LED Signage Modules — Frequently Asked Questions
120+ questions covering module selection, installation, beam angles, power supply sizing, applications, and TMT product specifics. All answers verified against official TMT LEDs USA datasheets.
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Choosing LED Modules
How do I choose the right LED module for a channel letter sign?
Choose based on stroke width, letter depth, face material, and required brightness. Narrow strokes (under 1.5 inches): use TMT Tiny. Small/medium letters (2-4 inch depth): use TMT Mini 2. Large letters (4+ inch depth): use TMT Midi 4 or Midi 3. Edge-lit lightboxes: use TMT Midi Edge-lit. Always verify with a final layout.
What is the difference between face-lit and edge-lit LED modules?
Face-lit modules (Mini 2, Midi 4, Midi 3, Slim, Tiny) have a wide beam angle (160-170 degrees) and are placed inside channel letter cans facing the letter face. Edge-lit modules (Midi Edge-lit) have a narrow directional beam (15x45 degrees) and are placed at the perimeter of a lightbox or cabinet to throw light across the face from the edge.
Brightness and Lumens
How many lumens do TMT LED modules produce?
Per official datasheets: Tiny 41 Lm; Slim 83-119 Lm; Slim+ 95-136 Lm (TMT website, datasheet pending); Mini 2 107-165 Lm; Midi 3 225 Lm; Midi 4 250-300 Lm (RevA, updated values pending); Midi Edge-lit 296-435 Lm.
Which TMT module is the brightest?
The Midi Edge-lit produces the highest per-module output at 296-435 Lm, followed by the Midi 4 Game Changer at 250-300 Lm (RevA datasheet).
Do more lumens always mean a better sign?
No. Even illumination matters as much as total output. Module beam angle, spacing, letter depth, and face diffusion determine whether a sign looks bright and uniform or shows hot spots.
Why do the Midi 4 lumen values show a RevA note?
The published 250-300 Lm figures come from the RevA datasheet; updated values are pending manufacturer confirmation and the site flags this wherever the numbers appear.
Efficiency
What is the most efficient TMT LED module?
The Mini 2 Game Changer reaches up to 178 Lm/W (1.0W variant); the Midi Edge-lit reaches up to 181 Lm/W (2.4W variant). Source: official TMT LEDs USA datasheets.
What does Lm/W mean?
Lumens per watt (efficacy) measures how much light a module produces per watt of electrical power. Higher efficacy means fewer watts — and often fewer power supplies — for the same brightness.
How do efficiency ratings affect operating cost?
Higher-efficacy modules need less power for the same output, reducing energy cost and sometimes the number of power supplies. Use the ROI Calculator with your local electricity rate for a project-specific estimate.
Are efficient modules dimmer?
Not necessarily. The Mini 2's 1.0W variant delivers 165 Lm at 178 Lm/W — high output and high efficiency come from optical and circuit design, not from reducing brightness.
Power Supplies
How many modules fit on a 60W power supply?
Official per-model limits per 60W/12V Class 2 circuit: Mini 2 — 85 (0.6W), 64 (0.8W), 51 (1.0W); Midi 4 (1.7W) — 32; Midi 3 (1.5W) — 34; Midi Edge — 30 (1.7W), 21 (2.4W); Slim — 75 (0.72W), 50 (1.08W); Tiny (0.36W) — 25 per single circuit.
Should I use the 80% derating rule?
Use the official TMT per-model load limits first; the 80% derating rule (48W max on a 60W supply) is the fallback when no official limit is published, such as for the Slim+ or 24V module variants.
Do 12V and 24V modules use the same supplies?
No. Match supply voltage to the module variant voltage exactly — a 12V supply underdrives 24V modules, and a 24V supply can damage 12V modules.
What is a Class 2 circuit?
A UL classification limiting each low-voltage output circuit to 100 VA (60W at 12V via the 5A limit). Multi-circuit TMT supplies provide several independent Class 2 circuits in one enclosure.
Installation
What spacing should I use between modules?
Standard spacings from official datasheets: Tiny 2 in; Mini 2 5.9 in; Slim 8 in; Midi 4 12 in. Final spacing depends on letter depth and face diffusion — verify with a layout.
How do modules attach inside a letter can?
Most TMT modules mount with factory adhesive — the Slim uses Orafol foam adhesive — onto a clean, dry letter back. In sign cabinets, Midi family modules snap into the Midi Stick rail instead.
Can I cut module strings to length?
Module chains are wired in sections that can be separated at marked points; keep each circuit within the official per-model load limit after any changes.
Do I need an electrician?
Low-voltage Class 2 module wiring is typically installer work; line-voltage connections at the power supply must follow local electrical code, which generally means a qualified electrician.
Optics and Beam Angle
What beam angles do TMT modules have?
Face-lit modules: 160° (Mini 2, Midi 3, Slim, Slim+), 170° (Midi 4), 170°×130° (Tiny). The Midi Edge-lit uses a 15°×45° directional beam. Source: official datasheets.
Why does beam angle matter?
Wider beams spread light across more face area per module, allowing wider spacing in adequate depth; narrow directional beams (Midi Edge-lit) throw light across a face from the perimeter instead.
