Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs
Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs give every letter or logo piece its own 3D metal shell, with LEDs inside shining through a back panel for a soft halo on the wall. The wall reflects this light around each outline, so they mount off the wall, indoors or out, with shells in 304 stainless steel by default, marine-grade 316 near the sea or aluminum for large signs.
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Here are sample photos of Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs to help you choose the look of your own sign. Click any photo for a short description of how it was made.
Parts of a Basic Metal Halo Lit Sign
Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs are one of several ways we build halo lit channel letters. From the front you see only the metal letters. They mount on the wall but stand a short distance off it, and their light reaches the wall from behind to form a soft halo around each one. They work indoors and outdoors, for small, medium and large letters alike. Every Basic Metal Halo Lit Sign is made up of five parts:
Key Specifications
- Minimum letter height
- 3-15/16 in (100 mm)
- Minimum stroke width
- 3/8 in (10 mm) outdoors, or about 5/16 in (8 mm) indoors depending on the font
- Default depth
- 1 in (25 mm)
- Back panel
- 1/8 in (3 mm) opal acrylic by default, hidden inside the shell
- Mounting
- About 3/8 to 13/16 in (10 to 20 mm) off the wall, on stud bolts with tube spacers that set the gap and keep the wires and bolts out of sight
- Production time
- About 15 working days after you approve the shop drawings
- Price
- From US$50
- Outdoor Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs need strokes at least 3/8 in (10 mm) wide, because waterproof LED modules and the waterproofing process need more room inside the shell. Indoor Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs can have finer strokes, down to about 5/16 in (8 mm) or less for some fonts.
- Even above the minimum size, some letters have strokes of uneven width, or their shells leave only just enough room to spread the LEDs evenly. PCB LEDs give these letters a very even glow, because every LED sits on the circuit board at a position that has been calculated and tested. They improve the light, not the minimum letter size. They are fully custom LEDs with a minimum order quantity, and every letter needs its own PCB LED. Getting them right can take several rounds of testing and adjustment.
- Off-wall mounting takes some skill. The tube spacers we supply set each letter's distance from the wall. As with every lit sign, we still recommend a professional sign installer to protect its look, safety and service life.
- Production begins once you approve the shop drawings. For every step from inquiry to delivery, see how ordering works.
Metal Letter Shell
- Material
- 304 stainless steel by default, marine-grade 316 stainless steel near the sea, or aluminum for large letters
- How it is made
- Fabricated: a laser-cut face and bent returns, welded into one hollow shell
- Default depth
- 1 in (25 mm)
- Finishes
- Stainless steel, painted: gloss, semi-gloss or matte paint or powder coat, or metallic paint
- Stainless steel, base finishes: mirror polished, brushed or vibration finish
- Stainless steel, plated: gold, rose gold, brass, copper, bronze, black titanium and other colors, over any of the base finishes above
- Stainless steel, vintage: brass, copper or bronze, plain or with a vibration finish
- Stainless steel, wood grain: a wood grain transfer finish
- Aluminum: gloss, semi-gloss or matte paint or powder coat, metallic paint, a brushed or vibration finish, anodizing or a wood grain transfer finish (aluminum cannot be mirror polished)
- Powder coat comes only in the powder makers' ready-made colors, a few common ones such as black, white and some neutral shades. We don't tint powder, so it can't be matched to a color chart. For a custom color, give us its code from Pantone, RAL, Sherwin-Williams or Matthews Paint, and we will mix liquid paint to match.
- A partner factory handles plated, vintage and wood grain finishes, which adds about 3 working days to production time.
- We don't recommend plating for signs near the sea, because salt corrodes the plated layer.
- See the finish options, with photos, in our finish gallery.
LEDs
- LED type
- LED modules, LED strips or PCB LEDs
- Voltage
- 12 V DC LEDs by default, or 24 V DC LEDs on request
- Brand
- BlueView by default
- Light colors
- White (6000K)
- Natural white (4000K)
- Warm white (3000K)
- Red
- Yellow
- Blue
- Green
- Controllable RGB or RGBW
- Other colors made to order, in a close shade rather than an exact color
- Outdoor Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs use waterproof LEDs, and for very rainy areas we upgrade them to IP67 LEDs.
Acrylic Back Panel
- Material
- Opal acrylic by default
- How it is made
- Laser cut to the shape of each letter
- Thickness
- 1/8 in (3 mm) by default
- Brands
- DonChamp by default, or Mitsubishi or Degussa (PLEXIGLAS) on request
- The back panel sits fully inside the metal shell, so viewers never see it from the front or the sides.
- It is screwed to a stainless steel bridge inside the letter, so no screws show on the sides of the shell.
- Light passes through the panel onto the wall, and the wall reflects it back as the halo. That is why Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs must stand off the wall, and why the color of the wall shapes the result.
- Large Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs may use a PC (polycarbonate) back panel instead, chosen according to the details and engineering data of each project.
Electrical Wiring
- Wire type
- UL-certified flame-retardant two-core copper wire by default
- Gauge
- AWG 15 (1.5 mm²) by default
- Lead length
- 78-3/4 in (2,000 mm) per letter by default
- For the main power line, we recommend AWG 13 (2.5 mm²) or heavier. It is not included by default.
- How each letter connects to the power supply is shown in our wiring diagram.
Power Supply
- Brand
- MEAN WELL
- Series
- LPV series by default (model LPV-60-12)
- Input
- 90-264 V AC
- Output
- 12 V DC by default, or 24 V DC with 24 V LEDs
- Protection
- IP67 waterproof
- Each sign's power supply is chosen to match the power we measure on the finished sign, and it must be wired exactly as shown in the wiring diagram we provide.
