Specifications
Every measured value, for all six products
Optical, electrical and physical data for PriWatt switchable film and laminated glass. Figures are stated against the optical state — clear or private — rather than against the power state, so that normal-mode and reverse-mode products can be read in the same row.
Self-adhesive film
| PDLC film | PNLC film (reverse) | DLC film | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State with no power | Private | Clear | Private |
| Light transmission, clear | 90% | 90% | 36% at 18 · 28% at 1:15 |
| Light transmission, private | 83% | 88% | 4.5% at 18 · 1.5% at 1:15 |
| Haze, clear state | 2.4% | 3% | 2.4% at 18 · 3% at 1:15 |
| Haze, private state | 95% | 94% | 97% |
| Viewing angle | 140° | 160° | — |
| Switching to clear | < 10 ms | < 150 ms | < 150 ms |
| Switching to private | < 200 ms | < 5 ms | < 5 ms |
| Working voltage | 48 – 65 VAC | 24 – 80 VAC | 60 – 65 VAC |
| Power consumption | < 0.5 W/sq ft | < 0.5 W/sq ft | < 0.5 W/sq ft |
| Functional thickness | 482 μm | 380 μm | 482 μm |
| Maximum panel | 72 × 165 in | 57 × 165 in | 57 × 165 in |
| Operating temperature | -20 to 60 °C | -20 to 60 °C | -20 to 60 °C |
| Switching cycles | > 800,000 | > 600,000 | > 600,000 |
| Colours | White, light grey, dark grey, black | White | Contrast 18 or 1:15 |
PDLC film is made in four shades, and the light transmission above is for the white. Light grey transmits 60% clear and 51% private; dark grey 45% and 34%; black 14% and 11%. Haze in the private state rises to 99% on all three of the darker shades.
DLC is specified by contrast ratio rather than by colour. It moves between a tinted transparent state and a deep dark one, so it is the product for glare and solar gain rather than for a frosted privacy state.
Laminated switchable glass
| PDLC glass | PNLC glass (reverse) | DLC glass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State with no power | Private | Clear | Private |
| Light transmission, clear | 88 – 91% | 91% | 36% at 18 · 28% at 1:15 |
| Light transmission, private | — | — | 4.5% at 18 · 1.5% at 1:15 |
| Parallel light transmission | 80% clear · 7% private | 80% clear · 7% private | — |
| Working voltage | 60 VAC, 50/60 Hz | 60 – 80 VAC, 50/60 Hz | 60 VAC, 50/60 Hz |
| Power consumption | < 0.5 W/sq ft | < 0.5 W/sq ft | < 0.5 W/sq ft |
| Overall thickness | 3/8 · 1/2 · 9/16 in | 3/8 · 1/2 · 9/16 in | 3/8 · 1/2 · 9/16 in |
| Weight | ~5 lb/sq ft | ~5 lb/sq ft | ~5 lb/sq ft |
| Maximum panel | 70 × 165 in | 57 × 165 in | 57 × 165 in |
| Operating temperature | -10 to 60 °C | -10 to 60 °C | -10 to 60 °C |
| Acoustic | STC ~37 | STC ~37 | STC ~37 |
| Glass | Low iron, heat-treated or fully tempered | Low iron, heat-treated or fully tempered | Low iron, heat-treated or fully tempered |
All three laminate to the same glass specification and can be combined with coloured interlayers or tinted glass. The acoustic figure is a property of the whole build-up rather than of the liquid crystal, so it is quoted per make-up — a switchable partition at a Toronto investment office was specified at Rw 35–36 dB.
What has been tested, and to what
| Standard | What it evaluates |
|---|---|
| UL file E514182 | The electrical system, evaluated by UL Solutions |
| SGCC 9894 | Safety glazing certification for the laminated products |
| ASTM E662 | Smoke density — met NFPA 130-17, both flaming and non-flaming |
| ASTM E1354 | Heat release 52.29 kW/m² against a 100 limit; smoke 483.18 m²/kg against 500 |
| Bombardier SMP 800-C | Toxic gas generation — HCN, HCl, HF, HBr, NOx and SO₂ not detected |
| ASTM E90 — STC 37, OITC 33 | Airborne sound transmission, measured at Riverbank on a 1/2 in laminated specimen |
| CSI MasterFormat 08 88 00 | The three-part architectural specification |
| US 11,686,966 B2 · CA 3,212,838 | The patented busbar anchoring system |
The three fire reports are set out in full — with what they do and do not mean — on fire, smoke and toxicity performance. Every certificate and test report above is available as a document, along with four CAD details as PDF and editable DXF. Request them on the specification page or from patents and certifications — the files are sent to the address you give.
Reading these numbers
Haze is the one to look at
Light transmission stays high in both states on PDLC and PNLC — the private state scatters light rather than blocking it. Haze is what separates a frosted panel from a clear one, and it is why a low clear-state haze is worth paying for.
Switching is not symmetrical
Every product moves faster in one direction than the other. Where the glass is switched in front of people — a boardroom, a consulting room — it is the slower direction that gets noticed.
Cycle life is per product
From over 600,000 switching cycles to over 800,000 depending on construction. At twenty switches a working day, 600,000 is well past the life of the fit-out.
The panel is a system
Voltage above is what the panel runs at, from an isolation transformer sized to the circuit. The transformer supply is a mains connection by others.
A figure that is not here
Ask. Anything measured on a build-up — acoustic, thermal, a specific glass make-up — is quoted against the actual panel rather than published as a range. Pompano Beach, Florida; (833) 333-8556.