Edge-Lit Exit Signs

Frequently Asked Questions about Edge-lit exit signs

• Question: What is an edge lit exit sign? An edge-lit exit sign typically is an exit sign made with a thin clear acrylic panel with the word EXIT silk screened onto it (and is often also etched) that is illuminated by LEDs shining on one or more sides of the panel creating an optical effect of highlighting the edges of the word exit, the arrows if present, and the outer perimeter of the panel. This effect can also be achieved using glass panels but this is less frequent as glass can be fragile. Besides LEDs, cold cathode, and light emitting capacitors (LEC) are also used sources of illumination to create this effect or a similar effect. Cold Cathode typically is a white light and when used with edge lit exit signs of green or red lettering can sometimes have a lesser "pop" than green LEDs on green letters or Red LEDs on red letters. Cold Cathode works very well when the panels are glass with a silk screened white panel instead of clear panel. This design is still used in some City of Chicago Approved Exit Signs though the trend is to move towards white LEDs. LEC edge lit exit signs use a covered face that exposes the colored letters, chevrons, and the panel's edge. The housings of Edge-lit exit signs are often recessed into the ceiling so that the only the panel is visible, creating a floating sign effect.  
• Question: Do glass panel exit signs exist? Most people mistake the acrylic panels used in edge-lit exit signs as being made of glass. Almost all edge-lit exit signs in production today use acrylic. Glass exit signs do still exist but they are generally only in use in City of Chicago approved exit signs which have different standards than the rest of the country. Glass panels were primarily used when incandescent lamps were popular as the heat from the lights wouldn't damage the glass as it would acrylics or plastic panels. The introduction of LEDs, which are generally cool to the touch, allowed for the use of acrylic panels. The city of Chicago was the last jurisdiction to approve the use of LEDS in exit signs and thus many glass panel models exit signs still are in use.
• Question: How do clear exit signs work? Edge-lit exit signs do have clear panels which allows you to see through the panel. However, this only applies when the sign reads EXIT on one side. If the sign must show the word EXIT on both sides, the panel contains an insert in the middle which is either reflective white or a mylar type mirror. When viewed from below, at a 45 degree angle or so, the illusion appears that you are looking through the sign panel but in reality you are simply seeing the reflection of the ceiling on the same side from which you are viewing. There was a viral video not too long ago where the mystery gripped in the internet. It's a reflection creating the illusion;)
• Question: How do I select the correct etched arrow configuration on a double sided exit sign? When a double sided exit sign is installed, if the sign's chevrons should point to the left when read from one side, the chevrons on the other side should point to the right. Here is where it gets confusing. You will see that we will ask if it is a single arrow or a double arrow but we don't ask if it is a single chevron left or single chevron right. The reason is that the panel can simply be swapped during install to have the single chevron point either left or right. For example: imagine you are standing facing north and there is a single arrow pointing to the east (right), if you were standing facing south the panel would contain a single arrow pointing east (left). For the sake of simplicity, image you installed the sign 180 degrees the other way such that when facing north the arrow now faces west (left) and on the other side would then face west (right). Finally, rather than installing the sign 180 degrees around, you can simply detach the panel and reinsert it 180 degrees. Therefore, as simply changing the panel around we can accommodate either directions, we will ask if it is a single chevron or double chevron. If the sign is single face however and uses the etched arrows, we need to know which direction as the panel can not swap directions otherwise it would read the word EXIT backwards on the other side (if it is a clear panel). Note: In-field configurable adhesive arrows or "universal chevrons" options do not have the above pre-order specification requirements because they are not etched into the panel but rather placed on the surface of the panel. 
• Question: How do I select the correct etched arrow configuration on a double sided exit sign? When a double sided exit sign is installed, if the sign's chevrons should point to the left when read from one side, the chevrons on the other side should point to the right. Here is where it gets confusing. You will see that we will ask if it is a single arrow or a double arrow but we don't ask if it is a single chevron left or single chevron right. The reason is that the panel can simply be swapped during install to have the single chevron point either left or right. For example: imagine you are standing facing north and there is a single arrow pointing to the east (right), if you were standing facing south the panel would contain a single arrow pointing east (left). For the sake of simplicity, image you installed the sign 180 degrees the other way such that when facing north the arrow now faces west (left) and on the other side would then face west (right). Finally, rather than installing the sign 180 degrees around, you can simply detach the panel and reinsert it 180 degrees. Therefore, as simply changing the panel around we can accommodate either directions, we will ask if it is a single chevron or double chevron. If the sign is single face however and uses the etched arrows, we need to know which direction as the panel can not swap directions otherwise it would read the word EXIT backwards on the other side (if it is a clear panel). Note: In-field configurable adhesive arrows or "universal chevrons" options do not have the above pre-order specification requirements because they are not etched into the panel but rather placed on the surface of the panel.