A €200 saving on modules comes back within three years in service calls and power.
Three things set an LED module's life: driver quality, heat management and moisture protection.
In cheap modules the driver fades within a year; output drops and the face goes patchy. That rarely counts as a fault, but it destroys the brand read.
The second cost is service. Hiring a platform to swap one module usually costs more than the module.
We use constant-current drivers, aluminium bodies and IP65 modules. Slightly higher up front, clearly lower over three years.
Don't compare module prices — ask what the sign costs you over five years.
