Support Resource
Solar Sign Lighting Instructions
Plan solar lighting for a low-voltage LED sign, including controllers, panels, batteries, wiring, and installation considerations.
Before You Plan a Solar Sign
Since all our lit sign products use low-voltage LEDs, solar power can be a practical option when utility power is unavailable or when conservation is a priority.
Quick Notes
Review the estimated wattage of your sign before choosing panels and batteries.
Panel and battery size increase as sign wattage and nightly run time increase.
Our customer service team can help you plan the conversion before you order.
Lighting Controller
One 20 amp Morningstar SunLight controller can run up to 240 watts of sign load. Controllers can be run in parallel if your sign is too large for one unit.
- Buy 10 amp MS Controller for 12 volt letters and shapes.
- Buy 20 amp MS Controller for 12 volt letters and shapes.
- SunLight controller product information
- SunLight 10 or 20 data sheet
- SunLight 10 or 20 manual
Solar Panels
We suggest polycrystalline or monocrystalline panels. As a starting point, panel wattage should be about four times or more than the wattage of your sign.
Do not use panels that exceed 30 volts and 240 watts each.
Mounting Structure
Depending on your location, panels can mount to a single pole, sloped roof, or flat roof. If you have a specialty situation, we can help think through a custom mounting approach.
Face the panels south and use your location to determine an appropriate angle.
Wiring
Solar sign installations use direct current (DC), so keep wires as short as practical.
Use copper wire with a minimum 75 degree C insulation rating and 10 AWG gauge. The negative system conductor should be properly grounded.
Batteries
We suggest a maintenance-free battery such as a gel type or absorptive fiberglass mat glass type.
Keep batteries charged if stored in an unheated location. Batteries can freeze and be ruined if left discharged.
Installation
The physical installation of your sign is the same as it would be without solar power.
The solar conversion from conventional AC line voltage to solar DC is simple: bypass the AC to 12VDC power supplies inside the sign with wire from the Morningstar SunLight controller.
The controller determines when the sign turns on and off based on sunlight and can limit nighttime run time to protect battery charge.