The Complete Handbook of Electric Signs

Chapter 1: Understanding Electric Signs

1. Understanding Electric Signs: What They Are and How They Work

An electric sign is not a single product. It is an assembly of electrical, structural, and photometric components designed to deliver a specifically illuminated message, logo, or directional cue to a viewing audience. It is a piece of architecture that is also a piece of electrical equipment, and it must be treated as both. This dual nature - subject to building codes, wind loads, and aesthetics on one side, and electrical codes, thermal ratings, and power quality on the other - is what makes electric signs a unique and often misunderstood category. This chapter gives you a framework for thinking about any electric sign you will encounter, explaining what is inside the cabinet, behind the face, or attached to the pole.

Consider a typical pole-mounted (pylon) sign at a highway interchange. It might be 30 feet tall, with two faces, each 14 feet by 4 feet. It is powered by a dedicated electrical circuit. Inside its aluminum or fiberglass cabinet, there is roughly 400 to 800 watts of LED lighting. There are also remote drivers, a surge protector, a main disconnect, and a photocell or timer. Structurally, it sits on a concrete pad, anchored by steel anchor bolts, and is designed to withstand a specific wind load, typically 90 to 110 mph in most U.S. jurisdictions. If any of those systems fails - the driver, the seals, the structural welds - the other systems