LED Sign Retrofits in St. John's, NL
Are you tired of replacing bulbs and ballasts every year in your sign? Leaman Signs offers LED retrofits in all types of signage and even convenience store coolers. Contact us to receive a quote.
What Is an LED Retrofit?
An LED retrofit is the process of replacing the existing light source inside an illuminated sign with modern LED technology. Most older illuminated signs in Newfoundland — cabinet signs, channel letters, pylon signs — were originally built with fluorescent tubes or neon as the light source. LED retrofits replace those older components with energy-efficient LED modules while keeping the existing sign structure in place.
Why Retrofit to LED?
Energy savings are the most immediately compelling reason. LED sign lighting consumes significantly less power than the fluorescent or neon it replaces — typically 50 to 75 percent less energy for equivalent or better light output. For a sign that runs 12 hours a day, seven days a week, that's a real and ongoing reduction in your electrical bill. Most LED retrofits pay back their cost in energy savings within two to four years.
Reliability is the second major reason. Fluorescent tubes in signs degrade over time and become harder and more expensive to source as they're phased out of production. LED modules have rated lifespans of 50,000 hours or more and are widely available. Retrofitting eliminates the recurring cost and hassle of fluorescent tube replacements.
Light quality improves with LED as well. Modern LED modules produce brighter, more even illumination than aging fluorescent tubes, and they perform better in cold temperatures — an important consideration in Newfoundland where outdoor signs operate in freezing conditions for months of the year.
The Retrofit Process
We begin with an assessment of your existing sign to determine the current light source, the cabinet dimensions, and the condition of the electrical components including the power supply. From there we specify the appropriate LED module type, layout, and driver for your sign, and provide a quote for the retrofit work.
The retrofit itself involves removing the existing tubes or neon and ballasts, installing the LED modules and drivers, and testing the completed installation. In most cases the sign face doesn't need to be replaced unless it's yellowed or damaged — the improved LED output often makes an older face look significantly better.
Is Your Sign a Good Retrofit Candidate?
Most internally illuminated signs can be retrofitted to LED. Signs with very unusual cabinet configurations or very small letter heights may present challenges, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Contact Leaman Signs to have us assess your sign and provide a retrofit quote. We service signs throughout St. John's and across Newfoundland.