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![]() Lighting Up with LEDs
Much has been discussed regarding the use of LEDs in sign applications. There are the debates as to which is better, LED or neon, and it appears that it will be a long time before the two camps unite as one. There is though, a strong sense that the applications for LED usage in signs today is becoming more common and particularly in channel letter illumination.
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A little LED lesson
One of the reasons that the lamps in your home probably have incandescent or fluorescent bulbs rather than LEDs is because incandescents and fluorescents can generate more visible light per watt than an equivalent LED.
LEDs are basically semiconductor devices that convert electrical energy into a distinct color of light. The original gallium arsenide red LED was invented in the 1960s. After the red LED came different colors such as amber and green. In the early 90's came the development of high-brightness LEDs, which created performance increases that allowed LEDs to mature from indicator lights to sources of illumination.
LED technology has the capacity to produce a more desired effect when used in specialty projects such as brake and taillights, display panels, industrial controls, and traffic signals, and is more energy efficient than incandescent lighting. In fact, as a side note, over one-third of all vehicle third brake lights are red LED clusters. Many carmakers use LEDs because the third brake light is often inaccessible and replacement is difficult.
LEDs offer the advantage of a fast strike/re-strike time, compact size and ease of dimming and control. Having already established itself in exit sign and traffic signal applications, LEDs are now entering markets once considered out of reach for such a physically small technology. Engaged in architectural and landscape illumination, cove lighting and wall washing, LEDs are finally carving new paths into areas once dominated by neon.
LEDs also offer advantages over traditional lighting sources that are not always readily apparent. "Unlike neon, incandescent or fluorescent light sources, LEDs are compact devices that have no filaments to break, no moving parts and no glass components of any kind", states Mike DeMarco, Tetra Product Manager for GELcore. "In addition to being virtually unbreakable, LEDs are low-voltage devices that generate very little heat, contain no mercury and emit a specific wavelength of light that can match the same color of the sign face material."
GELcore's GE Tetra LED system boasts that it is 80% more energy efficient than typical neon channel letter systems. "The inherent benefits of LEDs allow both sign companies and end users to significantly reduce sign installation costs, energy consumption and maintenance costs", says DeMarco.
Applications for channel letter illumination
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It is important that when considering the available illumination choices, that the entire system of channel letters is kept in mind. All of the components such as the power supply, light source, face and backing materials and every other element involved must be coordinated for long-term satisfaction. If you change one variable, some unintended results may occur so it is wise to invest the time to determine what will work best for each project.
As an example, a light source change from a clear neon to red LEDs might require a change of front face color in order to diffuse the LEDs' light source characteristics. There may be a need to substitute a transformer which might affect the letter's geometry and minimize prospects of capacitive effects common in high-frequency power supplies. All of these variables should be considered when deciding to light up channel letters with LEDs instead of neon. "We've seen two main challenges over the last couple of years. The first has been - how quickly can we educate the growing customer demand on the benefits of the LED system?" notes DeMarco. "Not only did we need to teach our customers the basics of LED technology and how the Tetra system compares to neon in a channel letter application, but we also needed to provide a thorough understanding of the many ways the LED system adds value to a sign company other than providing a great looking sign"
Currently available in red, red-orange, amber, blue, cyan, and green, LED channel lighting systems offer conveniences that will only grow in time. Although LED devices can't always compete with neon in the general sign market in terms of lumen output per linear foot for direct light applications, they can be competitive in certain types of signs and displays like channel lettering.
The future
Storage, installation and care of LED products for channel letter illumination are getting easier as well. Some manufacturers are now shipping their channel letter product in reels, allowing the strips to be cut to size on location. These LED strips can be used in a wide variety of sign script fonts and they allow for a more efficient installation process.
Exciting though these new capabilities and applications may be, it could still be several years before LEDs even threaten to replace neon lighting. The fact remains, though, that the technology continues to progress at a rapid pace that could soon make it more competitive in the not-so-distant future.
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