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, and not against the power state. That way a normal-mode and a reverse-mode product 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 × 143 in | 57 × 143 in | 57 × 143 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, not by colour. It moves between a tinted transparent state and a deep dark one, which makes it the product for glare and solar gain. It is not a frosted privacy state.
Working on one now? Send the dimensions and the state the panel should hold with no power and we will price the panels themselves — a quotation with the schedule, the transformer and the lead time on it. Rate cards do not survive contact with a real opening. Still deciding? Start with twenty minutes with a project specialist.
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 × 143 in | 57 × 143 in | 57 × 143 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 and not 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. What is covered once the panel is installed, and for how long, is in the warranty.
Reading these numbers
Haze is the one to look at
Light transmission stays high in both states on PDLC and PNLC, because the private state scatters light instead of blocking it. What separates a frosted panel from a clear one is haze, and that 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. In a boardroom or a consulting room, where the glass is switched in front of people, the slower direction is the one 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. Acoustic, thermal, a specific glass make-up: anything measured on a build-up is quoted against the actual panel and never published as a range. Pompano Beach, Florida; 1-866-PRIWATT (1-866-774-9288).