AREAS: It is important to decide on how many areas of independent control, turning the film on and off, that you want to have. This could be all the windows on one wall, separate windows on one wall, or several windows on different walls. Each area to be controlled needs a minimum of one transformer to power the film in that area.
TRANSFORMERS: A transformer is needed to power the film, this drops the voltage from 110-120VAC (what the normal voltage is in a house or business) to 50-60VAC (the happy place for PDLC film to operate). While some other companies claim that PDLC film will operate at 110-120VAC, it has been our experience that the film will not last for any significant length of time at this voltage and sometimes will die in as little as a few weeks. We only offer and sell film that is powered by our transformers that operate in the 50-60VAC range. The rule of thumb is one 100watt transformer for every 100 square feet.
MEASURING PANES OF GLASS: Each viewable piece of glass in a window or area that film is to be applied to needs to be measured within a 1/16 of an inch, “about 36 inches” is not an acceptable means of measurement for ordering film. Keep in mind that a “window” may have more than one pane of glass. We recommend measuring left to right at the top, middle, and bottom and top down at the left side, middle, and right side of each pane of glass. The shortest horizontal and vertical measurements are what should be used for the film dimensions, this accounts for any bowing in the framing of the glass. The film will be cut using these measurements with an additional ¼ inch of material taken off leaving a 1/16 of an inch gap between the film and the glass framing. It should be noted that while it is possible to cut or trim the film, it is not as easy as just running a razor blade on the film to cut it. PDLC film is much thicker film than regular frosted or tinted window film.
MOVING WINDOWS AND DOORS: It is possible to install PDLC film on moving windows and doors, and measurements should be made in the same manner as stationary windows. Please contact us for help with solutions for applying film to moving components.
CONTROLING THE FILM: Control of the film can be done in many ways. All that is needed is a way to turn power on and off to the transformer. A basic light switch that turns an outlet on and off that the transformer plugs into will work, a remote control that turns the outlet on and off will work, a Wi-Fi switch or outlet that can be controlled by and app will work, the possibilities are endless. Due to there being so many control options available we do not offer switches for sale but please contact us if needed and we will be happy to help guide you in deciding how to control your film.
DIMMING THE FILM: While it is possible to “dim” the film, we do not recommend doing so. We have found that most people do not like how the partially opaque film looks and find no use for it. Remember, PDLC film is not the same as standard window tint, where you could vary the darkness of the tint. PDLC film is designed for privacy and having it partially “frosted” does not provide much benefit. However, if dimming the film is a desired must have option, please contact us and a power supply with a dimmer control can be special ordered. The dimming power supply offers a controlled variable voltage output that replaces a transformer for the area to be controlled. It should be noted that a regular analog or digital dimmer switch that would control lighting will not properly control the PDLC film. Secondly, repeatedly dimming the film can shorten the life span of the film and if a dimmer is used to power it, warranty for the film will be cut in half.
