Blue Light Special Year 1 & 2

[Erik Sine]

Originally Posted May 31 2013 02:30 PM

THE BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL

6/1/13 to Present

Updated (6/5/13)


Project Description

For questions, comments & evaluation updates please visit the project support topic located here
http://www.thesignsyndicate.com/forums/index.php?/topic/6257-blue-light-special/


If you're a light source or plastics manufacturer and interested in joining in on the test comparison you'll need to upgrade your membership to a Board Vendor
http://www.thesignsyndicate.com/forums/index.php?/store/

This test comparison is simulating single stroke blue sign faced channel letters with Neon & LED light sources. This is a small project with limited room for vendors. We will also be playing around with different acrylic and poly-carbonate sign faces from various vendors.

There is a lot of industry myth that blue faced channel letters cannot be done, this is incorrect information. There are various ways to get a good, clean defined appearance free or haze or fuzz during night illumination. Most of the time this can be done with white acrylic sign faces with translucent blue film overlays leaving a white acrylic outline. This project is for using pure blue sign faces with blue light sources to backlight.

The general purpose of this project is to help in aiding large sign programs such as as Ross, Old Navy, and Albertson's that use similar specifications


Project Specifications

All channels are 4" x 24" and light sources are for a 2' section. Some LED modules will need to be placed above spec and we will add what we need to achieve even lighting, those mfg. will be noted when we have to do so.


Light Source List

• EGL Horizon Blue (13/12mm)
• SS Sign Lights LEDs (Insem)
• *Sloan V-series (*Non-Willing Participant)
• AA LED Blue
• NC LED Blue
• Permlight Nitro

Transformers & Power Supplies
Ventex 4030
Axiom 12v LED Power Supply





* Non-Willing Participants are Manufacturers who did not want to take part in these tests



5/31/13

Pics of some of the light sources we now have up

EGL's Horizon Blue




SS Sign Lights Blue




Sloan V-Series Blue








6/5/13


Today we finally connected and hooked up the NC LED & AALED Blue.



AA LED Blue - put in by eeLED Lighting






NC LED - Put in by Abitech




We'll be looking to getting just a few more vendors.



6/7/13

Today is Opening Day for Project Blue Light Special!

So far so good, We'll revise real soon with a initial comparison shot and talk about the coloring.


June 2013 Test Results Download: BlueLight060713.pdf
Revised:




7/12/13

We finally have our first initial shot of the light sources. Not the most accurate but close enough where the camera settings are saved and we'll use those settings for future comparisons as this test goes on.

New this month we added Permlights Nitro Blue. The specs call out for 2 mods per foot but we were getting hot spots so we made it 2.5 mods per foot or 5 total for the 2' channel. So far it's the brightest LED in the comparison.


Initial Test Comparison Shot



Permlight's Nitro Blue



July 2013 Test Results Download: BlueLight070913.pdf
Revised:






2/12/14

6 month later and we see that the EGL Neon lamp has taken it's normal 15% lumen maintenance. Everything else is so far so good!

This month we will be removing the EGL lamp and placing in FMS Neon & Glostertube, both 12mm lamps. Reason for the removal is the present lamp is processed as a double back and we will be doing the electrodes in 90's so we can use multiple lamps on a single SST transformer with the use of Transco TC-200 Housings

We will also be adding in for the LED side, JS LED's Blue.


FEBRUARY 2014 Test Results Download: DOWNLOAD LINK




SEPTEMBER 2014
10/30/14


As I've stated in other light test evaluations it's been some time since I've entered anything other than the down loadable pdf with the light test results. Since ISA is coming closer than we know I'm sure more new red products will be coming out and we'll be adding them here.

SEPTEMBER TEST RESULTS http://www.thesignsy...arison-results/

[Erik Sine]

October 22, 2015

What is new this period is a side by side comparison from the start date to this October 2015.

We also added a few notes making notice that compared to all the other compartments under "Notes" on the evaluation sheet which you can download below. The Permlight Nitro and SS Lights each have an extra module taking it out of mfg spec, the reason why is because when we used the mfg spec, the lighting was very uneven and spotty. So by adding another module the sign face is illuminated more evenly but one should also note, it also makes the overall light measurement higher compared to the others who are to spec.

Nothing else new to add this period other than we will be looking for other blues to add to the project

October 2015 Evaluation Download:BlueLight 102215.pdf

[Erik Sine]

January 03, 2016

Nothing new to add or subtract but time an the test goes on.

January 2016 Evaluation Download: BlueLight 010316.pdf