How Long Does A Neon Sign Last?

You buy neon signs for the aesthetics and beauty, but you also want the signs to last you a good time, too, right? If you are looking for a bang for your buck, you should opt for a neon LED sign.

Neon LED signs have a lifespan of 90,000 hours to 100,000 hours, which means they last at least 9 to 10 years. This is about three to five times longer lifespan than traditional neon signs. Traditional neon signs also start to dimmer with time which isn’t an issue with neon LED signs.

The rest of the article will explain topics related to this question. Questions such as: how long neon LED signs last, how bright and efficient they are, how much electricity they consume, and how eco-friendly they are.

How long does a neon LED sign last?

A neon LED sign lasts a long time, almost ten years, which is three times more than the lifespan of a traditional neon sign. And usually, it is the adapter that fails and causes a neon LED sign to stop working. But, adapters are easily replaceable.

The lifespan of neon LED sign depends on how often it’s used and how well-maintained it is. Most neon LED signs last between eight and ten years. Although, many continue to function for much longer.

As our in-depth article on the workings of neon LED sign said, “A collection of semiconductor materials forms an LED. The structure, under special conditions, can separate electrons. Electrons are divided into free electrons and bonded electrons. The reaction between these two types of electrons inside the structure produces light.”

So, since the neon LED comprises a collection of LEDs, there is less chance of power failure. Neon LED signs do not have any complex mechanisms or gears. So, the neon LED sign can last a long time without any special maintenance.

A traditional neon sign can be tricky to maintain. Leaving a neon sign switched on for prolonged periods can lower its lifespan. Even placing it in direct sunlight can cause damage over time. 

Sometimes, the surge in the electricity output can damage the gas tubes of a traditional neon sign.

This problem is not so prevalent in neon LED signs. You can place it outside and use a suitable quality adapter that will mitigate most of these problems.

Several components make up a traditional neon sign, and each can suffer damage.

• Transformer

• Glass tubes

• Wires and plug 

You may need to replace a broken tube or the transformer with a traditional neon sign after a couple of years.

How bright is a neon LED sign?

A neon LED sign is brighter than a traditional neon sign because of how the signs function and produce light.

You can check our article if you want to know how neon LED signs and traditional neon signs produce light.

But in simple terms, a neon LED sign has 210 lumens. A lumen is simply a measurement of the total quantity of visible light emitted by a thing. Meanwhile, a traditional neon sign has 197 lumens on average.

So, a neon LED sign is brighter than a traditional neon sign. But, a traditional neon sign has a warmer light that you associate with the 60s and 70s movies and bars of that time. 

Traditional neon signs have a high color rendering index, but their luminosity is low. This is especially true for neon signs with phosphor covering. The phosphor changes the color of the light but dims the brightness of the sign.

You can control the brightness of LED neon light strips through a dimmer remote. The remote also helps you to change the color, color, temperature, or hue of the lights.

How much energy does a neon LED sign consume?

Neon LED signs consume a low amount of energy and thus do not rack up a huge electricity bill!

Neon LED signs are energy-efficient and consume far less power than you might assume. Now neon LED signs to come equipped with a transformer, usually about 240v. They use as much electricity as a single domestic light bulb (60W–100W).

Traditional neon signs can only produce light at a specific energy rate. This is because of how light is produced in the neon sign. The electrons in the neon gas need a high jolt of electricity to separate and create light.

So, traditional neon lights need a slightly large amount of power to work. The power also must be seamless as any fluctuations in strength will cause the neon sign to flicker.

Neon LED signs are not dependent on a particular power supply to work. They are also a little cost-effective than traditional neon signs as they use less energy.

How eco-friendly is the neon LED sign?

Neon LED signs are eco-friendly and maintenance-free. 

Traditional neon signs are also environmentally friendly. They contain noble gases which are inert and do not react with the outside environment if leaked.

But traditional neon signs consume more power than alternatives like neon LED signs. So, traditional neon signs are less eco-friendly than neon LED signs. 

If we compare the carbon footprint between the traditional neon sign and the neon LED sign, then the neon LED sign is the clear winner.

 Neon LED signs are becoming recyclable too. The obsolete traditional neon sign is termed as toxic waste, but neon LED signs do not have any gases or mercury in them to be easily disposed of.