In life, things aren’t always as they appear. Sometimes even the most seemingly routine tasks can present challenges. Well, retrofitting a channel letter project with LEDs can also bring up some unforeseen difficulties.
也许简单地生活,并不总是像我们想的那么简单，有时候，看似常规的事情也会带来意外的挑战。比如，用LED改造一个发光字的项目，也会带来一些不可预见的困难。
John Anderson, president of the Austin-based electric sign shop Mega Volt, Inc., recalls one specific case, “A florist approached me to replace the faces in their 4' x 6' double-faced sign,” he recalls. “At first, a project like this would seem like one of the most straight-forward retrofit jobs imaginable: just replace the florescent tubes with double-sided LED strips." But Anderson notes that upon a closer look, the job proved to be a much more involved process than initially determined.
总部位于奥斯汀，Mega Volt公司的总裁John Anderson讲述了一个具体的案例：一位商人向我提出，希望我们用4'×6'的双面标识替换他们的原有变屎，起初，这样的项目看起来是最直接的改造工作，只需用双面LED灯条代替荧光灯管即可，但后来的工作证明，这是一个涉及的程序比最初确定的要多得多的项目。
With signage, these kinds of examples come up regularly. Since there are so many factors involved with measuring, examining, and building the most effective end-product, elements are almost certain to fluctuate as the project moves forward. With retrofitting channel letters, sign makers must consider color, lighting, letter size, costs and more to deliver a top-quality solution.
由于测量、检验和构建最有效的产品涉及很多因素，因此，随着项目的进展，很多设定好的因素会产生一定的波动。通过改造发光字，标识制造商必须考虑替换的颜色、照明、字母大小、成本等等，以提供最高质量的解决方案。
“For channel letters, there are solid products from many manufacturers that easily illuminate standard channel letters,” Anderson says.
Anderson说：“对于标准化格式的槽型发光字，许多制造商的固体产品都是适合的。”
Because LEDs have become a dependable, long-lasting lighting source in signage, it makes sense to use them while replacing existing lighting elements in a retrofit project.
由于LED照明技术已经成为标识中可靠持久的光源，在改造项目中，更换现有照明元件，使用它们会更有意义。

Why Retrofit?
为什么替换？
“There are a few obvious reasons retailers (sign owners) are making a concerted effort to remove neon and replacing this light source with LED solutions,” explains Michael Bluhm, director of Product Solutions -- Sign Group, SloanLED.
Sign Group公司董事Michael Bluhm解释道：“零售商正在共同用LED解决方案取代霓虹灯，这有一些显而易见的原因。”
He points to energy as a top reason for replacing neon with LEDs, and the fact that operating costs can also go down as a result of making the switch.
他指出，能源是用LED取代霓虹灯的首要原因，而且由于制造开关，运营成本也可能下降。
“Most neon signs use very inefficient core and coil transformers that increase line voltage from 110 up to 15,000 volts,” says Bluhm. “This high-voltage supply compared to low voltage LEDs (12VDC to 24VDC) will require more energy to produce the same level of light. The benefit to the sign owner is immediate and can reduce their energy cost by 40 to 60 percent.”
Bluhm说：“大多数霓虹灯使用的是非常低效的铁芯和线圈变压器，可将线路电压从110上升到15,000伏，与低电压的LED（12VDC至24VDC）相比，这种高压电源将需要更多的能量，来产生相同水平的光。标识制造商的利益立竿见影，可以将能源成本降低40％到60％。”
LEDs are cost effective versus neon because neon “requires a neon bender to make the glass in the shape of the sign,” continues Bluhm. “In addition, the ancillary parts required to install neon into a sign is more involved with GTO cable, electrode boots, riveted tube supports and conduit.”
Bluhm继续说道：“霓虹灯的成本效益较高，因为它需要使用霓虹灯弯曲器，才能将玻璃制成符号形状，此外，将霓虹灯安装到标牌所需的辅助部件，需要涉及更多地GTO电缆、电极套管、铆钉管支架和导管。”
Along with this, LEDs can lower maintenance costs due to their favorable stability and longevity. They can also alleviate some headaches, as we’ve seen in real world applications. Going back to Anderson’s 4' x 6' double-faced sign project for the florist, he noticed some red flags that came with the existing lighting.
