LED retrofit matieral

[Texas_Signmaker]

What thickness / size of aluminum would you use to make retrofit LED sticks? I'm making 10' spans. Would you use a flat bar or square tube?

 

[Gino]

Did a cabinet about 2 years ago with 10' spans. Bought the ready made sticks and we ended up taking chain and looping it around each lamp in the middle, all the way down. 14 lamps top to bottom. They were single sided and we hadda do it to the other side. The cabinet was almost 4' deep.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Sorry, maybe I should clarify... it's on a double sided cabinet on pole so I'd make the sticks in the shop before going out to install. It looked like it would be a few hundred bucks cheaper making myself and right now I have extra time in shop. Shouldn't be too much extra time in field.

I like the chain idea Gino

 

[Stallion Signs]

I’ve been using 3/4” square aluminum tubing, 1/16 gauge
Its been working really well

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I’ve been using 3/4” square aluminum tubing, 1/16 gauge
Its been working really well

thank you! I was going to go with 1" at 1/8" and didnt know how low you could go

 

[Stallion Signs]

thank you! I was going to go with 1" at 1/8" and didnt know how low you could go

the thickness of the aluminum is your preference. But the 3/4” is the lowest i can go and still be comfortable with how the modules fit on.

 

[Rocco G]

The ready made LED sticks do have some give to them on 10' units. The Keystone brand offers a chain with what look like fishing hooks to take the sag out of them. I've even seen fishing line used as well.

And to answer the OP question, I've made channels from our aluminum scrap bin, 1"-1.5" tall (depending on what drops I have at the time) with 1/2" bends top/bottom. I've also made 1.5" x 1.5" angles from .050 or thicker aluminum. You can use .040 but I think that's a bit thin myself. For short runs you can also use ACM strips, but I'd only use them vertically.

 

[Gino]

It's easiest, when you had/have a guy at each end. When you put them up & down, they tend to fail, due to the big buildup of moss, dirt, bugs and other crap that all falls to the bottom and rots. ))) I've literally taken little cities of life outta these signs when working on them.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Yes these are horizontal 10' lamps. The sign is 10'x8' and it would of been too easy to make them 8' vertical. lol I'll have two buckets working on this sign so we can have one guy at each end

 

[LED Signs & Designs Texas]

Just make sure you support the middles or you will be back to fix the “sag”!!!
Good luck!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Will do. I went ahead with the 3/4" square at 1/16". It's half the cost making them myself VS getting the pre-made sticks. $400 savings right now is preferred when I have some extra in-shop time available. Seems like easy in shop work too.

I've seen vertical sticks fall out and bend too.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I went with the 3/4" 1/16th and they turned out great... very sturdy and no sag.

 

[MikePatterson]

I would defiantly build my own sticks. You'll end up with less drivers to install but a bit more wiring. I just did an 8X8 box and had to brace the sag with flat bar screwed down the center. I figured up the drivers and if built from scratch i could have used only 6 to run the sign. But street sticks use 1 driver per stick.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I would defiantly build my own sticks. You'll end up with less drivers to install but a bit more wiring. I just did an 8X8 box and had to brace the sag with flat bar screwed down the center. I figured up the drivers and if built from scratch i could have used only 6 to run the sign. But street sticks use 1 driver per stick.

Good to know. After a few sticks I got the hang of it and started putting them together in no time. Very easy in shop work

 

[MikePro]

square tube extrusion can get pricey for this purpose.
they don't hold much weight, you can definitely save a buck by just bending up some U-channel out of .063.

 

[BobM]

Ah, then for two sets of one sided stick it kinda makes since. Especially with the free time it makes since. For these, I like to use the tap/splice scotchlocks, and then you only have to do a run from the powersupply to the last lamp. Every other lamp can tap into the run. Takes the headache out of daisy chaining.

I never use Scotch Locks. They are fine new, but as temperature and humidity get to them they become just another bad connection.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Yea I've had connection problems with them too. I prefer the security of wire nuts.

 

[Jester]

I prefer to use vice grips...

Why not use the right tool for the job?
www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCRW0A

 

[MikePatterson]

I hate scotch locks. I will either use crimp butt connectors or wire nuts. As for the WAGO connectors, those look cool for the bench but what fun is it to be safe all the time.