• General Sign Topics

  Help illuminating letters with LEDs

  Posted by Adam Hilson on 25 February 2013 at 16:50

  Afternoon all

  I have been asked to make a new sign for a takeaway. They have asked for the letters to be lit. Is there a budget way of doing this eg. Flat cut acrylic letters then stick led modules on the back and wire together.
  Or how would this be done in a professional way

  Cheers Adam

  Russell Spencer replied 12 years, 10 months ago 4 Members · 5 Replies
• 5 Replies

• 

  Adam Hilson

  Member

  25 February 2013 at 18:11

  Just a file I found on the net but as an example

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  David Rogers

  Member

  25 February 2013 at 20:00

  sorry to say it but budget job ie. LEDs stuck to the back of flat cut look budget with uneven lighting at best.

  I personally wouldn’t recommend it.

  There are several fine examples in Dundee done by an otherwise reputable company that for whatever reason thought white LED modules behind white flatcut with white vinyl behind it would work. They are honestly some of the worst looking signs in the while city…basically illegible…and I have to pass it every day.

  I’ve made 20 to 40mm deep 3D letters with internal LEDS at a fraction of the cost & time of traditional acrylic….will upload it sometime. Results are pretty damn good! Looks better in the flesh – phone cameras are just rubbish at low-light. Hollow interior – there’s a 8mm rim of machined material round the edge exactly the same size as the face…strip LEDs go inside for an even illumination.

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• 

  Adam Hilson

  Member

  25 February 2013 at 20:10

  Cheers David.

  That would be good to see

• 

  Katie Asken

  Member

  26 February 2013 at 15:15

  Hi Adam,

  LED’s on flat cut letters are a no go for a few of reasons listed below- which may help you explain to your customer.

  1: From the side you will be able to see the LED’s
  2: No protection for the LED’s from the elements
  3: The returns of the built up letters help channel the light to create a good halo, without these returns the light spreads all over the place.

  How about a fluorescent illuminated stencil cut panel with opal inlays faced in opaque vinyl to create a keyline style halo? Or leave off the vinyl for face illumination?

  Katie x

• 

  Russell Spencer

  Member

  28 February 2013 at 16:28

  you are also going to have to modify the letters to stand far enough off to prevent ‘spotting’ from the leds.

  The example you have shown seems to have extra long fixings.

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