When you need an illuminated sign nowadays it pretty much comes down to a choice between neon and LED lighting systems. With some installations the customer in the street probably won’t even notice any difference, unless they happen to be a neon installer!
So, if you can’t tell the difference is there a difference? The answer of course is a resounding yes! From manufacture to running costs there are pros and cons of both LEd and Neon signs so let us compare them and see what the differences are.
Old vs New?
Neon has been around for a long time. The first neon sign was demonstrated in 1910, whilst the first LED wasn’t invented until 1962. From its use in films and association with Art Deco neon can give your sign a traditional or nostalgic feel. Signs that are obviously created using LED’s can offer a much more futuristic vibe.
Visibility
This is one of the biggest differences between the two systems and to understand it we need to dig a little deeper into how the two systems operate.
Neon is a gas which, when a high voltage electric current is passed through it, lights up. To create a neon sign a glass tube is filled with neon and wires added to allow the electricity to be provided. When the power is switched on the gas will glow. A neon light is therefore visible from all round the tube and it is only where the tube is shaded by the mounting plate that the light cannot be seen.
LEDs are small, electronic devices that emit light when an electric current is passed through them in the correct direction. Each LED is small so in order to create a sign several have to be combined together. The light emitted leaves the LED in a single direction and this limits the natural viewing angle.
As gases become less dense when cold in some cold climates neon signs may become less bright in winter or overnight. LEDs are not affected by the temperature in the same way so the light output remains constant.
A neon tube either has enough gas in it to work or it doesn’t. An LED sign can acquire missing pixels as individual LEDs fail. Due to manufacturing tolerances some LED signs can have bright spots where clusters of LEDs shine brighter than their neighbours.
Power
Both types of signs require transformers but for very different reasons. Neon needs a high voltage so requires a transformer to “step-up” the supply voltage so that it can cause the gas to glow. LED lights are electronic so require “step-down” transformers to bring the voltage to the correct range. LED signs often use much less power than their neon counterparts.
Fragility
Traditional neon tubes are made of glass and this means they can be broken fairly easily. Signs can be boxed in to protect the tubing but are still susceptible to shocks. Flexible LED tubes, of the sort that can replace neon like for like, is usually made of flexible plastic which makes it less fragile.
Maintenance
LED is often touted as being maintenance free and in a sense that is true. Once fitted there’s nothing that needs to be done to the sign to keep it working. Once it starts failing, however, the LED sign is headed for the bin whereas neon signs can be refilled ready to shine again.
And the winner is…
It really comes down to what you are looking for in a sign. LED might be the lighting of the future but there are plenty of applications where neon is the better option.