- If your site runs on commercial or industrial power rather than standard residential power, tell us its voltage and frequency before you order, and we will fit a power supply rated for it.
Certification and Mounting Kit
- Certification
- UL Listed
- Operating temperature
- −22 to 158°F (−30 to 70°C)
- Mounting kit
- Full-size (1:1) mounting template
- Stud bolts
- Nuts and washers, for walls you can reach from behind
- Stainless steel tube spacers
- Wiring diagram
- Installation instructions
- Stud bolts hold each letter on the wall. Use the template to mark where to drill for the bolts and wires.
- Nuts and washers are for walls you can get behind, such as thin drywall partitions, where they secure the stud bolts from the other side.
- The stainless steel tube spacers, 13/16 in (20 mm) long by default, hold all the letters at one distance from the wall and conceal the wires.
Warranty
- Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs come with a 3-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. If a part fails within 3 years because of such a defect, we send you a free replacement by DHL at our cost. Import duties are not covered, and neither is the labor to remove the faulty part or install the new one. The warranty doesn't cover damage from lightning, floods, storms or other natural disasters, or from power surges, improper installation or wiring. Damage caused by people isn't covered either. If you need a 5-year warranty, tell us and we will provide it as a custom service.
- The power supply carries MEAN WELL's own warranty, and any controllers carry their makers' own warranties. We'll contact these makers for you and help you get warranty service. Shipping and duties for those parts are paid by you.
- LEDs dim gradually with use. When your sign is no longer bright enough, we recommend replacing the sign. The shells can be opened to replace the LEDs, but that is skilled work, and a damaged shell would leave the sign worse off than before.
Diagrams
Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs FAQ
The metal shells and the LEDs are the same. What differs is the acrylic back panel. In Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs, it is laser cut and set completely inside the metal shell, so it can't be seen from the front or the sides. These signs must be mounted off the wall. The light passes out through the back panel, and the gap gives it room to spread across the wall. The wall then reflects it into a soft halo. In Pro Metal Halo Lit Signs, it is a stepped, CNC-engraved panel, partly inside the shell and partly exposed. Light comes straight out of the exposed acrylic, so viewers see it directly, and it shines straight onto the wall around each letter's outline. That makes the halo brighter and wider, and these signs can mount flush or off the wall, which makes installation easier.
Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs have the edge in weather resistance and for large letters. Pro Metal Halo Lit Signs have the edge in fine detail, ease of installation and overall display effect.
The halo is light reflected by the wall. With the back panel hidden inside each shell, the light needs a gap of about 3/8 to 13/16 in (10 to 20 mm) to spread across the wall before it reflects. The stainless steel tube spacers in the mounting kit set that gap and keep it the same for every letter.
Yes. Basic Metal Halo Lit Signs rely on the wall to reflect their light into a halo, and viewers see only that reflected light, never the light from the letters directly. So the color of the wall, and how reflective its material is, shape the halo more than they do with Pro Metal Halo Lit Signs. Their back panel is partly exposed and shines straight onto the wall, so their halo is brighter, wider and more visible. Send us a photo of the wall with your inquiry, and we will tell you which model suits it.
At least 3-15/16 in (100 mm) tall, with strokes at least 3/8 in (10 mm) wide outdoors or about 5/16 in (8 mm) indoors. Below that size, there isn't enough room inside the shell to lay out the LEDs evenly. If your lettering is smaller but still needs to light up and have a halo, our Halo Effect Light Box Signs are what we recommend. Send us your vector file and we will check it.
Yes. For outdoor sites we fit waterproof LEDs and an IP67 MEAN WELL power supply. We also add weep holes at the bottom of every letter so rainwater can drain out, and very rainy areas get IP67 LEDs as well. Near the sea, we make the shells and all the metal mounting hardware from marine-grade 316 stainless steel. For weatherproofing and installation in more detail, see our guide to outdoor halo lit signs.
Prices start at US$50. We price each sign on its own details, such as letter size, number of letters, finish and light color. Send us your design for a free quote, and we will reply within one working day.
Written by the HaloLitSigns.com engineering team
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Tell us about the Basic Metal Halo Lit Sign you need, and we will reply within one working day.
Other Halo Lit Sign Models
Weighing your options? Here are our other halo lit sign models.
Acrylic Halo Lit Signs
Every letter or logo piece has its own separate CNC-engraved acrylic shell, with the face and the sides near the face painted to block the light. They mount flush and keep fine engraved detail, which makes them especially suited to close viewing indoors.
More Details about Acrylic Halo Lit Signs
Side-Lit Signs
Every letter or logo piece has its own separate acrylic shell, mostly CNC engraved and sometimes fabricated, with a solid face of painted acrylic, black acrylic or a metal plate. Their sides glow and light up the wall with an elegant halo, and they mount flush.
More Details about Side-Lit Signs
Face & Halo Lit Signs
Every letter or logo piece has its own separate shell, which can be built in many ways, in fabricated metal (stainless steel by default) or in acrylic. The face glows, while light from the back lights up the wall behind it and forms a halo around the outline. Vinyl can give the lit face a different color from the halo, and they mount flush or off the wall.
More Details about Face & Halo Lit Signs
Face & Side-Lit Signs
Every letter or logo piece has its own separate shell, usually acrylic, whose face and sides both light up. The whole letter glows, in a wide choice of colors, and light from its sides lights up the wall around it with a halo.
More Details about Face & Side-Lit Signs
Halo Effect Light Box Signs
Some letters or logos are too small to be made as individual lit letters, yet still need to light up and have a halo. For them, a halo effect light box is the only way to do it. All the LEDs sit together in one metal box. A panel on the back of the box lets light through to cast a halo around it on the wall.
More Details about Halo Effect Light Box SignsRelated halo lit topics
