What are LED Billboard Lights?

Billboard lights are a specific type of Floodlights. They use specialized optics to project bright, high-quality light evenly. Billboard lights are mounted at the top or bottom of the outdoor sign. They are set back usually 4 to 8 feet from the face of the sign. You can easily replace Metal Halide Billboard Lights with LED. We recommend you create a lighting plan first to determine your exact needs. A lighting plan will model your billboard face. It will set the appropriate tilt angles to optimize the balance of light across the outdoor sign using our LED fixtures.

The two best color temperatures for billboard lighting are 5000K and 4000K. The majority of customers prefer 5000K.

Benefits LED Billboard Lights Offer

There are many benefits of LED billboard light fixtures, here are just a few.

• Energy Savings – you can expect a 50% or more reduction in your lighting costs
• High-Quality Light Output – this will make the colors on the billboard pop
• Instant On/Instant Off – no long start-up times or delays associated with conventional lighting
• A Long Lifespan and Little to No Maintenance Costs – a clear winner over Metal-Halide lights.

Is Using Fewer Higher Wattage Fixtures Better Than More Lower Wattage Billboard Fixtures?

We find that lower-wattage billboard fixtures produce better uniform light coverage. When creating a lighting plan, you try to achieve the desired light levels and balance. Balance means there are no shadows between lights. You can remove shadows and increase balance by adding more ‘less wattage’ fixtures. Some of the beam angels we have available provide some incredible light spread.

Are LED Billboard Lights Dark Sky Compliant?

By design, billboard signs with bottom-mounted lights create dark sky issues. Top-mounted lights pointing down help solve dark sky issues.

What are the Best Optics for Outdoor Sign Lighting – Billboard Lights?

We have special billboard optics that come in two versions. Wide/short, and narrow/tall to accommodate those billboards that are 40 X 14 and 14 X 40. We will match the right optic to your requirements. The best way to Light up a billboard depends on where the lights are mounted. The best lighting is more about picking the optimal lumens with the right optics package to achieve bright, balanced lighting.

What are the Ideal Foot Candles for Billboard Lighting?

We have modeled billboard lighting plans from 20-foot candles to over 100-foot candles. But a billboard lit by 50-foot candles is a bright and well-lit billboard.

Need Help? Talk to an LED Billboard Light Expert.

With so many options and fixtures available, it's hard to decide what option is going to meet your needs and requirements. The sales engineers of LED Lighting Supply are experts in LED Billboard Lighting. Use our experience and tell us your needs, and we will provide you with the best LED Billboard Light options for your project or application. We can provide you with a free lighting plan to make sure the area is well-lit and the lighting is balanced.

Completed Commercial Lighting Projects using LED Lighting Supply LED Billboard Lights

LED Billboard Lights FAQ

How Many LED Fixtures for a 40 X 14 Billboard?

We found 4 fixtures provide the right light levels.

How Far from the Sign Should Fixtures Be Mounted?

Father is better, as it helps with light spread across the face of the fixture.

Do Billboard Lights Come with Surge Protection?

They have at least a 4 kVA surge protector with optional upgrades. This is a way to try and protect your lights from surges and nearby lightning strikes.

Can I Use a Flood Light instead of LED Billboard Lights?

The answer lies in the special optics used on our billboard lights. Floodlights use tight beam angles. These do not work well for billboard lighting or outdoor signs.

LED billboard lights use a special “asymmetrical” lens. These provide a special “throw” pattern to get the light where it’s needed. The light patterns can handle both “tall” and “wide” billboards. They work well in conditions where the surface being lit is a close distance from the light.

Using a flood light or a shoebox light in these conditions would not work well. The light pattern on the face of the billboard would look spotty and uneven.

What is the Cost of Lighting a Billboard with LED?

That depends on the size of your billboard and your requirements. We have lit billboards up with 2 lights and as many as 5. To start, we offer free lighting plans. That way we can model your billboard to your needs. Given our experience, there’s a good chance we’ve already modeled your billboard. We can give you options, including price.

What are the Mounting Options for Billboard Lights?

Common mounting options include slip fitter and trunnion / yoke options.

Are LED Billboard Lights Waterproof?

Yes, they are. You need to look for an IP rating of IP65 or higher.

How Hard is it to Install LED Outdoor Billboard Lighting?

Installation is simple for outdoor sign lighting. If you are replacing HID lights with LED, you will notice we supply the same mountings. There are only 3 wires per fixture to hook up – line, neutral, and ground.

What's the Difference Between Top Mounting or Bottom Mounting of LED Billboard Lights?

There is no difference. The top mount is more dark sky compliant than the bottom mount. Lenses are a little more protected from weather than bottom mounted. Other than that, our lights work in either position.