There are many reasons why a business could opt for outdoor signs. For most, having a large billboard advertisement or other form of outdoor sign feature is the cornerstone of a business’ advertising campaign. These could be for rural locations that depend on passing traffic or commuters entering a town from a more distant location, but all outdoor signs depend on adequate lighting provisions. Without outdoor sign lighting, those who pass by a business might not even realize that such a business exists and it could end up losing out on trade. However, the situation is much more complex at night as signs require greater amounts of light to shine upon a business’ message in order to entice potential customers through the door at unsocial hours. There are various options that exist for lighting, but there are a few that stand out as some of the better ones available to modern day consumers.
1. Floodlights
Floodlights are known as “high intensity discharge” lamps. They have a particular advantage over traditional bulbs in that a higher portion of energy given off as radiation is able to be harnessed as usable light, which requires a much lower wattage required when compared to the light available to the consumer over traditional options.
There are several mounting options for floodlights, but the most common is on an overhead pillar that casts down light on an object. These are typically more suited for concentrated commercial areas over a wider space, but can be honed more appropriately against an outdoor sign. This is done by configuring exactly where floodlights are positioned against the target surface, which can be adjusted to concentrate light more heavily on an outdoor sign. This isn’t typically the most efficient way of lighting an outdoor sign as much of a floodlight’s efficiency can be wasted through concentrating light on a small area. This can also lead to an intense glare that makes outdoor signs difficult to read in general night time conditions. However, their wide availability makes them a great choice for those who are seeking a relatively low-cost point of entry into outdoor sign lighting and more specifically low voltage outdoor sign lighting. It is also very possible for the consumer to spread out the lighting over a wider area if the intensity of a floodlight’s concentration is too great for the sign, so consumers needn’t necessarily worry about not being able to find an appropriate configuration for his or her outdoor sign.
2. Spotlights
Spotlights, as opposed to floodlights, are ground mounted and point upward towards where the consumer would like to concentrate light. Their main benefit is that the consumer has full control over how much lighting he or she feels is appropriate for his or her outdoor sign and can purchase an appropriate number of units relative to the situation. They are typically not as efficient as floodlights, but come at a much lower entry cost due to the labor intensive process of positioning and mounting in order to achieve optimum lighting.
It’s important to note that before purchasing spotlights as part of any landscape design ideas, it is important to determine their efficiency. Businesspeople who know this number ahead of time will be able to purchase an exact number of units that emit exactly the right amount of light rather than purchasing a lower number of spotlights that produce too little light or purchasing too high of a number of spotlights that produce too much light and blind the outdoor sign’s message. This will also allow the businessperson to keep his or her operating costs at their lowest possible if the right number of spotlights are installed for the sign.
When using spotlights, it is best to use a straight line format that casts light alone a straight edge. Circling a sign will create a visible arc that can make some patches of the sign difficult to read whereas a straight line will appear more smooth and “flatten” the light against the surface of the sign, which thus is much easier to read. It is also wise to consider renewable sources of energy such as solar powered outdoor lights when using spotlights. These will further lower the businessperson’s operating costs through harvesting energy from the sun on a daily basis.
3. Fixtures
Outdoor sign lighting fixtures, which should include LED attachments, could also be a wise choice for outdoor sign lighting. These lights are attached directly to the sign and can gently glow against the message in aims of providing an adequate supply of light to the message. The main benefit of light fixtures is that they do not impact on the local environment, which means that there is no digging required to install floodlights and spotlights. This also reduces the potential trip and fall hazard that could cause insurance claims against a business that uses an outdoor sign.
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Tags: low voltage outdoor lighting, outdoor sign lighting, outdoor sign lighting fixtures, solar powered outdoor lights