The High-End Top Tier Brighton-IV Constant Current LED Module for Sign Cabinets & Large Channel Letters for when you want strong Competitive Light NOT, usable light! 

The BrightON IV Module as low as $75.00 per bag in small case quantities with FREE SHIPPING

The Existing Pylon Sign 44"H x 17'L x 18"D

Existing Fluorescent HO Lamps spaced 12" OC as per usual Electric Sign Industry Standard

In this simple low cost Retrofit no need for high cost proprietary tracks, clips...just simple aluminum stock you already have in your shop for sign fabrication. $85 worth of 1-1/2” x 1-1/2" angle, 3/4” square tube

1 hour of using self-tapping screws to attach the 1.5" x 1.5" Aluminum angles to the top and bottom of the Pylon Sign and adding in the vertical aluminum bars to where the HO Fluorescent lamps once were.   HO Lamps 12” OC Center. 18 Rows, 144 1.6w B-IV Modules, three 96w France TruPower LED PSU’s for the B-IV Modules. 

The result???.....Godly Light that tears into Daylight!

Brighton - IV LEDs Powered by France TruPower 100% Loadable LED Power Supplies

Again, the Aluminum angles in this project cost came to $85 total!   No Need for high cost proprietary bars, clips, holders.... just use the angles your custom sign shop typically already have in stock for Sign Fabrication. 

With the BrightON IV Spacing the module cost for double sided projects come to $3 per foot.

High Efficiency LED Modules (180 l/w) for more light per power, Constant Current NOTConstant Voltage for Consistent / Even Lighting & Longer Life.  24V instead of 12V for half the current which results in half the heat and resistance.  

You can purchase the BrightON IV Modules from our store (Here), and in small case quantities $75.00 per bag of 60 as well as our preferred France Lighting Solutions LED Power Supplies which include FREE SHIPPING all across the Continental US Only! ...or feel free to phone in your order (858) 880-1400

Anyway, the Versalift was designed to run off a generator, which is on the truck. I'd like to convert this to a battery bank so the generator doesn't have to constantly run.

My plan is to add perhaps 4 deep cycle batteries and some sort of charge controller/isolator so the trucks alternator charges these, (but it doesn't use them for starting). I may have to upgrade the alternator, but that doesn't seem like a big deal.

Anyone done something like this, or have any caveats? I just don't want to worry about keeping a generator running all the time when in use. Also quieter of course.

Real Life activities along with how busy I have been with developing our Brighton LED Line have taken me away from keeping this site active.  I wasn't expecting the Brighton LED line to really take off as it has.  It's required a lot of attention and I'm purposely trying to keep product circle on who sells it small.  Quality is where my focus lays and not Quantity.  I have no desire to be the next Principal LED where I get to a point where I'm just selling off a name and let the product quality drop.

Since the Principal LED gobble up of the Sloan, Hanley the whole quality in the market place has turned to absolute Dog Shit.....and that is what Shops have been buying...Dog Shit...and they don't even know it

Over the last few years it's been a race to the bottom.

Wensco, Spandex, Montroy is raging over Principal LED dropping them as a supplier so their rage is focused on their United LED by G2G to complete against Principal / Sloan. 

Then we have Everylite Raging over G2G which is nothing more than old G2G Employee/Partners splitting off to do their own thing as Everylite bitter at their previous place of buisiness or employment.  So Battle Lines are all over the market place and they're all competing for one thing...who can sell the Cheapest Module.

We've discussed a lot of this in ad nauseam 

Chip quality in LED Modules has gone down and price has gone up with the big monopoly along with having fewer choices at the Sign Supplier...All a mixed bag in conjunction in who can sell quantity over quality.  

This will all get very interesting, real fast

So.....I have a need fever, and the only prescription is...... more Benchmark Testing.

