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Edge lighting and vinyl help please?
I’d like to convert my production entirely from neon to LED technology because of the advantages and because I don’t need an electrician to fit the lights now the voltage is only 12V or 24V.
I have tried various ways to make this happen – with mixed success.
It seems when I make a back lit light box sign I either need a frame depth of +130mm or extremely many LED’s to make the sign light well distributed. I tried 90mm with 1 LED brick (of 4 pcs.) pr. 12 square cm – and the result was dotted light. It helped a bit when I introduced a second diffusing plate so that the diodes lit through two plates in stead of just one.
As you can tell this is a very cumbersome way to fit a sign. So I have been thinking about edge lighting. Anyone having any ideas of how to do this with signs of max. 300 x 80 cm (app. 9 x 2,5 foot) and using completely covered surfaces of logos, text and colors using vinyl and LED’s?
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8 Replies
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Hi Rackbox
You need to use led’s with a wide dispersion angle (viewing angle) you can buy these in strips in various colours. I have made strips of Osram RGB led’s and can adjust the brightness of each to obtain any colour of the rainbow. With these wide viewing angle led’s you do not get the spot affect as you do with a more focused led. I have illuminated panels evenly and even put them into frosted acrylic tubes to create light bars.
Hope this helps.Regards
Dave -
Sorry did not read all your question 😮 😮
If the sign is only 2.5 ‘ deep it should work very well, the interior signs I have made are quite bright even when the ambient lighting is high – in the dark they are quite stunning considering they use vinyl but it has to be the right type of vinyl.
Hope this helps.Dave
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I use these:
http://www.atg-electronics.com/product_ … classid=81having a viewing angle of 120 degrees and (I seem to remember) 6000mcd of luminance for this angle.
I have placed these 3,5 inches from the front opal plate and even put a second opal plate directly in front of the diodes.
The LED’s er placed with a distance of 4,7 inches apart in both directions. The result has numorous hotspots.
Do you have a link to the diodes you use?
I use an opal plate called TruLED (especially designed for LED’s)
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Rackbox
The type I have been using are LATBG66B these however are RGB leds
the supplier is:Eurodis Electronics
01204 555000They are made by Osram – trouble is they are surface mount and need to be soldered onto a custom printed circuit board. I think there is a supplier who makes strips of these – you will have to contact Osram for their details http://www.osram.co.uk.
From the look of the leds on the link you gave I presume the ones you are using are the group of four leds. The leds made by Osram have a very tiny light source about 1mm across so that is why you do not get hot spots with this type, along with its wide dispersion angle.
If you need any more help – just ask!Dave
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i have been watching this thread with interest.
quote :but it has to be the right type of vinyl.and the type is !.
any pics please
chris
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Dave T->
How many leds would you normally use pr. sq. foot? Or more to the point: How much would this cost 🙂 ?
Thanks for all the advice so far!
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I will take some pictures of the led lighting that I have made today and providing I can upload the images should be available tomorrow (Thurs).
Do I have to be a paid member to upload images?? 😮
Dave
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