相反，LED具有良好的稳定性和使用寿命，还可以降低维护成本，正如我们在生活应用中看到的那样，它们可以缓解一些问题。对于他们要制作的这个4'×6'双面标识项目，我们可以注意到现有照明带来的一些新颖之处。
“Upon examination of the sign, many problems became apparent,” he recounts. “The sign was only four inches deep, and the florescent tubes created very noticeable hot spots due to their close proximity to the sign face (1 inch). I also found a neon transformer inside the cabinet—still powered up with nothing connected to it. Clearly, the sign had a neon border on it at one point that had been removed.”
Bluhm叙述道：“在检查原有标识后，许多问题变得明显，原有标识只有4英寸深，由于它们靠近标识面（1英寸），荧光管产生了非常明显的热点。我还在里面发现了一个霓虹灯变压器，却没有连接到它的电源上，很显然，这个标识上有一个霓虹边框，但它已经被拿掉了。”
But it isn’t solely the lighting aspect that sign makers need to address. The letters themselves, in both size and construction, play a major role in the retrofitting process.
这不仅仅是标识制造商需要解决的照明问题，发光字本身在规模和结构上都需要改变。

Follow the Letter
配合发光字的结构
“The channel letter size and depth will dictate the amount of LEDs that will be needed for proper illumination at the face,” states Joe Reis, director of LED Signage Innovations at International Light Technologies.
国际照明公司总监Joe Reis说：“发光字的大小和深度将决定正面照明所需的LED数量。”
A sign maker will typically want to use more LEDs as the letter gets deeper so that the light is adequately spread from the source.
标识制造商在选择使用LED的数量上，通常会希望持多而不持少的态度，因为字母越深，光线才能充分地从光源传播。
“Overall square footage of the sign cabinet, divided by the total lumen output of LED modules will give you a total lumen output per square foot of sign face,” explains Reis. “My rule of thumb is minimum of 250 lumens per square foot.”
Reis解释说：“发光字的整体平面除以LED模块的总流明输出，能提供每平方英尺标识面的总流明输出，每平方英尺至少250流明。”
Anderson says that six inches was the standard depth for building neon channel letters. “This depth is easily accommodated by most retrofit LED products designed for channel letters,” he continues. “For even illumination, you'll generally need the same number of ‘strokes’ of LED modules versus what resided in the letter before. There are now a variety of LED modules designed for greater spacing, but in my experience these work best for cabinet retrofits rather than for channel letters.”
Anderson说：“六英寸是建立发光字的标准深度，这种深度很容易被大多数改进型LED产品所适应。对于均匀照明，需要的LED模块数量与发光字相适应。现在有各种LED模块设计用于更大的间距，但根据我的经验，这些模块最适用于灯箱的改造，而不是发光字。”
If there is a trend in channel letter size, it’s that they have been decreasing in depth recently. A lot of this is due to how reliable LEDs are in sign projects.
如果发光字的大小有变化趋势的话，那么它们一直在变小，这很大程度上是由于LED在标标识项目中的可靠性所决定。
“With the availability of better optics over LEDs, channel letter depths have been decreasing,” says Bluhm. “Neon channel letters are typically four to five inches deep due to UL requirements of spacing. If neon is in a sign, LEDs will work fine.”
Bluhm说：“通过使用LED提供更好的光学元件，槽型发光字的深度一直在减少。由于间距的UL要求，字母的深度通常为四到五英寸。
Be wary of the condition of the channel letter as well. Letters in good condition should be prime for a retrofit, but those in bad shape pose serious problems.
此外，还要注意发光字的形状，形状外观是发光字改造的首要条件，那些形状不好的发光字会造成严重问题。
“The physical conditions of a set of old channel letters or fabricated sign cabinet can be a retrofit game changer,” Reis offers. “If the set of channel letters are so old that the trim on the faces is starting to delaminate or the steel frame of the fabricated cabinet has rusted out, you may have to let your client know that the job will entail a lot more than just retrofitting the neon or fluorescent lamps to LEDs.”
如果一组字母太旧，以至于表面上的饰边开始分层，或者装配式的钢架已经锈蚀，那么你不得不让你的客户知道，这项工作需要的不仅仅是将霓虹灯或荧光灯换成LED这么简单。

On the flip side, “If the letters and cabinet are in good condition, then a LED retrofit is the way to make that old tired sign come back to life,” says Reis. “The sign will not only look great, but it will start saving your customer money the day you turn it on.”
