a lot of sense.