Purchasing an LED billboard is a big decision that comes with a big price tag. Although LED billboards have the potential to produce a much greater ROI than static billboards, one question that comes up during the buying process is, "What's the lifespan of an LED Billboard?". Typically, the lifespan of an LED Billboard is 100,000 hours or 10-11 years. This lifespan is based on a variety of factors, some that you as a billboard owner can control.
Here are 3 Factors that Determine the Lifespan of an LED Billboard
1. How much power is the LED billboard using?
The first lifespan factor to take a look at is the Nit level of the LED billboard display. Nits are a metric used to determine how visible an LED display will be during the day. Most manufacturers have the capability of up to 10,000 Nits on their displays. However, in most applications that isn’t necessary to set your Billboard that high. Setting your billboard display at the highest Nit level will only draw more power and decrease the lifespan of the display. The industry standard for an LED Billboard is right around 7,500 Nits. By keeping your Nit level down near the industry standard you can ensure that you're not using too much power, therefore increasing the lifespan of your LED billboard.
2. How much white space is used in your advertisers' creative content?
Another factor that determines the lifespan of the LED billboard display is the creative content used by advertisers. Each individual red, green or blue LED will use different intensities of light to create 262 trillion color options. When using white backgrounds or content all three LED’s are pushed to their capacity to create a white color. By limiting “white” from most content created for the billboard you can extend the lifespan of the display and prevent it from dimming at a faster rate.
3. Where is your LED billboard located?
Outdoor LED billboards are built for extreme weather conditions. These weather conditions won't have any major impact on the lifespan of your LED billboard. However, when a billboard is outdoors, it's display is usually set brighter to account for varying light conditions. If your LED billboard is located in a place that is typically cloudy for example, this may mean that your billboard display is kept at a brighter level. This can in turn decrease it's lifespan.
Getting the longest lifespan for your digital billboard means more money in your pocket and a greater ROI. You can be proactive at extending the lifespan of your LED billboard by being mindful of these 3 factors that affect it's lifespan.
To ensure you're making the right LED billboard investment, do some research on the manufacturing company of your billboard. Visit their website, visit their social media, see their past projects, see if there have positive reviews, and even take a tour of their facility and see how they manufacture their billboards. Purchasing a digital billboard is not a mindless decision and quality does make a difference on it's longevity. Getting a quality billboard up front will ensure that you'll be able to get the most out of your LED billboard investment.
When purchasing a new outdoor LED display, you need to think beyond the initial cost of investment. Factors such as upkeep costs and your marketing strategy affect how cost-effective the purchase is. One of the most important details to consider is the expected lifespan of your outdoor LED sign.
LED technology powers durable, long-lasting signs that continue to serve your business with brilliant displays for years to come. Learn more about the expected lifespan of an outdoor LED sign—as well as what you can do to preserve your display—with this overview.
Standard Outdoor LED Lifespan
Most outdoor LED digital signage displays last an average of 100,000 hours. This translates to about 10 years of operation. However, this estimate assumes that your LED sign will be operating at full power every hour of the day.
In reality, most outdoor LED signs don’t operate with their diodes constantly at full brightness. For example, if your LED display is on overnight, you’re likely going to run it at a lower brightness level than you would during the day, which means your sign won’t always operate at full power. Using darker colors for text or images, displaying the sign at a lower brightness, and other factors can prolong the life of your display beyond that standard estimate of 100,000 hours.
How and When You Use Your Display Matters
The expected lifespan of your outdoor LED digital signage depends on the content you show and how often you display it. A sign that operates only during normal business hours will last longer than signs that remain lit 24/7. Different color options also affect the life of the diodes. For example, white light requires full power from the red, green, and blue LEDs. Darker colors, on the other hand, don’t use as much power and therefore don’t drain the diodes as quickly.
Ventilation Preserves Your Display
Heat is one of the biggest threats to outdoor LED digital signage. Manufacturers design outdoor LED signs to withstand the elements, but higher temperatures cause the diodes to degrade faster. That’s why proper ventilation systems, built-in temperature sensors, and similar components are so essential. Expert installation and proper maintenance of these temperature-controlling parts will protect your sign from extreme temperatures, ensuring its durability over the years.
At Optec Display, we select only the highest quality diodes to use in our outdoor LED signs. With premium components and superior engineering, we deliver an outdoor LED solution that will serve your specific content needs for years to come. Work with Optec today to get started on your new signage solution.