The Great White Hope IV

Just like the predecessors of the GWH III to the original we started back in 2009 we will test the Original Light output of various Vendor LEDs with similar spacing, monitor the Lumen Maintenance (Light Degradation over time) in measuring the Luminance in Foot Candles...or the light output on a sign face....as that is all we care about in the Electric Sign Industry  

Project Great White Hope 

We will also display one of the most important qualities when it comes to LED Chip quality that must be given attention too, that many either not know of, or really is never talked about because it cuts through all the Marketing Bullshit and that is the Foot Candles per Watt....this is the Chip Efficiency of an LED and this number will reflect how much light output you are getting for power put it.  The higher the FC/W, the better quality chip that LED has in it.  You can't get High Light Output from poor quality chips, only high quality chip have a higher efficiency to give you more light for lesser power.

For obvious reasons I will not be benchmarking every product out there on the market, just the most visible in the Market Place.

Project Tight Whitey

For example I will not be testing Principal LED's Synergy Mini or any in the family. 

A .46w LED module with poor lumen per watt is not worth investing our time to test especially at nearly $400 per bag in cost.  To me it's a joke of a product, something with such low output that will last you a long time because it operates/drives too low but you will literally need two to two and a half of these modules that one single LED module will do.  So having four .46w modules next to four Qwik Mod II modules would look ridiculous next to one another in a benchmark comparison. 

Also, a lot of Modules are being phased out....

Our current line up will be the following

United LEDs (G2G).8w for Channel Letters  

United LEDs (G2G) 1.2w for Large Channel Letters & Cabinets

Principal Hanley's The One 1w LED

Principal Qwik Mod II .8w

Principal Qwik Mod II .8w Red

Principal Sloans Prism .96w LED

G2G Wow .8w Module

Everylite Rebel 1w Module

Everylite 2D .72w Module

BrightON II .8w LED Module

BrightON II .8w LED Module Ruby Red

BrightON III 1.2w LED Module

BrightON IV 1.6w LED Module

BrightON SunFire 2.4w LED Module

BrightON Lightning .68w LED Module

BrightON Lightning .72w LED Module Ruby Red

A few more surprise Vendor Modules as we go along.

There is no better way to show the Electric Sign Industry and where we sit with the components we use in the signs we produce than creating a benchmark comparison

I should have this up and running in the next day or two, I will create a new topic and post here publicly for all to see and monitor over the next few years.

Like the previous Benchmarks, all LED Modules will be equally spaced for 2LED Modules, 3LED Modules, and 4LED Module. 

All LED Modules will be in 5" Depth Channels that are 24" x 4.25".  Sign Faces will be 1/8" 7328 White by Plexiglas grade C and all will operate by a shared France Lighting Solutions TruPower LED PSU. 

The only fault this benchmark comparison will have is that the budget Constant Voltage LEDs like the Qwik Mod II will be handy capped in Light Output because there will not be any remote slight voltage drop coming from a TruPower LED PSU that will affect the light output drop that would occur in real life setting should a LED PSU be loaded at 80 - 85%.  Constant Current LED Modules light output is not affected by slight voltage drops and remain consistent in lighting.

So, if we have one fault it lays here, but just know...all Constant Voltage LED modules would normally be a little dimmer in light for two reasons, TruPower LED Power Supply and for the fact that our PSU's will not be reaching anywhere near loadable capacity, and if we were to add modules down the road after initial start, it would affect these CC LED Modules Light Output in robbing voltage.  

Great White Hope Monthly Benchmark Evaluation 

The Reason I'm rebooting this much needed Benchmark Comparison for the Electric Sign Industry is for a couple of reasons.  Our Trade Needs this because too many Custom Sign Shops only knowledge base it dependent on what Sign Suppliers tell them...which is way too reliant on a poor source based on the importance on sales and who they sell now and not yesterday.  I also notice with Social Media which is another poor source of reliable knowledge, has been very incorrect and very biased based on who they sell and who their relationships are built around.  This simple Benchmark will shed light where there has a lot of poor light on the subject matter

This time with our own developed LED line will be in the mix, and of course it will be seeing as biased....in a sense it will come off that way....  But I always have encouraged custom sign shops to develop their own comparisons and really, REALLY see for themselves....as Seeing is BELIEVING     

More to come......

