Installation requirements differ from one country to another please check your local regulations!
Julia
So you want a bit of technical advise
Be warned although this advice is free it is not exhaustive so always check your local planning laws and any special electrical requirements by your local authority and the fire officer. I accepts NO responsibility for any inaccuracies or missinterpretation of the information on this web site.
We would always recommend the installation of any illuminated sign be undertaken by a compitent qualified person. The exception to this is the simple hang and plug in style signage.
Do you need Planning Permission?
You may not, but, you are likely to require planning permission and in some cases building control aproval for Sign installations (illuminated or NOT). There is a chance though you don''t (simple replacement for example).
Always check with your Local planning office and building control office.
A basic guide is planning is not required for indoor illuminated signs of a portable nature (see below), as long as they are a minimum of 1m from a window. (This applies to all methods of illumination.)
This is a link to the "guide" provided by the Governmant about outside advertising. It has a wealth of information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11499/326679.pdf
the "advertiser" can be anyone wishing to attract atension with something.
Fireman switch
The following is the I.E.E. Wiring regulations for the use of fireman switches in Hign Voltage (1kV and above) installations:
A fireman’s emergency switch shall be provided in the low voltage circuit supplying:
( i ) exterior electrical installations operating at a voltage exceeding low voltage (1000V) and
( ii ) Interior discharge lighting installations operating at a voltage exceeding low voltage (1000V).
For the purpose of this regulation, an installation in a covered market, arcade or shopping mall is considered an exterior installation. A temporary installation in a permanent building used for exhibitions is considered not to be an exterior installation.
This requirement does not apply to a portable discharge lighting luminaire or to a sign of a rating not exceeding 100 Watts and fed from a readily accessible socket outlet
portable means below 18Kg and easily moved (hooked on chains is OK in our experience)
POWER
The maximum permissible voltage in the UK for a high voltage sign is 10000V
yes 10KV (two lines of 5000V)
Low voltage is actually below 1000V yes Low voltage is that high!!
So mains 240V is actually technically Low voltage.
A word on Mercury too by BSGA:
http://www.bsga.co.uk/industry-news/carry-neon/
and here is a note from the European comission on Mercury in Lamps:
http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/mercury-in-cfl/en/mercury-cfl/
Quote: "It is very unlikely that the use and disposal of compact fluorescent lamps poses any risk to the environment."
The IP (Ingress Protection) rating is based on the effects of dust (solids) and liquids (water) also impact but this is rarely applied and if pressent is a 3rd figure in the rating:
