What is the difference between a Neon sign and a LED sign?
March 2, 2009 by Retail Display Ideas
Filed under More Display Answers
Can you answer laurel’s question about Displays?:
I plan on placing a sign on the window. The Sun shines a lot on the window. What would be better to get? What is the difference? Please help. Thank you.
So would you go with
A. http://www.101signwholesale.com/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=19
I plan on placing a sign on the window. The Sun shines a lot on the window. What would be better to get? What is the difference? Please help. Thank you.
So would you go with
A. http://www.101signwholesale.com/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=19
or
B. http://www.jantecneon.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?
or C. http://www.101signwholesale.com/product_info.php?products_id=1689
Custom Trade Show Exhibit Design
You will also want to make sure the LED Signs are bright enough. You can tell this by checking the NIT rating for the LED Signs. Because you plan to use the sign in a window with direct sunlight, the brightness of the LEDs (or Neon) will have to compete with the sun for visibility. As I understand it, the sun has an average luminance of approximately 5,000 NITs. You will need to make sure your sign is at least that bright if you want it to be seen on sunny days.
Displays Feedback: Check these out!!!
Good Luck!
Displays Feedback: As far as visibility goes both are highly visible.
Neon has a nostalgia about it so if your business is also nostalgic I suggest neon.
Neon is more expensive and requires proper maintenance when it goes bad. LED signs would probably be recycled if they went bad after the warranty unless you can purchase a maintenance agreement.
Neon is a gas lamp which requires a high voltage ballast to light. The ballast is similar to the ones used in Flourescent lighting. The ballast will require service and the neon tube itself might need service from time to time if it gets cracked. This requires someone who knows how to work on this kind of sign.
LED signs use what are called Light Emitting Diodes. Light Emitting Diodes have a very long life compared to other kinds of lamps. The best way to protect an LED display is to keep the lettering moving or flash the display periodically (don’t just leave it lit steadily unless you don’t wish to change the message on it). LED displays do have one drawback their electronics are more likely to be damaged by power spikes than the neon circuits would. So the LED display should be used with an appropriate surge protector or in a building with surge protection built into the breaker box.
For the LED display make sure there is a high brightness to it and good contrast. In other words, brightly lit LEDs on a pitch black colored background. Red and Orange colored LEDS or changing colors such as red, yellow and green would probably get the most attention.