Suggestions on daylight Open Sign

[Dcsigns]

Hi all,

So, I am working on remolding some monument signage for a doctors office. At the bottom of the monument sign there are a couple of neon "Doctor is in" tubes. They utilize these when the office is open for business. When the office is closed the lights are blacked out. The space for this copy is recessed into the monument sign roughly 40" x 8".

The neon needs replaced as portions of the copy no longer light properly. Also, the neon just doesn't fit aesthetically with the proposed redesign.

My thinking...
1.Enclose/make a mini fluorescent cabinet and pop it into to the recession already in the sign.
2. Reverse lay black vinyl over polycarb faces.
3. Maybe apply translucent Red for the "Doctor Is In" Copy

Concerns....
1.The office is only open during daylight hours.
2. Not being able to tell they hit the "switch" and are open.
3. Still being able to see the doctor is in on the sign, even though the light is not on.

What do you guys think? Is neon the only way to go with this application?

Thank in advance.

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

Here is a suggestion for the time being, and it may not even apply to what your doing and maybe posting a visual/proposal would make it easier.

If you don't want the "Doctor is in" visible when the tube isn't energized then maybe use a black background, or red background and go with a clear glass neon pumped lamp (Red when Lit). Go thin, maybe 10mm, and if possible, go 60ma to really get it to pop out because you're fighting the daylight. You could even go green over green background or Horizon blue over a blue background, yellow over yellow. If you're allowed to have animated signs maybe even thrown in a flasher.

Whatever you decide, try and use a dark background color but also something to blend the lamp in when it's not in use so they don't think the office is open when it's not. Paint the background a matte or flat so theirs no reflection. Try and use 200 housings with silicone caps for a clean look or Masters Technologies wet location caps and boots, both of those I have in stock if need be.

If it's possible to do, put that neon in a 3" pan so the defined light is captured and trapped, in a box or conforming channel


Here's a pic ob both the 200 housings with the silicone caps (White), and the Masters Technologies used on the lettering (Ruby Red over Red)

 

[Billct2]

Wonder if day/night vinyl would work for this application.
I would think neon is still the best bet though.

 

[x2chris7x]

Just a thought... What if you used white translucent polycarb, Cut "Doctor is in" out of black vinyl REVERSED and applied to the back of the panel... then lights off panel looks white, no text... but when lights are on you see text... Idk if this would work. Just an idea

 

[Dcsigns]

I am thinking neon is probably the best bet too. Really would prefer to keep in this in house though, and Neon is something we don't do. I attached a photo of the monument and you can see the panels on the lower end of the signage.

I was thinking of making cabinet/boxes with 2-100 Watt 24" Bulbs. polycarb carb face-Solid black reverse cut vinyl and Red Translucent vinyl for the Copy. That is a lot of light in a small area and might do the trick.