LED Sign Power Calculator
Calculate pixel count, power consumption, circuit requirements, and annual energy cost for LED signs.
About this calculator
This calculator estimates pixel count, power draw, and energy cost for an LED display panel from its physical dimensions, pixel pitch, and target brightness. Pixel count comes directly from geometry: the sign's width and height (converted from feet to millimeters) are each divided by the pixel pitch to get the number of pixel columns and rows, and multiplying gives total pixels — the same math that determines resolution on any LED wall. Power draw is modeled as watts per square meter that scales with brightness: it starts at a 100 W/m² floor and adds up to 500 W/m² more as brightness approaches 5,000 nits, reflecting the real relationship that brighter (typically outdoor) displays draw substantially more power than dim indoor panels — this is a simplified linear model, not a manufacturer's power table, so treat it as a planning estimate rather than a spec-sheet number for a specific product.
Circuit load converts that power draw to amps at a standard 120V circuit, which is what you'd check against breaker capacity (remember to add code-required headroom, typically 20-25%, before sizing the actual circuit). Annual energy use assumes the display runs 16 hours a day, 365 days a year, at an average 60% of peak brightness — a reasonable rule of thumb for content that isn't full-white all the time, but your actual content mix, dimming schedule, and duty cycle will shift the real number up or down.
Inputs
Results
Total Pixels
29,403
Max Power Draw
1,784 W
≈ 30 laptops
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter sign width (ft) and height (ft) and the pixel pitch (mm).
- Review total pixels, power (W), circuit amperage, and annual kWh.
- Check annual electricity cost at your local rate.
- Ensure the electrical service can support the sign's peak draw plus 25% capacity headroom.
- Outdoor LED signs typically consume 100-400W per square foot depending on brightness requirements.
How the result changes with Pixel Pitch (mm)
| Pixel Pitch (mm) | Total Pixels | Max Power Draw |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 118,341 | 1,784 W |
| 7.5 | 52,650 | 1,784 W |
| 15 | 13,122 | 1,784 W |
| 25 | 4,656 | 1,784 W |
What each input means
- Sign Width (ft)
- Overall width of the LED display panel in feet
- Sign Height (ft)
- Overall height of the LED display panel in feet
- Pixel Pitch (mm)
- Distance between LED pixel centers — smaller pitch = higher resolution (outdoor: 10-20mm, indoor: 2-6mm)
- Brightness (nits)
- Peak brightness in nits (outdoor: 5000-8000, indoor: 800-2000)
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersSign Width (ft) = 8, Sign Height (ft) = 4, Pixel Pitch (mm) = 10, Brightness (nits) = 5000 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total PixelsTotal Pixels29403 = 29403
- Calculate Max Power DrawMax Power Draw1784 = 1784
- Calculate Circuit LoadCircuit Load14.9 = 14.9
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a smaller pixel pitch increase power draw?
In this calculator, pixel pitch only affects the Total Pixels output (via width/pitch × height/pitch) and has no direct effect on the power formula, which is driven purely by sign area in square meters and brightness. In real LED walls a finer pitch does typically raise power density because more, smaller LED packages are crammed into the same area, but that relationship isn't modeled here — only pixel count reflects the pitch you enter.
Why does brightness have such a large effect on power draw?
The power model starts at a 100 W/m² floor and adds up to 500 W/m² more as brightness scales toward 5,000 nits, so going from a dim indoor panel to full outdoor brightness can roughly sextuple the estimated power per square meter. This reflects the real tradeoff that outdoor-visible brightness demands driving many more LEDs harder, not just a cosmetic setting.
How should I use the Circuit Load figure when sizing a breaker?
Circuit Load converts the calculated peak wattage to amps at a standard 120V circuit (watts ÷ 120), giving the raw current draw at full brightness. The explainer and howToUse both note this is before code-required headroom — add roughly 20-25% on top of this number before selecting an actual breaker or circuit size, since continuous loads are typically derated to 80% of breaker capacity.
Why is Annual Energy lower than Max Power Draw × 24 hours × 365 days would suggest?
Annual kWh assumes the display runs 16 hours a day (not 24) at an average 60% of peak brightness, since most installations power down overnight and rarely show full-white content that draws peak wattage continuously. That combination — 16/24 hours and 60% average brightness — is why the annual figure comes in well under the naive full-power, full-time calculation.
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