What is an asymmetric beam?
A beam with different horizontal and vertical spread, like the Tiny's 170°×130° — it spreads light along a narrow stroke for even coverage where a round beam would spill.
How far does the Midi Edge-lit throw light?
Up to 7 feet across a cabinet face from a perimeter mounting position, per the official datasheet.
Durability
Are TMT modules waterproof?
Yes — all 7 TMT LED signage modules carry an IP67 rating (dust-tight, protected against temporary immersion), confirmed from official datasheets.
What warranties do the modules carry?
Mini 2: 10 years; Midi 3 and Midi Edge-lit: 7 years; Midi 4, Slim, Slim+, and Tiny: 5 years. Source: official datasheets.
Can the modules be used outdoors?
Yes. IP67-rated modules are suitable for exterior channel letters, cabinets, and lightboxes when installed with appropriately rated power supplies and wiring.
Do LED modules degrade over time?
All LEDs slowly lose output over their service life; quality modules are engineered so useful output outlasts the warranty period under normal operating conditions.
Applications
Which module suits narrow stroke letters?
The Tiny LED Module — it fits strokes as narrow as 0.5 inches at 2 inch spacing, with a 170°×130° beam.
Which module suits standard channel letters?
Mini 2 for small/medium letters (2-4 inch strokes); Midi 4 or Midi 3 for large letters (4+ inch strokes).
Which module suits sign cabinets?
Face-lit cabinets: Midi 4 or Midi 3 on the Midi Stick rail. Edge-lit cabinets and lightboxes: the Midi Edge-lit — which is for cabinets and edge-lit lightboxes only, not channel letters.
Which module suits fluorescent retrofits?
The Midi 4 or Midi 3 with the Midi Stick system; match existing output using the published cabinet lumen tables.
Comparisons
Mini 2 vs Slim: which should I choose?
The Mini 2 is brighter and far more efficient (up to 178 Lm/W vs 102 Lm/W) with a 10-year warranty; the Slim is the budget option with Orafol adhesive and 8 inch spacing. Both target medium letters.
Slim vs Slim+: what changed?
The Slim+ raises output to 95-136 Lm at 119 Lm/W versus the Slim's 83-119 Lm at 102 Lm/W. Slim+ specs are from the TMT website; datasheet confirmation is pending.
Midi 4 vs Midi 3: which for large letters?
Midi 4 delivers more light per module (250-300 Lm RevA vs 225 Lm) with 12 inch spacing; Midi 3 is the economical single-variant option with a longer 7-year warranty.
Face-lit Midi 4 vs Midi Edge-lit for a cabinet?
Standard-depth cabinets: Midi 4 rows on the Midi Stick. Shallow cabinets or perimeter-only access: Midi Edge-lit, whose directional beam covers up to 7 ft from the edge.
TMT Products
Who makes the modules covered on this site?
TMT LEDs USA. All specifications on this site cite official TMT datasheets, with any pending values flagged per the Source Policy.
What is the Game Changer series?
TMT's high-efficacy module family — the Mini 2 and Midi 4 Game Changers and the Midi Game Changer Edge-lit — engineered for maximum output per watt to reduce module and supply counts.
What color temperatures are available?
The Tiny is confirmed in 3000K, 6500K, 8000K, and 10000K. For other modules, consult the official datasheet for current CCT options.
Where can I download the spec data?
A CSV of confirmed module specifications is available at /data/led-module-specs.csv, sourced from official TMT datasheets.
Technical
What voltage do TMT modules run on?
Most run on 12V DC. The Midi 4 and Midi Edge-lit are also available in 24V variants; match the power supply voltage exactly.
What is IP67?
Ingress Protection 67: dust-tight and protected against temporary water immersion (up to 1 m for 30 minutes) — the rating carried by all TMT modules and supplies.
What wattages are the modules?
Tiny 0.36W; Mini 2 0.6/0.8/1.0W; Slim 0.72/1.08W; Slim+ 0.80/1.20W; Midi 3 1.5W; Midi 4 1.7/2.0W; Midi Edge-lit 1.7/2.4W (12V) and 2.0W (24V).
Where do the specs on this site come from?
Official TMT LEDs USA datasheets, per the site Source Policy; any value that is website-sourced or pending confirmation is labeled as such on its page.
Buying Guide
How do I estimate modules for a job?
Lay out the letters or cabinet, apply the module's standard spacing, then verify supply counts with the official per-model load limits — the ROI Calculator automates this.
Should I standardize on one module?
Most shops stock a narrow-stroke module (Tiny), a letter workhorse (Mini 2), and a cabinet module (Midi 4 or Midi 3 with Midi Stick) to cover the majority of work.
What should I compare between brands?
Compare efficacy (Lm/W), official load limits, warranty length, IP rating, and datasheet transparency — not just price per module.
Where can I get help speccing a sign?
Use the ROI Calculator for counts and the Contact page to reach the LED Knowledge Center team for layout questions.
Publishing note: this page currently publishes the verified question set below (organized to match the sidebar). Remaining questions from the 120+ source set are pending export from the React component and will be appended per section.