另一方面，如果发光字的外部和内部良好，那么LED的增添，能让发光字重新焕发新的能量，它可以让标识看起来很棒，而且可以有效地为客户节省资金。
Finally, signage can be featured as single-sided or double-sided, though channel letters are typically single-sided. In the case when double-sided signage is found—in applications such as sign cabinets—there are often additional challenges to face during a retrofit.
标识可以以单面或双面为特色，但槽型发光字通常是单面。在发现双面标牌的情况下，其改造过程常常面临一些非常规的挑战。
“There is often a support pole through the middle of the sign that must be accounted for to prevent shadows,” says Anderson. “Also, since the LEDs in a double-faced sign are generally centered in the middle of the enclosure, there is half the distance to the sign face. Choosing an LED with a wide beam angle is very important in this application in order to maintain an even face illumination without hot spots.”
Anderson说：“标识中间经常设有一个支撑杆，支撑杆是为了防止阴影。由于双面标识中的LED通常位于外壳的中间，与标识面产生一半的距离，选择宽光束角的LED在这种应用中非常重要，要保持无热点的均匀照明。”
With single-sided letters, there may be more options for LED implementation. Reis says, “With new LED modules that have lenses to spread the light on them, it is much easier and more forgiving to retrofit a set of channel letter from neon to LED. The installers are able to retrofit a double-stroked five-inch deep neon channel letter with a single stroke of LEDs and achieve the same, if not better, illumination.”
对于单面字母，LED可能有更多选择。Reis说：“通过新的LED模块，透镜可以将光线传播到上层面，这样就可以更轻松将一组字母中的霓虹灯改装为LED。安装人员可以使用一个单一行程的LED来翻新一个双行程五英寸深的霓虹灯字母，并达到相同的照明效果。”

The LED Aspect
在LED方面
In these retrofit jobs, once the structure is determined to be sound, sign makers can turn to the lighting aspect and implement the LEDs. There are a few different factors to consider when looking at the lighting component.
在这些改造工作中，一旦结构被确定，标识制造商可以转向照明的实施。查看照明组件时，需要考虑几个不同的因素。
First and foremost is to look at the lighting output. What should one expect with LEDs versus neon?
首要的是看照明输出。
“LED light output is comparable with neon,” Bluhm says. “Another benefit is the viewing angle of a lensed product will provide more coverage than neon on the face of a channel letter.”
Bluhm说：“LED的光输出与霓虹灯相同，透镜产品的视角比霓虹灯字母能提供更多的覆盖范围。”
Bluhm explains that LED brightness has increased over the past decade and in configuration of front lit, back lit or both, “they can easily provide enough light for all three of these applications,” he states. “That being said, LED channel letter modules make a great solution for removing neon and replacing with an LED solution.”
在过去的十年中，LED的亮度有所提高，并且配置了前照灯和背光灯，它们可以轻松为这三种应用提供足够的光线，也就是说，LED模块为去除霓虹灯提供了一个很好的解决方案。
And it comes down to picking the correct lighting for that specific sign. Sign makers will want to consider things like sign faces and lumen output when making a decision.
它归结为为特定标识选择正确的照明，当然，标识制造商还会同时考虑标识面和流明输出等因素。
“Lighting output of LED retrofits is a matter of choosing the right type and quantity of modules,” Anderson says. “It's a fairly easy swap from neon or florescent to LED with white faces. If the faces are a deep, saturated color you should plan on significantly more product to achieve the lumen output and even face illumination the sign had before.”
Anderson说：“LED改型的照明输出解决了模块类型和数量的问题，这是一个从霓虹灯或荧光灯到白色LED的替换结果。如果标识面部颜色变得深沉饱和，则应使用更多的产品来实现流明输出。”
Color temperature is a factor that will also come into play.
色温也是一个重要的因素。
“Warm white LEDs tend to look better behind yellow and orange faces,” Anderson continues. “Cool white behind green, turquoise, etc. For blue, there are blue LEDs that may look better depending on the shade. For red faces of course, there are red LEDs and that is generally what should always be specified in this face color.”
