Why LED Neon Signs Have a Brighter Future Than Traditional Neon Lights

Why LED Neon Signs Have a Brighter Future Than Traditional Neon Lights
 
LED neon signs are gaining in popularity for businesses wanting their brand creatively catching eyes over traditional neon signs. Find out why companies are moving to LED Neon and how it’s a step in the right direction to a brighter future.

​What’s the Difference Between LED and Neon Signage?
 
In terms of the mechanics, LED signs and light  sources  are derived  from  a  string  of  Light  Emitting  Diodes  (LED’s)  spaced  far  enough  apart such that  the  light  sources  overlap  each  other,  giving  a  constant  glow, compared to the ‘flicker’ of neon lights. 
 
LED’s are generally wrapped  in  a protective polymer, more  lightweight  than  neon’s glass tubing  and  more  flexible. Not to mention much less fragile as well! Tradition neon signs  tend  to  be  a  little  wider  and  taller  than  their  LED  counterparts.  An  LED  sign  can  be  as  little  as  1  inch  thick, compared to the minimum of  3-5  inches  deep  of neon, where  the  glass  tubing  must  extend  away  from  its  backing. 
 
LED technology is increasingly seen as a  better,  cheaper and environmentally friendlier way  to  attract  attention for the following reasons: 
 
Lighter Electricity  Use 
Energy consumption is a key business expense, so saving money on  electricity  bills  is vital. Our Custom neon signs  use  about  15x  less  electricity  than traditional  neon  signs.  Size of signage is measured in terms of tubes straightened.  One foot of old neon signage typically uses  about  20  watts  per  hour  of  electricity.  The same length and thickness of  LED  light as a  neon  tube,  would  use  only  1.2  watts  of  electricity  per  hour, however.  What’s more, our neon signs are cheaper than traditional neon, are will save you money over the duration of its lifetime, so you’re saving money as soon as you opt for the newer version of our custom neon signs.
 
Versatility 
Traditional neon signs are fixed in terms of their functionality, remaining fixed on or off without any opportunity to customise the visual experience. LED neon signs offer a lot more creative versatility, being a collection  of  thousands  of  tiny  single  lights, each being  programmable  independently  to  be  ‘active’. LED  lights  can  change  colour, as well as fade or flash. Variety in the  size  of LED  bulbs  also allows for more creative designs , regardless of the space being illuminated. Contrast this with tubes that are  difficult  to  bend  into  intricate  shapes and simple blink on and off capability and it’s easy to see what will turn more heads.   
 
Brightness 
While on the subject of aesthetics, it’s useful to know that LED  signs  provide  consistent  brightness,  making  them  easy  to  see  either up  close  or from  a  distance.  Neon signs can be difficult to  see  at a distance with detail, especially  at  night, when signage looks bleary.  LED neon lights can be easily  dimmed to your personal requirements, for day or night-time display, making for greater energy consumption control. Our personalised neon lights  are  more  energy  efficient whilst also being brighter. Configurable brightness makes for flexibility of display.  

​Branding Matches
The  range  of  colours  available  for  LED  signs  is  almost  limitless.  Expressing brand  image more closely is easier because of this, maintaining brand integrity. Our array of other custom neon signage options means that there will always be something NeonExperts can do for your brand to liven your work or leisure space up!
 
Low-Maintenance
Individual, sturdy bulbs make it easy  to  maintain  LED  signs, without having to handle components that are hot  to  touch. Cleaning  LED  signs, on or off,  simply requires  a  damp  cloth.  Neon  signs  need to be  off  and  allowed  to  cool  before  cleaning. This means that you’ll have one less thig to worry about, and can be exposed to people due to its safety and sturdiness even if it falls.
 
LED  signs  are  also  virtually  maintenance  free.  Neon  signs  eventually  lose  all  of  their  neon  gas inside  the  glass  tubes,  which  has  to   be replaced by a  professional  neon  sign  manufacturer  or  by  buying  new  signage.  Although this  takes  10  years  or  more,  during the meantime, your old  signs  become  dimmer  over  time.  LED bulbs  retain  their  brightness  over their longer  life  and are  also  far  less  sensitive  to  weather  events so you can use your personalised neon sign outdoors without worry of water damage, as well as being easily replaceable. 
 
Longevity 
LED  signs, on average have a 100,000+ hour (11 year) lifespan is they are consistently brightly lit, before needing  replacement, compared to the  average  lifespan  of  a  neon  sign  of  30,000  hours, during which time, their strength fades considerably. Traditional neon  signs  use  fragile  glass  tubing,  whereas LED  bulbs  are  robust  to  the  touch. LED neon signs are also waterproof and  less  prone  to  weather  damage, potentially saving more where you are subject to extremes. 
 
We often see a partially ‘burnt out’ sign, making a business look a little tired and shabby.  With LED  bulbs, it’s easy to replace, so it doesn’t  undermine the quality of your business or the space you are using it for. LED neon signs do not  require  immediate  replacement to preserve impact, whereas  neon  failures  must  be  replaced  immediately. 
 
Safety 
Custom made LED neon signs  generate  little  heat  and  are  safe  to  touch, unlike neon  signs  that become  extremely  hot  when  on. Neon  risk  potential  shock  hazards and furthermore, LED bulbs  are  durable, so  if  the  sign  gets broken,  broken  glass  doesn’t  become  a hazard, unlike the delicate glass tubing of traditional neon signs. 
 
Installation Speed and Cost: Because  of  LED’s flexibility and lighter weight,  installation  of  LED  signs  is easier and  faster  than  their  outdated counterpart  to install. While LED the equipment itself comes at a higher up-front cost, this is mitigated by labour and longevity savings.  The components of old neon signs make them bulkier and riskier to transport and more time-consuming to install, which add to costs.
Improvements  in  technology  have  brought  down  the  price  of  LED’s  and  now  the  majority  of  contemporary signage is LED. 
 
Energy Savings
LED's  can  save  you  up  to  70%  or  more  in  energy  costs;  traditional  neon signs  run  hotter  and  demand  more  energy.  Glass  neon  uses  15,000  volts, compared to LED  lighting  using  only  24  volts. LED  is  also  low  voltage  (12 v)  as  opposed  to  high  voltage  neon  (120v) i.e.  LED signs  use  1/20th  the  electricity  of  neon ones. 
 
Eco-friendliness 
Due  to  their  low  energy  consumption  and  longevity , LED  signs  are  the  eco-friendlier  option for lit signage.  Increasingly,  LED  bulbs  are becoming recyclable too.  Obsolete neon signage is classed as toxic waste, however.  LED have  no  gases,  glass  tubes,  argon  or mercury  problems . 
 
Summary 
LED neon signs are the future  for businesses seeking to cut costs on  eye-catching , creative  signage.   Cutting advertising costs does not mean compromising on versatility and visibility.    When  you  compare the features and benefits of LED and neon signs outlined here, the short and long-term benefits of LED shine through. The clarity and creativity of a professionally designed LED  sign is highly appealing, leaving a sharper impact in the mind’s eye. LED signs are an excellent  and proven tool for footfall based  advertising. 
 
Want to know more about how LED signs can brighten your brand? Contact Neon Experts with your questions and ideas to get your own sign, whatever that may be!