If you have ever avoided unique or complex exterior signs in a lighting survey or upgrade, you aren’t alone. Exterior signage poses its own set of challenges. However, LED solutions are now available to simplify upgrades, opening new opportunities for Business Lighting trade allies. 

Companies like GE Current and Keystone Technologies offer LED lamps designed specifically for signs. The lamps are available in both single-sided or double-sided styles for signs with one or two faces. 

Existing signs are typically fitted with high output T12 fluorescent lamps in sizes ranging from 18” to 120”, which eventually fail. Replacement LED sign lamps are available at the exact same lengths to perfectly fit most applications. Some LED sign lamps fit directly into the original existing sockets and do not require an external driver, while others fit directly but are powered with an external driver. 

Note that options are available for businesses that use letter or neon type signs instead of cabinet wall or pole signs. When pursuing projects, consider fast food restaurant menu boards like Jack in the Box franchise owner Rajeev Gupta. 

Incentives for sign lighting are customized for each installation and are only available through Energy Trust’s standard lighting track. To submit a project, simply complete the Lighting Tool using the recently added “SIGNS” category from the dropdown menu on the Analysis 103L sheet. New LED lamps must be designed specifically for signs, have a minimum 50,000-hour life expectancy and a minimum five-year warranty. A photo of each sign is required when submitting a project. To confirm overall sign wattage, photos of the part numbers for each type of lamp found in each sign are required when submitting the final invoice. 

If you have questions about adding sign lighting to your projects, please contact Energy Trust’s business lighting team at lighting@energytrust.org.