Plan to visit Bunker Hill, a few other historic sites, few breweries, and take some pics of the CITGO sign.

Thanks!

Merry Merry, Happy Happy to all!

https://digital.cincinnatilibrary.org/digital/collection/p16998coll17/search/searchterm/Collection of SmartWork Media/field/source/mode/exact/conn/and/order/datea/ad/asc

On the left is the one of the brightest white LEDs on the market...The .8watt BrightON II LED Module, on the right the BrightON Ruby Red…also .8 watts per module and probably thee brightest Red LED module on the Market. 

When we put a 7328 White acrylic sign face over the white we get a luminance of 240 Foot Candles of Light right on the sign surface .  Now we’ll switch the White acrylic with another 7328 White Acrylic with 3M Red 3630-30 Applied Translucent vinyl and see the results.

Red is very hard to capture using an iPhone, but believe me…..in person the contrast between the channels that has the White LEDS vs the Red LEDs is large.  The Red is overwhelmingly brighter than the White with a luminance on the sign face with 47 Foot Candles….and the White LEDs with a luminance of ONLY 18 Foot Candles.

When using White LEDs behind a Red face you will lose 50% of the luminance on the sign face based on how the lens filters the wavelengths.  This is why it’s best to use Colors behind Colors….Most of the time!

Our 1.6 Watt 24 & 12 Volt BrightON IV LED Module for all your High End Sign & Lighting Projects. Our BrightON IV is a High Efficiency Super Light Output module made for your Large Channel Letters & Cabinets where you want Competitive Light...NOT Usable Light.

BrightON LED is made from within the Sign Industry...FOR the Sign Industry

Does anyone know who does the Cubesmart signs?  I have a bid request for a new location and they asked me to make the exterior channel letters.  That would be easy enough but I'm not the approved vendor.   i told the customer this and said we could at least provide the installation if we aren't allowed to make the signs.   It's possible that Cubesmart doesn't care who makes the signs but I doubt it.

Thanks!

Rocco

I've been getting asked questions from clients about a new option on the block and how it compares to the BrightON - II LED Module.

At the time I ran this benchmark there has been very little information about the United LED Module, which is Wensco Sign Supplies's "Fuck You" product aimed at Principal LED's Qwik Mod2 specifically for hurt feelings....and it's backed by Montroy & Spandex.  This is Wenso's way of getting back at Principal for them losing the Principal / Sloan LED Line...Which IMO...losing those products... was NOT a big loss.

I admire Wensco for coming out and hitting back at Principal Publicly when the Principal line was pulled back from them.  But, it was the way Principal did them dirty that I myself understand their anger.  

It was the way the relationship ended, and not just for Wensco but others like Montroy.  It is reminiscent of how Matt BooB of Vidon/Jewelite silently ended our relationship Link  This happens a lot in our industry behind the normal closed doors sign shops will never hear about.  We ourselves have gotten doors closed on us because I wouldn't play ball.  

We've had large sign suppliers contact vendors we carry to try and shut down what we stock from them down under a threat...THEY won't stock them if they continue to stock us....in fact, now that I think about it, the two brothers at Principal ended our supply of Transco To Go once they bought them.  It's not something to cry about, everything happens or a reason.  All the bad things that happen in life have a way of installing a drive in you...

....There's a way to end a relationship and it BEGINS with a phone call and having a conversation, no one likes to learn their girlfriend dumped them by text or email, or by social media.

On a normal day I wouldn't even touch this comparison because I think Principal LED is turning into a monopoly just like anyone else, shops are overpaying more for mediocrity and their buying because they don't do their own research...clearly.  For now Principal can dictate a large portion of the market....for now... 

I'm being asked about it because Wensco is choosing to offer this Brighter, Whiter, Cheaper module ("Brighter than others") for cheaper than the Qwik Mod2... I have to jump in and tell my Customers what the difference is between the two LED Modules and how they differ.  There is some truth to it, and some exaggerations. 

Back to to the Modules...

