You’re certainly not the only person confused about what LED Neon lights or signs are. Unfortunately, despite several websites explaining these terminologies, only a few provide satisfactory explanations.
Thankfully, this article comprehensively examines the most commonly asked questions about LED Neon Lights, including what they are, their compositions, their differences from neon lights, and where they can be used.
Without any further ado, let’s get straight into it!
First, What are Neon Lights?
Neon lights are glass tubes containing neon gasses and sometimes a combination of other gasses, including helium, argon, and krypton.
Primarily, Neon lights come under these diverse chemical combinations to produce extremely bright lights that flicker and glow softly. Neon lights use glass tubes or bulbs to produce light, usually kept under low-pressure conditions to effectively produce lights.
What are LED Neon Lights?
LED Neon lights are bespoke neon lights that come in different variations, often preferred for their ease of installation and energy efficiency. When we say they come in diverse variations, it means they are of various sizes, types, strengths, and colors. For example, there are the LED rope lights, the LED strip lights, etc.
Depending on why you need them, there are also diverse variations in strength, types, and colors. LED Neon is excellent for durability and efficacy, mainly when used to produce signs.
How Do LED Neon Lights Work?
LED Neon lights work essentially through LEDS – LEDS are substances that conduct electric current with Indium Gallium nitride (InGaN). Ordinarily, electrons are filled in the electron holes when there’s electricity, which releases energy in terms of light.
However, InGan doesn’t have an electron hole to power the electricity charge, which is why Neon, another element, is introduced, as it contains the essential atom to carry the charge. Therefore, a LED Neon light has two different semiconductors, each with a different utility. While Neon provides the energy, LED, on the other hand, produces the light.
What are the differences between Neon Lights and LED Neon Light?
Even though we’ve explained how Neon lights and LED Neon lights are different in terms of the LED, there are still significant differences worth noting between the two. So here are a few distinctive differences between the two:
- Power Consumption
Logically, you’d want to find a specifically power-efficient lighting solution. Neon lights tend to consume significantly more power than LED Neon lights.
This is because they require considerable power to help electrons separate atoms to produce lights. Often, when there’s insufficient power, the light either doesn’t work or fluctuates disturbingly. On the other hand, LED Neon lights consume negligible energy, as they are more energy-efficient.
- Installation.
Neon lights usually contain delicate glass tubes, making them more fragile. Neon lights are also not made for outdoor purposes since they are not immune to harsh climate conditions. In most cases, neon lights take longer to install because of their glasses. In addition, the glass demands special care because the light becomes useless when the gas is broken.
Conversely, LED neon lights are different. Installation is relatively more straightforward as they are portable, allowing for easy maneuvers. Unlike Neon lights, LED Neon lights can be used for indoor and outdoor purposes, as they are immune from critical weather conditions, especially heavy downpours.
However, they are not banana peels, as you must be attentive to important details like the cut lines and tools. You also need to be careful when bending it.
- Durability.
Neon light promises a max of 30,000 hours before showing signs of frailties, while Neon LED light enjoys more long-term value, promising 100,000 hours of optimal performance.
- Light Changes.
Neon lights are non-customizable. Once manufactured, you can’t change how the lights are displayed, meaning you’ll be stuck with a sign as long as you use it. Nevertheless, Neon LED lights are customizable as you can control the colors, effect, and brightness and contextualize it into any sign you want.
LED Neon lights are also highly flexible. You can maneuver them into any design you want, flicking the signs, texts, logos, and fonts into your preferred signs. However, although you can streamline Neon light into designs, it won’t be as precise.
- Versatility.
An essential factor to consider again is versatility. Both neon lights and LED neon lights have their respective usage and application. As such, you must choose one that suits you best. However, neon lights work best for signage because of their flickering effects.
But if you prefer seamless and stable light effects, LED neon light comes in handy. Furthermore, LED Neon lights can be used in different forms and conditions, like cabinets, automotive, stores, and several others, making them easily versatile options.
- Environmental Friendliness.
