12V Plug-In Power Adapter for Indoor Lit Signs, UL Listed

Indoor lit signs plug into the wall through an adapter like this one. It is a desktop-style power brick with a US wall plug on one cord and a 12 V DC output cord on the other. It powers indoor channel letters, halo-lit logos, desktop letters and small lightboxes, and it is UL listed. It is also called an AC/DC adapter, a 12 V wall adapter, a power brick or a plug-in transformer.

Choose the size by the watts your sign uses:

• 24 W (2 A)
• 36 W (3 A)
• 60 W (5 A)

Pick an adapter with at least 20 percent more watts than the sign uses. An adapter that runs below its limit stays cooler and lasts longer. If the sign's label gives amps instead of watts, multiply the amps by 12 to get watts.

The output plug is a round 5.5 x 2.1 mm barrel. If your sign has a different connector, or bare wires, ask us for an adapter lead when you order. Before you plug in a sign from another maker, check that its old adapter also said 12 V DC and compare the polarity symbol on its label; send us a photo of the label if you are not sure.

The input accepts 100 to 240 V AC, so it works on any standard US outlet. It is for indoor use only: keep it dry and out of direct contact with water, and leave some air around it rather than burying it in insulation or a closed box.

You can add controls between the adapter and the sign. Our inline dimmer with a remote lowers the brightness for small rooms at night, and the Wi-Fi smart switch turns the sign on and off from a phone app or on a schedule. To switch the adapter itself on a schedule, plug it into the plug-in timer.

If an indoor sign uses more than about 50 W, one 60 W adapter no longer leaves the 20 percent margin. A larger indoor sign needs a hard-wired supply installed by an electrician, or its letters split across two adapters when the sign is wired in separate sections.

For outdoor signs, use the hard-wired outdoor power supply instead, connected by a licensed electrician.

Find the watts first. Look at the label on the sign or on its old adapter. If it lists amps, multiply by 12. Then add 20 percent and pick the next size up.

Examples: a sign that draws 1.5 A uses 18 W; plus 20 percent is about 22 W, so the 24 W adapter fits. A 2.5 A sign uses 30 W and needs the 36 W adapter. A 4 A sign uses 48 W; plus 20 percent is about 58 W, so take the 60 W adapter.

Next, check the plug. Our output is a 5.5 x 2.1 mm barrel. If your sign's socket is a different size or the sign has bare leads, ask for an adapter lead. If the sign uses more than about 50 W, or the label says anything other than 12 V DC, send us a photo before you order.