Exterior Backlit Signs

[Artworks]

Daytime PIc

Here is a daytime pic. You can see that the three new signs at the bottom are very white. I took a close look at the top panel but I don't have a lift to get up there and pull it out. Its appx 1/8" thick and has a shiny surface, leading me to believe that it is acrylic as well. I pulled out a couple of the bulbs at the bottom and they are all the CWHO bulbs...

What am I missing?

 

[Gino]

Why does everything look like black or a very dark color when the lights are on [as in your original photo] ?? Also, without the lights on, I can still see the center pole going up the middle. Are you sure, someone has not skimped and used flat faces, instead of pan ??

Is that translucent die cut vinyl or printed inkjet vinyl mounted somehow to faces ??

 

[Andy D]

What am I missing?

I'm sure what you mean, you're still at square one.
You said all the panels lit up the same before you replaced
the bottom three, so it's not the bulbs... although... I guess you could put brighter bulbs
behind your panels to even them out.

If you want them to match, you need to figure out what the original panels were.

If you weren't comparing to the sign above, do you think your panels would still
look too dark? As stated earlier, the top face has hot spots from the lights,
you might be better off leaving them as is...

 

[Billct2]

Good question Gino, was translucent vinyl used?

 

[Artworks]

Good question Gino, was translucent vinyl used?

Not on these. Actually, originally I used a premium backlit film that had a Golden gradient in the background. These turned out really nice, but the boss man didn't like it, so I removed it and use a regular cast vinyl.
I know translucent cut vinyl is what this application calls for, but I hate that it doesn't last very long, especially when the sign is being torched by the sun all year. Now I am going to redo them a third time and order in all the translucent Vinyl. But it is starting to look like maybe the sheets we used for this aren't even the right ones.

 

[Billct2]

Don't know what you're using for vinyl, but a good cast translucent lasts a long time and doesn't look like cr*p at night.

 

[Andy D]

I know translucent cut vinyl is what this application calls for, but I hate that it doesn't last very long, especially when the sign is being torched by the sun all year.

I'm not sure what you mean, we use 3M translucent, it's rated up to 9 years outdoors.

 

[Artworks]

Well, I will be using the Avery SuperCast Translucent Vinyl and stocking it for future. All I know is I see signs all over the place with cut vinyl that are cracked, peeling and faded and I don't want any of our signs to look like those 6 months to a year from now. But I am no expert on exterior signs, that is why I come here to ask you guys for advice. And I appreciate all of your responses.

Still not sure why my white signs are yellow at night. Even with the Cool White bulbs...

 

[Andy D]

Well, I will be using the Avery SuperCast Translucent Vinyl and stocking it for future. All I know is I see signs all over the place with cut vinyl that are cracked, peeling and faded and I don't want any of our signs to look like those 6 months to a year from now. But I am no expert on exterior signs, that is why I come here to ask you guys for advice. And I appreciate all of your responses.

Avery is okay, it was plagued awhile back with vinyl failures, I'm not sure if all that was resolved or not.
3M and Oracal are the best IMHO.

The cracked vinyl you're seeing is due to low-balling scum, that use the cheapest crap they can find,
usually using interior vinyl for exterior signs.

 

[Billct2]

Yep, I use 3M or Arlon cast translucent, good stuff.
As for the color, different lamps can definitely make that much of a color shift.
If you've ever seen a box with mixed CW and D lamps you know it.
But there can be other reasons, the material, the method of face decoration etc.

 

[Gino]

The longer you go on the more clusterf*cked this thing becomes.

• Try this..... get some samples from your supplier, just small samples. pull your top face out and put your samples in there and see which ones look the most like the top face..... WHEN IT.
• Next get whatever manufacturer of translucent you want. They're all about the same and all last a very long time. Don't know what you've been looking at, but it ain't a good grade stuff.
• Last, your profile says you're the owner, but you refer to a boss, who has power over you to tell you what vinyl is correct or not ?? It's your money, correct ?? So, do what's right and tell your bossman to go pound sand, cause he/she sounds like a winner................

 

[Marlene]

the vinly is only in the area where there is copy and the background white is the acrylic, is that right? if so it isn't a factor in why this looks yellow. clearly there is a center pole that shows thru day or night. my question is how thick is your plastic? .1875" or .125" or did you go with thicker? when you put your hand under your plastic, can you see your fingers as if looking thru milky glass or do you see nothing? there is a whtie plastic that is way too milkly for a backlighted sign. not sure the acrylic number for that but if you used that and someone else used a white that is more opaque, that could be a problem that would make it light differently for the top.

PS thank you for adding photos as so many don't and it is a big help in trying to figure this out

 

[nashvillesigns]

yellowing acrylic

hmmm… did you peel the backer off the acrylic from BOTH sides?
I gotta ask.

otherwise, the lightbulbs would be my next guess. White material doesn't change. its white. that is why i asked the question above!



-mosher

 

[Billct2]

"did you peel the backer off the acrylic from BOTH sides"
oh yea, that's been done, had one guy letter right over the plastic backer

 

[signcrafters london]

"did you peel the backer off the acrylic from BOTH sides"
oh yea, that's been done, had one guy letter right over the plastic backer

Never done that before. But, came this > < close several times.

 

[kgirl]

You have my vote for different bulbs....looks like the top face just to the right of the pole has a DL lamp and on the lower part looks like a single CW is mixed in....

 

[Chris Keena]

I'm dying to know if the backing was never peeled off?

 

[Andy D]

I hate when OP never confirm what the solution was... It's not just about you! When the community comes together to help you,
you owe it to them and to people down the road that are having similar problems, to comeback and confirm what the
issue was and how you resolved it.

 

[MikePro]

gotta be the bulbs. you can see in the top panel that it wants to cast that same yellow-ish glow in the center

leading me to believe that you have warm whites in the bottom cabinet, and a mixture of cool white and warm white in the top cabinet.

 

[Andy D]

gotta be the bulbs. you can see in the top panel that it wants to cast that same yellow-ish glow in the center

leading me to believe that you have warm whites in the bottom cabinet, and a mixture of cool white and warm white in the top cabinet.

Good point!