Ideas for a community sign - how to light it up using only LED(s) and Solar?

[taybrynn]

All,

I just wanted to solicit your ideas on how I might be able to get a community sign (HOA) to be lit up for say 4-5 hours each night.  The sign is like 4' (wide) by 3' tall and in a fairly weatherproof enclosure with sliding plexiglass in the front.  Its a one-side sign, meaning, only viewable from one side.

We don't have utilities at this location, but would like to "light it up", so have been thinking about using Solar, maybe a battery and some LED floods.  Would not want to have turn it on/off ... but basically be on auto pilot.  Would be nice if it had a sensor, so it would only turn on at a fixed time at dusk for (n) hours.

And of course, do this for as little $$ as possible.

Does anyone have any ideas on how you would accomplish this?

Thx in advance,
Scott

[gophergrove]

How about something like this?
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I've seen this type of solar flood package in all the box stores and wharehouse chains.  Seems like it would work for you.

[taybrynn]

That does look it might work.  I guess is just depends on the brightness and how much light it required to light up the sign, so that its readable from the road while driving by.

[chrisatpsu]

do you have the power requirements for the sign?

[gophergrove]

One nice thing about the box stores is you can usually see the lights on display but if that isn't enough buy them, try them onsite, and return if they aren't bright enough.  But for such a small sign I'd think these would do if you can get them within several feet of the sign.

[taybrynn]

The sign itself has no power itself, its just a black letterboard sign with 3" and 4" letter on it.  Larger letters than those shown in the graphic of a similar sign attached here.

The site has no power to it and would cost far more than the sign itself.

The sign is raised up on columns, so its perhaps 3' off the ground at the bottom.

I agree, being able to try and return (if it didn't work) would be handy.

Of course, vandalism would be another consideration.  No sure what can be done about that.

[chrisatpsu]

maybe you can build or at to the existing structure and get your solar panel mounted high?

[taybrynn]

Yes, there might be a way to at least mount the solar panel on the backside of the sign, and perhaps the panel is just over the top of the sign, where it would get sun, but not really be seen.

I was also wondering if some LED(s) could be used to illuminate from the inside of the sign, buy mounting them around the edges of the letterboard.  Using some like these IKEA LED(s) or something similar/better ... like some LED pixel strips.

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Here is something which appears it would also work, not sure how it would compare to the unit from Lowes.

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[Randy_A]

taybrynn,

I have some led strips...no info on them. Purchased  them last year and just found them. 24 leds per strip. If you can use them for the sign let me know. I have 10 of them.

Randy

[taybrynn]

Very kind of you Randy.  Thanks.