_2.png "Shadows ReadyTheme")
Entrance or monument sign
- 1 fixture
- 1,000 lumens or more
- Mount it centered on the face
My Cart: 0 item(s)
Solar Sign Lighting, Sized to the Sign
Light an entrance sign, a site sign or a full billboard where there is no power to run. Measure the face, pick a brightness, and count the fixtures. Each one carries its own panel and battery and runs dusk to dawn.
No power runPanel, battery and LED head in one fixture
500 to 3,500 lmPer fixture, from small signs to bulletins
Dusk to dawnSwitches itself on and off, no timer to set
Start with the size of the sign
Counts assume a 10 foot-candle face, a middle-of-the-road target: a sign on a dark rural road needs less, one on a lit commercial strip more. The rule: face area × foot-candles ÷ half of one fixture's lumens.
Site or directional sign
- 2 fixtures
- 2,000 lumens each
- Spaced evenly across the width
Billboard bulletin
- 4 fixtures at 3,500 lumens
- Or 7 at 2,000 lumens
- A row across the full 48 ft
Fixtures by the area they light
"Lights at 10 fc" is the face area one fixture covers at that level. Prices as of September 2026.
1600LM Solar Sign Light
- Lumens
- About 1,600
- Lights at 10 fc
- 80 sq ft
- Suits
- Up to 6 x 12 ft
$309.99Shop now
2000LM Solar Billboard Light
- Lumens
- Up to 2,000
- Lights at 10 fc
- 100 sq ft
- Suits
- 8 x 16 ft, in pairs
$379.99Shop now
20W Solar Billboard Uplight
- Lumens
- 2,000
- Lights at 10 fc
- 100 sq ft
- Night
- 100% 4 h, then 25%
$449.99Shop now
100W Solar Billboard Uplight
- Lumens
- 3,500
- Lights at 10 fc
- 175 sq ft
- Night
- 100% 4 h, then 25%
$619.99Shop now
Planning estimates (lumens × 0.5 ÷ foot-candles), rounded up; spread fixtures evenly so the face does not show bright and dark bands. Three more models are on the billboard lights page.
How long solar sign lights stay on each night
A sign needs no light by day, so "24/7" really means every night until dawn. Solar sign lights switch on at dusk and off at sunrise by themselves. Several dim later in the night to save the battery: the 20W and 100W uplights run at full output for 4 hours, then 25% until dawn.
If the face must stay at full brightness past midnight, add fixtures or choose a bigger panel and battery. And size for December, when nights are longest and sun is shortest, not for June.
Mounting, by the numbers
Most billboards are front-lit, with fixtures above the face aimed down or below it aimed up.
14 x 48 ftThe standard bulletin face, 672 sq ft to light
4 to 6 ftHow far a billboard fixture typically sits out from the face, 1 to 3 ft above or below it
SouthWhich way the panel faces in the U.S., clear of shade from trees, buildings and the sign itself
Source: Outdoor Advertising Association of America, Outdoor Lighting and Dark Skies issue brief.
Questions we get
How many solar lights does a billboard need?
Multiply the face area by the target foot-candles and divide by half of one fixture's lumens. A 14 x 48 ft bulletin at 10 foot-candles needs about 6,720 lumens on the face: four 3,500-lumen uplights or seven 2,000-lumen fixtures.
Can a solar sign light run 24/7?
It runs every night, dusk to dawn, which is what a sign needs. Many models dim partway through the night to stretch the battery. For full brightness later into the night, add fixtures, choose a larger panel and battery, or use grid power.
Should sign lights mount above or below the face?
Both are used. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America lists bottom mounting as easier to service from the catwalk, less likely to cause glare and free of daytime shadows, while top mounting may reduce sky glow.
Do solar sign lights work in winter?
Yes, but winter is the limiting case, with the longest nights and the lowest sun. Keep the panel clear of shade and snow, face it south, and size the system for December.
How much do solar sign lights cost?
From $179.99 for a 500-lumen light to $619.99 for the 3,500-lumen 100W uplight, as of September 2026. A 4 x 8 ft entrance sign usually needs one; a full bulletin needs four to seven.
Send the face size, we will count the fixtures
Tell us the sign's width and height, where it stands, and how late it needs to stay bright. We will come back with a fixture, a count and where to mount them.