What's the difference between LED Neon Sign and Glass Neon Sign
A clearly winner is LED neon and we will compare the two types and list details below
Winner is LED Neon sign in
Lighting Effect
LED Neon sign is built on LED technology, all the control systems that is used on LED can also be used on LED Neon. Complex system like Arduino can also be used to create much complex lighting effects than traditional glass neon. Full RGB control or even DMX control system is compatible with LED Neon. For glass neon, there is only one colour once it is made and it can’t be changed. Also glass neon can not be dimmed which is a big downside when adjustment of brightness is needed.
However some people might prefer the vintage / nostalgic look, especially in the settings of old house, the traditional glass neon is the best choice for it.
Winner is LED Neon Sign in
Healthy and Safety
LED Neon is made from silicone and LED Strip Light, it is flexible and can be bent. LED has been used as decorative lights and spots lights in interior design for a long time, it’s mature and safe for home use. Glass neon, well as you can tell from the name, one of the material is glass. It is fragile and can be easily broken and even broken into small pieces.
Most LED Neon can be powered by 12V power supply some of them can even be powered by 5V USB cable. It’s very safe and can be used at home. The transformer for glass neon sign is very high voltage and the shock from it can be lethal. It must be installed correctly by experts.
Glass neon is gas based, though most of it is inert gas, some could contain toxic elements and contain mercury. If the neon glass is accidentally broken, which does happen, the gas could leak and pose a serious health risk. Glass neon is not recommended for home use especially with children and pets.
Winner is LED Neon sign in
Running cost, product cost and durability
LED is much more energy efficient to run. It comes with minimum power requirements and draw much less current than glass neon. This lower s utility bills especially for commercial use where 24/7 lit is needed. Also LED neon sign needs basically no maintenance while glass neon might need it and must be carried out by qualified neon experts.
Prce for LED Neon is much less than glass one. As an example, the LED cocktails and dreams neon sign costs only £150 at 50cm wide but a glass one will cost £269
Lifespan of LED Neon is about 50,000 hours while it is only about 10,000 hours for glass neon.
Winner is LED Neon Sign in
Design and Manufacturing
A big advantage of LED Neon is the making of it can be machine operated by computer aided system. The shape of it can be accurate based on the computer generated design. As you can see from the video, the LED neon tube groove can be accurately carved into the acrylic backing.
Glass neon tube is totally handmade, it is bent when heated. It is very difficult to make a sign looking exactly as your logo.
The support backing for LED Neon can be clear or coloured acrylic, very portable and clean to look at. Due to the weight and fragility of glass neon, it must have something much stronger like wood or steel.