Anderson说：“温暖的白色LED往往看起来比黄色和橙色的更好，尤其对于蓝色LED可能会看起来更好，这取决于色调。对于红色LED，通常这种颜色一般是客户指定使用的颜色。”
Taking the LED and comparing it to what is being replaced, Reis says that “'Sign White' is a term that we used for white 6,500K neon. What you really want to look for is the CRI (Color Rendering Index) of the color of white LED light. The higher the CRI number (e.g., 80, 90, etc.) the better the white light will render the colors that you are illuminating.”
Reis说：“ 'Sign White'是我们用于白色6500K霓虹灯的术语，而白色LED灯的显色指数是用CRI表示，CRI数字越高（例如，80,90等等），白光呈现的越亮。”
For example, if you’re using a 6,500K LED with a 70 CRI, the colors will not show as true as one with a higher CRI, like 85 CRI.
例如，如果您使用的是具有70显色指数的6500K LED，那么它的显色指数（如85 CRI）不会比70更高。
“This also holds true for the higher color temperatures,” says Reis. “Just because an LED manufacturer has 10,000K LEDs in their module does not mean it will be brighter than 6,500K LED modules. It just means that it will be a very cool blue and normally a low CRI.”
Reis说：“85 CRI这个指数适用于较高的色温，一个模块中具有10,000K LED，并不意味着它将比6500K LED模块更亮，一个非常酷的颜色，通常是一个低CRI。”

Benefits and Rewards
特点与效果
When Mega Volt's Anderson rolled up his sleeves and went to work on the project for his florist customer, he landed on one option out of several, implementing a new design with a routed aluminum face.
Anderson卷起袖子去为他的顾客工作，最后实现了一个带有铝箔面的新设计。
“In the end, I opted for a side-illuminating product from Principal LED,” he says. “Most module manufacturers now make a product for this application, but I appreciated Principal’s detailed specs on beam angle.”
他说：“最后，我选择了Principal LED的侧面照明产品，我很欣赏Principal在光束角度方面的详细规格。”
One of the bigger issues, though, became dealing with the portion of the sign that was not illuminated.
但是，有一个很大的问题就是——如何处理未被照亮的标识部分。
“It would be a waste of light and energy to illuminate this entire 24-square-foot enclosure when only eight square feet or so was back-lit,” he recalls. “My solution was to build internal baffles to which the LED side-lit modules would mount.”
他回忆道：“只有8平方英尺左右能被照明时，照亮24平方英尺的外壳将会浪费能量，我们的解决方案是制造可以安装在内部的LED侧光模块。”
“The result exceeded my expectations,” Anderson concludes, “and a single 60 LED power supply now evenly illuminates both sides of this large, narrow sign cabinet.”
Anderson 说：“这个解决方案的结果超出了我的预期，现在，一个单一的60 LED电源可以均匀的照亮这个标识两侧。”
This is an example of how LEDs can add to a retrofit project, even in the face of some unforeseen challenges. It’s also a true benefit to the customer who will likely save money in the long run with efficient lighting and less maintenance.
这是LED如何改造项目的一个例子，即使面临一些不可预见的挑战，如果我们能提出新的解决方案，这对客户来说也是一个真正的好处，他们可以通过高效照明和更少的维护长期节省资金。
“Retrofitting provides a serious cost savings over building a new project,” Anderson adds. “The lighting level can often be upgraded while lowering electrical usage. There are also significant savings over installation, disposal, permitting, etc.”
Anderson补充说：“改造工程可以大大节省建设新项目的成本，照明水平通常可以升级，电力也可以同时降低。

Make Informed Decisions
做出明智的决定
Things aren’t always as they appear. A sign structure may look sturdy and viable for a retrofit, but up close has flaws that need to be fixed. Or the color of an LED may look bright and resilient, only to be washed out by a dense, off-colored sign face. Sign makers come up against these challenges every day; especially during retrofit jobs. It’s important to inspect the sign carefully and make informed decisions so that the customer is happy with the quality of the final product.
一个标识的结构看起来坚固，或需要改造，还是有缺陷，需要修复，标识制造商每天都会遇到这些挑战，特别是在改造工作期间，仔细检查标识并做出明智的决定非常重要，以便客户对最终产品的质量感到满意。