In a time of climate change and associated calls for eco-friendly products, eco-friendly materials are necessary. Unfortunately, due to Neon light’s gaseous combinations, neon lights pose hazards to the environment.
Thus, you must take necessary precautions when disposing of neon lights. But on the other hand, Neon LED lights pose little or no environmental threat. This is because they have no harmful gasses and can even be recycled to reduce environmental waste. Therefore, it suffices to add that our products are made with a keen consideration for eco-friendliness.
- Maintenance
In terms of maintenance, neon lights demand more maintenance than Neon LED lights. This is because their gasses need constant replacement to ensure they work efficiently. Also, you’ll need to ensure the phosphor is in good condition while the glass requires frequent cleaning. However, LED Neon light doesn’t come with stress; as long as you clean the surface regularly suffices. LED Neon lights come with protective silicone that insulates them from harm.
Where Can LED Neon Lights Be Used?
As we noted earlier, LED Neon lights come in different variations. In terms of forms, there’s the LED rope and LED Strip. LED strips are the most common as they are highly versatile and easily customizable. LED Neon lights can be used in a variety of places. Here are a handful of places you can use a LED strip light.
- Furniture.
Using LED Neon lights on furniture makes it glow uniquely and helps amplify the little spaces therein. The glow flickers as it illuminates the crevices in little spaces. You can add various furniture pieces like sofas, tables, bed skeletons, and bookshelves.
- Screens.
Besides the undeniable aesthetics, LED Neon lights on screens help reduce the brightness emanating from the screen to reduce eye strain.
- Bathtub Rim
As well as using Neon LED lights on mirrors, you can add soft, glowing light to the rim of your bathtub to produce a relaxing ambiance.
Notably, too, you can use LED Neon light outdoors as well. LED Neon lights are considerably immune from extreme weather conditions. You can place them in railings, stair treads, decks, and under roof soffits.
How To Make LED Neon Signs
Typically, LED Neon signs comprise LED neon flex lights. They become illuminated upon receiving electric currents. LED Neon signs are preferred for their magnificence; however, they’re expensive and relatively difficult to manage. To make a LED Neon sign, you’ll need a couple of materials. They include:
- Leon Flex Lights
- Base, a base is typically where your design rests.
- Wire cutter. Wire cutters are instruments to cut LED Neon flex lights into bespoke designs.
- Conductor Wire.
- Soldering Iron,
- Adhesive
- Hand-held drill.
- A spool of thread.
Step-By-Step Process of Making a LED Neon Sign.
- First, prepare a sketch and place it on a work surface to ensure your designs come out as intended.
- Outline the sketch with a thread to help you know the requirements of LED Neon flex lights.
- Cut the exact portion of the LED Neon Flex lights you need with the estimate.
- Now, place the LED Neon flex light you’ve trimmed on the sketch to see if they correlate.
- Drill Holes and ensure it is placed at the end of the Strip.
- This is the point you’ll need your soldering iron. First, use your soldering iron to fix the edge of the wire that is exposed when you cut. Then, fix the wire together with the soldering iron. Also, try to conceal the connection by heaving the soldering wire into the base.
- Next, glue the LED Neon flex lights.
- It is time to plug and play, and you have your LED Neon sign.
Conclusion
While lightning solutions have significant growth, clarifying some essential terminologies that are likely to confuse is crucial. Tellingly, terms like Neon lights and Neon Ned lights are popular, but few people seem to grasp the fundamental concepts.
To summarize, Neon lights are glass tubes, mostly helium, krypton, and others. In contrast, Neon LED lights are substances of two semiconductors, Neon and LED, with the former providing the energy and the latter providing the light. As a result, neon lights and LED neon lights are vastly different, especially in terms of durability, versatility, power consumption, and installation.
You can make use of Neon LED light both indoors and outdoors. Lastly, Neon LED signs contain Neon flex lights and are customizable. Do you have any further questions or inquiries about LED Neon Lights? Do not hesitate to ask via the comment section – can’t wait to hear from you!