I didn't know what to expect on this United LED Module and some specs seemed a little exaggerated to me.  It's a G2G Lighting LED Module made specially for Wensco.  

In my humble opinion this is a race to the bottom, and it reminds me of the JT LED Era by N.Glantz

If you're going to build something, don't start with the Qwik Mod....for just "Cheaper".  The bar for the Qwik Mod is nothing to shoot for, and this does not help the industry, it retards it. They're chasing after shops that want "Cheaper", NOT Quality.  

I myself CAN make cheaper, but I don't want "Cheaper", I want to service the shops that want.... "Immaculate"....Competitive Light...NOT Usable Light

Anyhow, I was sent some modules of both United LED's 2LED 12volt .8 watt and higher power 2LED 1.2watt module which I think is geared for cabinet lighting.

I did a quick benchmark comparison per the usual, and I did it this time with my portable sales case.  

PIC 1 - Basic LED Module Specs

Left to right.  

BrightON - II

12V & 24V .8watt

6500K

Constant Current

3M VHB Tape

18 AWG Wiring

Principal LED's Qwik Mod 2

12V .8watt

7100K 

Constant Voltage

3M Foam Tape

20 AWG Wiring

United LED (G2G) 2

12V .8watt

7500K

Constant Voltage

3M VHB Tape

20 AWG Wiring

PIC 2 - Method of Attachment 

Method of attachment to surface, 3M VHB Tape or a budget Foam Tape.  I personally don't like foam tape as most of you know as a sign shop, because when you place it down once, you're not picking that module back up if you have to move it again for any kind of adjustments without ripping that foam tape and making mess on the surface to reposition.  

With VHB tape you can simply twist and move again over and over again.

PIC 2 - The Comparison Makeup 

The comparison channels are simple, 12" x 4" x 3" Depth, and typical 7328 white faces.

The United LED .8 watt module does it's job of beating the Principal Qwik Mod 2, in Correlated Color Temperature and in efficiency, but it's not a huge jump.  The real test would be the long haul and that's what the Lumen Maintenance would be...The Light Degradation and possible color shifting over time.... but that's going to take time....but we're doing that too!

The BrightON II with better Correlated Color Temperature for a better whiter, and brighter (Chip Efficiency) white exceeds both greatly.  

Pay special attention to the Foot Candles Per Watt, this is the amount of light you get per power on a sign face which is more important and truthful than what you will see printed on a LED Module Spec Sheet as "Lumen per watt...or lm/w", because this does not lie and this has to do with chip efficiency and quality. 

The BrightON II almost 25% brighter than the Qwik Mod 2, and about 15% brighter than the United LED Module 2 for the same power....But this light output for both United and Principal is favorably handicapped in their advantage and I'll explain later on...

PIC 3 -  The 1.2W Large Channel Letter & Cabinet Lighting Module Comparison

Here we have the 12V United LED 2 big 1.2W module up against our 12V 1.2W module, the BrightON - III.  These are made for larger channel letters and sign cabinet lighting.

There is a big efficiency difference (Light per Power) between these two... the United LED Module at 107 Foot Candles per watt of power from their 130 for their .8watt module

The BrightON III has nearly 30% more light per power as a 1.2watt module than the United LED 2 Module used for large channel letters and sign cabinet lighting

CONCLUSION

Besides the percentage brighter of the High-End BrightON than the other modules there are other aspects, and some more important than others.

I'm going to address the smaller issues first as to why it affects the lower cost of their modules.  

The Foam Tape

It's convenient and cuts down the cost on the LED Manufacturer of course, by tape cost as well as packaging costs.  

For the sign shop nothing is more aggravating than placing a LED down and when having to reposition it, it means the tape breaks, makes a mess on the sign surface as well as the module.

22 AWG Wire

Again....It's convenient and cuts down the cost on the LED Manufacturer to help the cost of Budget LEDs along.  But smaller gauge wire means voltage loss for these Constant Voltage LEDs, and voltage loss brings uneven lighting for CV LED Systems, more so than CV LEDs that use 18 AWG Wire, which CV LEDs are already not built for life already.

