Jump to content

ELECTRIC SIGN SUPPLIES
If You're Looking For Premium Electric Sign Industry Components From Trim Cap, LED's, Neon Supplies, Power Supplies, Pattern Paper.  Then Please Visit Our Online Store or Feel Free To Call Us For Inquiries or Placing an Order!!
Buy Now

SIGN INSTALLER MAP
Looking for a fellow Sign Syndicate Company Member For A Sign Install or Maintenance Call?
Click Here

For Sign Company's Who Work As Subcontractors
Before You Work For A National Sign & Service Company You Need To Look At The Reviews Of These Companies Before You Work For Them. Learn When To Expect Payment From Them and What It's Like To Work For Them, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. Learn and Share Your Experiences Yourself For Others

Click Here

No BS Sign Retrofitting


Recommended Posts

So...

 

I haven't posted any jobs lately and I need to play catch up.

 

So I'll start with our latest projects and work myself backwards :P

 

As we've discussed so many times on the Sign Syndicate.  There is a time to retrofit, and a time not too.  Neon and Fluorescent lamps/systems should not in most cases be retrofitted to LEDs unless accessibility calls for it.  Otherwise, it doesn't make financial sense for the consumer to do so, or....just so a shop can make a project sale on BS energy efficiency numbers and mythical saving $$$$


 

Quote

 

 

So here are some retrofit jobs that make REAL sense.

 

 

NEON RETROFIT

 

Old 6500K.JPG

 

Here's a chain of Studio's that I've been doing since the early 2000's. 

 

This particular sign is only partially mine, everything from the Logo and red letters. 

 

This was the first job I did for them leading up to fabricating all new signs for their locations.  The white is from the previous location and Neon has been in it's original form since the late 90's, and it's 6500K Snow White.  The logo is 15mm Tri-phosphor, Elite 65D I believe.  The Logo and Red was done in 2008.  It's very hard to tell because red and white is hard to capture and a cell phone cam does no justice but the White lettering is dimmer than illustrated and is about 50% of it's original light output. 

 

Not bad for 20+ plus year old lamps!!

 

So the owner called up and wanted a revamp.  Had I been the average shop you bet the immediate response would have been LED!  SAVINGS!!!!!  BULLSHIT!  BULLSHIT!

 

Well, no. 

 

We're logical over here in SoCal, a land where 50¢ modules would have replaced the Lamp Art.

 

The logical choice, and more economical choice for the consumer?

 

EGL 7100.JPG

 

Going from a single halo phosphate 6500K Snow White Neon lamp to a Tri-Phosphor EGL Designer 7100 Series Lamps.

 

When we moved and installed (2008) this sign we did so with Tecnolux Silicone GTO and Caps.  All that was needed for this retrofit was new lamps, and leaving the awesome silicone GTO and transformers in place!

 

Now, I owe you a night shot, the iphone pic I took was garbage, so I'll update that soon.  But the Logo and White letters match up well, and even with the old faces, the sign illuminates like a new sign at night. 

 

Forgot to mention, the white faces are also from the 90's and they've held up quite well, the Trim Cap is Plasco, also held up quite well for 20+ years old.  During the day, the ace look good, so no need to replace.

 

 

LED RETROFIT

 

So a new client...

 

They called, they were moving and wanted to know if they needed a new sign or whether to fabricate a whole new on because the current was lit up like crap.   Had hot spots, dim a places, and just crazy outages in sections of letters.

 

It would have been better had I taken night pics, BUT...I didn't know I would be posting and writing about it here so

 

Had this been some other shop, I'm sure the nightmare would have continued

 

Gaver LED.JPG

 

JS LED.JPG

 

Gav JS LED.JPG

 

Yes, two different LED manufacturers in the same sign Woohoo, the electric sign industry in it's finest form right here!  It made me SO proud!

 

If you're familiar with Gaverieli Plastics, I need say no more, let alone Chinese JS LED's....well, their both China and their both crap. 

They don't last, they fail, they cause companies problems with having to go back and replace and most importantly...They cost the consumer, YOUR client.

 

The second sign which they had, made at a different time and by another company was US LED, also garbage.  Illumination was just as bad.  Sorry, didn't get pics of that sign because again, it wasn't my plan to make a post here

 

If this wonderful, thoughtful sign package doesn't make you cry, I don't know what will.

 

The original plastic was green vinyl over white acrylic and in such a short time this sign was beat, and probably why they called a new contractor for the work for their sign move.

 

Well, a new sign made no sense. 

 

They were just moving a few suites over and they weren't going to get a larger sign so the original would do.  New faces with 3M Lime Green over White acrylic.

 

The most important aspect of this Sign....

 

Yes! 

 

NC Reckless-3 LEDs.  Top Tier Samsung Diodes running on a Constant Current system...NOT Constant Voltage.  1.2 watt modules.  Most important detail about our NC Reckless LEDs?  Their made in Korea NOT CHINA!!!

 

Reckless 3.JPG

 

Beautiful!

 

IMG_8985.JPG

 

Green Light Meter.JPG

 

Check out that crazy light meter reading!  That's almost 300 surface Foot Candles, which is about the equivalent light output to a 13mm Tri-phosphor white Neon Lamp behind white acrylic.

 

If that is not simply utterly gross and disgusting, and you're not just sickened by that number, you have no stomach :P

 

These Reckless-3 LEDs will NOT be powered up by their low budget power supplies but rather our Union LED Power Supplies made in KOREA, not CHINA!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's usually best to retrofit out with what was already in a sign, and not change one light source to another.  It's makes more financial sense in MOST cases, not all, but most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. - Winston Churchill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, burkeenterprise said:

Your last photo shows galvanized letter backs!!!! I haven't seen that around here is a lot more than 20 years.

What were they thinking with that mixed bag of crap LEDs in the other one.

Right???  That's how old the Neon is too!  At 50% but still lit!

 

I'm going to assume the same thinking that makes the decision in their head to buy 50¢ modules to $ave!   $ave money for them...NOT their customer, who was told their sign would last 100,000 Hours with their LED choice

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. - Winston Churchill

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
  • Create New...