The Significance of Quality in LED Neon Signs: What You Need to Know
Our blog is dedicated to all things neon. Today, we will be talking about the Q word. Quality. When ordering an LED neon sign, Quality is key.
Like with wine, shoes, and cosmetics, LED neons sign have unique craftsmanship that makes them stand out.
We will be breaking down the anatomy of a perfect neon sign so you can shop for it next time. We will discuss legacy glass neons, led neons, certifications, and different methods of manufacturing, as well as show you examples of LED neon signs that are different in quality.
Let’s get started. What are glass neons?
Neon is a unique gas that was used to make glass neon signs in the 1980s. This is how glass neons were given their unique red color.
The technology that made glass neons was unchanged up to today. Glass tubes make up the glass neons. Tubes are filled with neon or mercury and given their color by a gas. The transparent black color coating on the glass tubes creates spaces between the letters.
Making a glass neon can be a difficult and costly process. There are many cons to glass neons. They can’t easily be moved or installed in a new location. They are heavy and consume a lot of electricity. Additionally, they can make a lot more noise, flicker, and have a shorter electrical body life. They also pose a danger to safety.
LED Neons
PVC, a durable and flexible material, is used for LED neons. The LED light is the part that illuminates the sign’s electrical and color parts. It is safer than traditional neon tubes and uses less power. The LED ribbon is protected by a silicone sleeve that gives the neon its color.
Not all LED Neon Signs are made equally
A method of attaching cut-out letters and designs to an acrylic backboard creates LED signs of average quality. The advanced carving of the Design into acrylic boards is used by fewer LED sign manufacturing facilities. This is a better way to create high-precision signs that are durable and long-lasting.
Gluing the design to an acrylic board
The most common method used by LED neon studios is to glue the designs onto the board. The sign design is traced onto a sticker and attached to the acrylic board. The LED ribbon is protected by silicone sleeves. The lettering of the sign is cut out separately and attached to the backboard.
The pros: This is an extremely fast and affordable method
Cons It is possible for letters to be crooked or less perfect due to how they are attached.
Board Carving
The Neonsit uses board carving to produce its products. The sign design is then carved into the acrylic board. The silicone tube then covers the LED.
Pros:
These sign designs are possible to reproduce with great precision and they look absolutely beautiful
The signs are evenly lit without black areas
The signs are extremely sturdy and can be moved easily without any damage.
Cons:
None. The quality product may sometimes be more expensive than the alternatives.
LED Sign Certification
LED emitting electricity, it is important that you have the appropriate certification for your LED sign, especially if it will be used to decorate a nursery or children’s room.
The Neonist only uses LEDs that have been approved by:
RoHS – Limitation of Hazardous Substances – Directive 2002/95/EC – This directive, also known as Directive 2002/95/EC – was created in the European Union. It restricts the use of certain hazardous materials in electronic and electrical products (known as EEE).
CE – identifies conformity to health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products that are sold in the European Economic Area. If products are sold outside the EEA, they will also bear the CE mark.
After the sign has been turned on for 36 hours, it must pass a series testing according to The Neonist certification requirements. Only after passing these tests can the sign be sent to the customer.
The LED Light Quality
LED is a ribbon containing multiple LED lamps that are tightly placed next to one another. Lamps can easily burn if they are not of high quality. We observed signs that did not light up evenly right after production had ended.
Ask for the certification of LED quality to ensure your sign lights are evenly and beautiful. High-quality neon LEDs produce uniform light distribution across the sign.
Quality LED Signs – Red Lights
Let’s take an in-depth look at some LED neon signs that have been poorly made.
- The typography on this sign is not even. Instead of cutting and shaping the LED properly, it was bent. You can see that some letters are thicker than others, e.g. letters B and S.
- The sign should be made of white. The sign shown in the picture has a lot of LED lamps that have melted, giving it a “blue” appearance. Low-quality LEDs are responsible for the “blue” look. Sometimes, this is due to the incorrect use of a voltage adapter.
- A certification should accompany the LED lights
- Reputable manufacturers should make the LED lights
- The acrylic board should have the neon design carved on it
- Signs should be clearly legible and easy to read
- Neons shouldn’t have black spots, particularly not right away
- The design of neon should be easy and light.
