Pitched one of the local churches a new message board sign with a 60" x 42" message board. I decided not to go with tracking/clear plastic letters and have opted for "Letter Board" style.
The letter board is about 3" deep and the cost to buy these things with lighting is hundreds more than non-lit.
My idea was to mount LED strips inside the message box, across the top.
I'd have to do this on both sides, wire them together into a common 12v power source and that will be hard wired to the building & switch plate.
Has anyone here had any experience doing this or retrofitting a box using LED?
I understand i can get rolls of strip lighting that can be cut to fit.
Am I on the right track here? Any words of wisdom?
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
My first experience was for a church sign I made with halo lighting around a cross using LED's where I hollowed out the back of my HDU cut cross and installed the LED's, connected to a transformer and had the electrician hard wire the transformer for me. Worked perfectly. The main concerns is to match the power supply with the number of LED's in the strips and of course use the manufacturer's recommended supply. Power supplies should state their voltage and how many LED's it can handle. For neatness sake I'd look into the solid strips which keeps everything neat and the LED's are already properly spaced. Talk to your distributor since LED's have different angle spread, different heat considerations, etc.
Posted by Shirley Carron (Member # 2446) on :
Thanks Dave,
Can I ask... have you had any issues with lighting in cold weather. In Canada we constantly get calls that fluorescent signs won't light quickly...in -40C...duh!
The more i read about LED and how many diodes per ft. etc.. I can see how you'd want the tranformer to co-ordinate.
Of course - I'll use an electrician....I just have a few questions since this is a first for me.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
No problems here lighting them up in the winter. We get to -40° F. I tried to look up operating temperature and could not find anything. I don't believe your winter temps will cause a problem.
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Shirley...You should check out where Dave S. lives....He's kinda a bit north of you...LOL
Posted by Deri Russell (Member # 119) on :
rolls of strip lighting that can be cut to fit- that scares me- any rolls of strip lighting I have worked with have been 12 or 24 volt- make sure everything is compatible or you may be faced with additional cost to fit the 12 V to the reg electrical box
Posted by Bill Davidson (Member # 531) on :
Call your LED supplier, and I'll bet he will do a best layout of the LEDs and type for your application. They can be a bit fiddley. We used them on the channel letters I used to make on an Accu Bend machine. Like above, you gotta get the transformer to LED type and qty right. It's not rocket science. A supplier will Not LEED you wrong, he will want your business again!
They are pretty reliable when done correctly. Just sayin.
Posted by Shirley Carron (Member # 2446) on :
Thanks, I'm hoping the electrician knows what they are doing, but from what I have read it should not be too difficult. Bill - you are so "witty".
Posted by Bill Davidson (Member # 531) on :
WARNING!!!!!!
Not all electricians Know LED design!!! And Never Hope they know what they are doing. Big mistake!
LED typ, meaning the configuration of the elements in the pod, or even the strip. Spread of light, some are more spot than spread at a given distance. Some have more elements per pod, or lineal foot, which means the power source needs to be Designed to take the load. I strongly suggest going to the supplier for help....
Of course unless this electrician is Experienced with all these factors.
But then I have only worked with them enough to be verrrrrry cautious. They are to costly to Experiment with at the hands of the inexperienced.
