Resources
Power Guide
A power guide for South African illuminated signs and powered display items, with the key checks needed before wiring, fitment, and sign-off on site.
How Power Guide supports a working week
Power Guide covers the checks needed before wiring illuminated signs or other powered display items. On site, that includes confirming supply points, cable routes, and safe access before fitment begins.
Record the sign type, mounting height, and nearest power source before the job is booked. For South African sites, note timer requirements, loadshedding arrangements, weather exposure, and whether the fitting is indoors, under cover, or fully exposed. A lit fascia in Johannesburg needs different planning from a coastal lightbox in Durban or a projecting sign in Cape Town wind.
Mark the fixing position and the power point on the same brief where possible. List existing conduits, damaged cable, failed modules, or rusted brackets if they are on site. That gives the workshop and fitment team a usable reference when checking components for an illuminated unit.
Power checks before fitment
Power Guide is used to confirm how an illuminated sign or powered display item will be connected on site. It should capture supply location, switching method, cable run, access equipment, and any visible faults that may stop installation. A short, accurate record helps when the sign, lightbox, or display still needs electrical sign-off after mounting.
Link Power Guide with the relevant Shopfronts note or Mark notes entry when the job includes branding as well as lighting. Before parts leave the workshop, check the transformer details, cable length, isolator needs, and fixings against the site photos.
- Supply point and switching method recorded
- Cable route checked against sign position
Site conditions that affect lighting
Retail sites differ widely between malls, street frontages, fuel forecourts, and industrial parks. Some have dedicated sign circuits, while others rely on older feeds shared with internal lighting or till points. Note if the installation is at height, above a pavement, near tenant glazing, or in an area where centre management controls drilling and shutdowns.
Moisture and salt air matter on coastal jobs, especially where connectors, aluminium frames, and wiring sit near open shopfronts. Inland dust, heat, and repeated outages can expose weak power supplies and failed LED sections before a rebrand is complete. For that reason, the guide states whether the fault is in the existing sign, the incoming supply, or the new illuminated unit.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
What to log on Power Guide
Use the Power Guide brief with photos of the sign position, the required timing, and notes on any existing power faults, failed lighting or damaged wiring already found. Keep the subject line practical and location-based.
Keep the completed guide with the job file, site photos, and any electrical notes taken during the visit. It should show what powered item is being fitted, what checks were done before wiring, and what still needs approval or repair. That record is useful for replacement faces, follow-up maintenance, and repeat work at the same branch.