Product Description
The Allanson ACLW-RGB3 40 is a 12V color-changing RGB module built on a PLCC-6 tricolor emitter in a low-profile one-piece molded housing. The whole run changes color together — this is the standard color-changing module, not an addressable one — and at 0.75" wide it fits letter strokes that wider modules simply will not.
It is the module used in Allanson's ColorMix RGB3 bundle kits, which makes it the part to order when you are extending or servicing an existing RGB3 sign.
The narrowest module in the ColorMix line
At 0.75" wide and 0.31" thick, this is the module for tight returns. The addressable modules run 1.57" and 1.9" across; if a letter stroke will not take those, this one usually will. On a script or thin-stroke letter set, that is often the whole decision.
It is also more efficient than the addressable modules — 36.2 lm/W and 26 lumens per module, against 29.2 lm/W and 21 lumens for the addressable ACLW-RGB AD2 at the same 0.72W draw. If the job does not need chase or animation effects, you get more light per watt here and the customer gets a simpler system.
Specifications
| Part number | ACLW-RGB3 40 |
| LED type | PLCC-6 SMD tricolor emitter |
| LED colors | Red, green, blue |
| Control | Standard color changing — not individually addressable |
| Input voltage | 12V DC constant voltage |
| Power consumption | 0.72W per module |
| Beam angle | 110° |
| Modules per foot | 2.5 |
| Operating temperature | -30°C to 60°C (-22°F to 140°F) |
| Protection rating | IP65 |
| Estimated lifespan | 50,000 hours |
| Module dimensions | 2.91" x 0.75" x 0.31" (2.49" body, 2.91" across mounting tabs) |
| Mounting hole | 0.12" diameter |
| Housing | One-piece mold, encased LED |
| Wiring | White +, red R, green G, blue B |
| Listings | cULus |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Packaging | 40 modules per bag — about 16 ft of coverage |
Light output
| Channel | Wavelength | Efficacy | Lumens per module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | 620–625nm | 30.9 lm/W | 7.0 lm |
| Green | 520–530nm | 63.5 lm/W | 15.0 lm |
| Blue | 460–470nm | 15.5 lm/W | 4.0 lm |
| RGB combined | — | 36.2 lm/W | 26.0 lm |
Green carries most of the output and blue the least — normal for RGB emitters, but worth knowing when a customer's brand color leans heavily blue. At 4.0 lm on the blue channel, a sign that has to hold a saturated blue at full brightness wants tighter spacing than the standard layout. Ask us before you quote that job.
Light coverage
| Distance from module | Illuminance | Coverage diameter |
|---|---|---|
| 39.37" (1m) | 48.47 lx | 111.44" |
| 78.74" (2m) | 12.12 lx | 222.87" |
| 118.11" (3m) | 5.39 lx | 334.31" |
Useful for cabinet work where you need to know how far apart rows can sit before banding shows through the face.
Choosing between the ColorMix 12V modules
| ACLW-RGB3 40 (this module) | ACLW-RGB AD2 | L307W3RGB12A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effect | Whole run one color | Addressable — chase, animation | Addressable — chase, animation |
| Width | 0.75" | 1.57" | 1" diameter |
| Lumens per module | 26.0 lm | 21 lm | 30.5 lm |
| Efficacy | 36.2 lm/W | 29.2 lm/W | 46.9 lm/W |
| Beam angle | 110° | 110° | 165° |
| Ingress rating | IP65 | IP67 | IP67 |
Note the ingress rating. At IP65 this module is rated against water jets but not the temporary immersion the IP67 modules handle. For a sealed cabinet or a well-drained letter that is not an issue. For an exposed installation, a low-mounted sign that sees sprinkler spray, or anywhere standing water could sit against a module, step up to an IP67 module. Call us if you are unsure which side of that line the job falls on.
Power supply sizing
Allanson rates 80 modules per 60W output. Every supply in the family accepts 120–277V input, so one part covers residential-voltage retrofits and 277V commercial panels alike.
| Power supply | Output | Max modules |
|---|---|---|
| ACVN125-120-277V | 60W | 80 |
| ACV125-120-277V | 60W | 80 |
| ACV2125-120-277V | 120W (60 + 60) | 80 + 80 |
| ACV3125-120-277V | 180W (60 + 60 + 60) | 80 + 80 + 80 |
| CVW125-120-277V | 60W — IP68 | 80 |
| CVW2125-120-277V | 120W (60 + 60) — IP68 | 80 + 80 |
| CVW3125-120-277V | 180W (60 + 60 + 60) — IP68 | 80 + 80 + 80 |
Design below the maximum. 80 modules at 0.72W is 57.6W against a 60W output — 96% of rating, with nothing left over. Allanson's guidance elsewhere in the ColorMix line is to design supplies to 80% loading, which works out to about 66 modules per output here. Inside a Phoenix sign cabinet that hits 140°F in July, that margin is the difference between a supply that lasts and a return trip.
The CVW series is IP68 rated — use those when the supply cannot be housed somewhere dry. The standard ACV supplies belong inside the cabinet or a raceway.
Installation
Adhesive mounting
- Clean the surface first — it must be dust-free for the tape to hold.
- Peel the double-sided tape and press the module to the board.
- Use an adhesive with good thermal conductivity. Heat moving out through the mounting surface is part of how these modules reach 50,000 hours.
- Keep adhesive off the LED lens — it costs you light directly.
Screw mounting
- Run the screw through the 0.12" mounting hole into the board.
- Do not over-torque. The molded housing will damage before the screw strips.
- Use correctly sized screws for the hole.
- Waterproof the installation holes. A screw through the mounting tab is a path past the seal — particularly worth doing on this module given its IP65 rating.
Where it fits
- Narrow-stroke channel letters and script letter sets where wider modules will not fit
- Brand-color signs that hold one color and swap it seasonally, with no need for animation
- Service and expansion of existing RGB3 installations — the matching module for signs already running RGB3 40
- Cabinet and border applications where the low profile helps
- Permitted commercial work — the cULus listing is on the module itself
Controllers and programming
These modules run on Allanson controllers including the ACL-MC-MP-V1 and ACL-WIFI-106. Which one suits depends on module count, whether the customer needs scheduling, and whether the sign ties into a larger system — tell us the job and we will match it. Allanson also builds custom sequences from your artwork; send us the vector files with the order and we will start that process.
Frequently asked questions
40 modules at 2.5 per foot is about 16 feet.
No. Every module on the circuit shows the same color at the same time. For chases, waves and animation you need an addressable module — the ACLW-RGB AD2 or L307W3RGB12A.
No. They wire differently and use different controllers. Both can appear on the same sign on separate circuits, but not on the same run.
Allanson rates 80 per 60W output. We recommend designing nearer 66 to leave thermal headroom — the cost difference is small and the failure mode is a service call.
No. Every supply in this family runs on 120–277V input.
It is rated IP65 — protected against water jets, but not immersion. That covers most cabinet and channel letter work. If modules could sit in standing water or take direct prolonged spray, use an IP67-rated module instead.
Ordering
Sold in bags of 40 modules. Send us the letter drawing with stroke widths and depths and we will spec the module, the supply and the controller together — narrow strokes are exactly where this module earns its place. Email Sales@kgsupplies.com or call (602) 272-8655. KG Supplies delivers overnight throughout Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, and ships nationwide via UPS.