Constant Current

I feel like I beat this topic to death.  

But if you're going to build quality, build CC Systems NOT CV.  

Life of the LEDs are longer because each module is protected,  because they have a current regulator on each module that does the following.  Assures consistent lighting of each module from the first to the last module on a string.  

The first CC LED on a string does not take a bigger hit than the last module on a string.  Any slight fraction of a volt coming from a LED PSU above 12.0v can kill a CV System, and faster depending on the overage.

On any under voltage such as 11.5 to 11 volts the CV system will dim, and this usually occurs on fully optimum loaded LED Power Supplies, mixed in with voltage loss occurring from string length and secondary line length (mix in 20 AWG wire too).  

That same voltage on a CC system LEDs, the LEDs won't dim, they will be just as bright as if hooked up to a true 12volts.  This is why when you ever light up a few CV modules on a sample string they will be brighter than when it comes time to hook up these modules on a fully loaded PSU at 85%.

So in reality, if I were to optimum load these power supplies to these Channels….”One Bag…One Power Supply” as they’re pitched…. the CV LEDs (Principal & United LED) would have lesser light output than what I'm showing here favorably by hooking up only 2 led modules per power supply, or in this case, 6 LED modules to one single unit.  So, in a sense right now…..I’m favorably handicapping these Principal / United G2G modules.

Lastly...

The "Upgrade" has always been here...the "Upgrade" is the BrightON LED 

I admire Wensco for going out and sticking it to Principal and ruffling their feathers, I completely understand the anger Wensco has and I know that anger is what will drive them.  Competition is good, and in the electric sign industry whether you know it or not, there is a fight against the monopoly going on

I'm only doing this comparison because I'm getting dragged into it, large samples are being left and special pricing to "try me" is being left and I was being asked by customers as well as Sign Suppliers what the differences are.  The BrightON LED line is NOT a budget line, there's plenty of that out there...it's just not how I would build a sign.  

The BrightON LED Line is a premium product that is priced around the same as the Qwik Mod System on average, provides better lighting and efficiency, lasts longer due to those aspects explained, and priced lower to similar built systems that still won't beat it in lighting efficiency (Light per Power).

By Years end our BrightON LED Line will be taking another huge Leap forward in Lighting Efficiency.  From our prototypes that we have been playing around with the this last year we will be Brighter, Whiter, and doing it for a much lesser Cost of Operation (Light per Power).  So, what is already Great now, will be even GREATER!

BrightON LED is Built from within the Sign Industry...FOR the Sign Industry, offering Competitive Light...NOT Usable Light! 

Related Topic:

My name is Selena Patel and I am liquidating anything and everything at Signfastic in Ontario, Ca. We have a lot of material for building signs (Vinly, aclear acrylic, white acrylic, lexan, aluminum) and also the machines like vinyl printers, plotters, laser cutters, scissor lifts, booms, fork lifts, etc. 

I am liquidating the company, therefore everything must go and everything is also being sold at a very low cost. Whatever you can buy from your vendors, we are selling it at 50% off. 

If you or anyone you know is interested and in need of anything listed above (plus more that was not listed) please feel free to reach out via email selena@signfastic.com

My Special K-Liscious Pink!!!

Our K-Liscious Pink will be available in both our High-End, High Efficiency (24V & 12V) .72W BrightON - II, and our (12V) .72W BrightON - Lightning LED Modules....Made for Competitive Light.....NOT Usable Light!

This is going to be a Hot Item for all those Specialty Signs that involve Nail Salons, Lash Bars, Tattoo Parlors and more!

K-Girl's K-Lisious Pink should be available Mid September

they recently added me onto the team so I can bring in more work... I was wondering what the professionals in the same industry has in mind for me. 

I'm a young guy who is new to this industry and I fell in love... I want to make sure I succeed. .... I've been doing alot of subcontracting work for other sign companies for installs and referrals right now... 

Anyone got jobs for me for referral bonus? Advice for me? 

Thanks