LED NEON: The Complete Buyer's Guide

So, you’ve decided to enter a world in which everything is bright and colorful (or, at least that’s how it looks from the side) – brilliant!

Before we get started, it’s a pleasure to meet you. We’re THE NEONIST, international manufacturers of LED neon signs. We’ve been working to make the world a brighter place for 6 years now, with most of our activities around markets in the US, Canada, and Hong Kong (known as the “Land of the Neons”).

In 2018, we decided to open a third studio in Tampa Florida (because there’s no place like home) and bring our expertise and the raw materials we use worldwide to the US consumer.

That said, we’ve noticed a pretty significant lack of understanding and confusion regarding what LED neon is, exactly. For this reason, we decided to do what we do best – take a deep dive into what LED neon signs are, and why they’re the best, more brilliant switch you can flip on to flip your business in 2022.

What is LED NEON?

1

LED is a relatively newly developed lighting technology that possesses many advantages over older, more traditional lighting sources. Namely, their energy consumption is lower, their lifespan is longer, they are more robust and resilient, and they’re physically smaller and safe to touch. These are just some of the reasons why LED signs have recently gained such immense popularity. They’re on their way to becoming far more popular than the glass neon lights that used to shine bright.

NEON is a red-orange inert gas that fills glass pipes and shines when coupled with high voltage electricity. This technology has enabled various-shaped letters and messages to shine bright since the 1980s.

When you combine a hollow, colored PVC pipe (instead of glass) with small LED light bulbs, the result is a nostalgic-looking neon sign. This type of product is called a LED NEON.

The Neighbor’s LED NEON
Isn’t Always Greener

2

Like with everything else in life neon LED signs come in a wide range of qualities.

Practically speaking, you can sometimes find the same neon LED design being sold by different companies, with price differences of hundreds or even thousands of dollars between them. Before you say that you claim that you obtained a cheaper quote elsewhere, here are some of the main differences behind those price differences, which you should note:

1. LIFESPAN – There are LED lightbulbs that last 1,000 hours, and there are LED lightbulbs that last 60,000 hours.
At THE NEONIST, we work with industrial-grade neon. We offer signs with a minimum lifespan of 50,000 operating hours. We do not work with low-quality materials.

2. BACKING– Professional neon LED signs are usually built on acrylic backing; cheaper signs will come with backing made from a combination of plastics, such as polycarbonate, or clear plastic.

3. WORK QUALITY– Neon signs are made by hand, which is what makes them so special. Like with all other handmade products, it can be challenging to consistently produce personalized products that are identical to one another (to the millimeter). Products that are not meticulously produced may have connections that are full of glue, crooked letters, electrical issues that inhibit the sign’s lifespan… and other problems.

4. WORK METHOD – There are currently two accepted methods for producing neon LED signs by hand:
The first: Gluing – LED pipes are directly connected to an acrylic backing with glue. This is the cheaper method, but unprofessional work can leave the design slanted and full of glue remnants.
The second: Cutting (What we use) – The acrylic is cut with a CNC machine. The LED is then inserted directly into the acrylic backing, enabling cleaner work, more uniform lighting, and better overall precision.

5. STANDARDIZATION AND SAFETY– First and foremost! There is nothing more critical than having safety permits and standards association stamps on any and every electrical appliance you bring into your home or place of work. As such, it’s critical that you make sure that both the LED and the transformer meet US standards. THE NEONIST meets stringent RoSH CE safety standards.

6. WARRANTY- No one wants to pay thousands of dollars on a product that doesn’t come with a warranty (and yet, this happens all the time in the world of signage). Every product has a lifespan, and low-quality LED light bulbs can stop working within just a few months of use. At Neonist, we provide a full warranty on all electrical parts, for 24 months.

LED Features

THE NEONIST High-Quality LED Neon

Standard LED Neon

Low-Quality LED Neon

Create Your Sign in 3 Easy Steps

3

First, Concept

Share your biggest, boldest, design dreams. We can replicate anything you like, from custom fonts and images to digital artwork and sketches.

Then, We Design

We’ll process your request, prepare a mockup, and send it to you, along with a price quote and order details – within 24 hours! Approve it or make adjustments to meet your needs.

Third, We Make It

Complete the payment so we can create your LED neon sign. Production, assembly, testing, and door-to-door delivery usually takes 14-18 days.

The Bottom Line

When you receive quotes from multiple suppliers, it’s critical to examine the fine print. This will ensure you understand the quality of materials, as well as the safety and warranty information, in addition to how much your neon LED sign will cost.
Usually, if there is a difference of 30% or 40% between the prices, it is not the same product.
LEDs are like any other electrical appliance that may malfunction, so it’s critical to ensure you have professional service, even two years after purchase
Because neon LEDs are electrical products, especially when used in the home, it’s a must to make sure the product meets the US safety standard.
If you want to learn more about custom-led neon signs visit our FAQ page or Contact Us page.
There’s nothing we can’t ⚡ neon!

LET'S CREATE YOUR SIGN

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