—How Do They Compare?
VASTEN Light® signs use LED neon technology. This looks almost identical to traditional neon but offers greater flexibility in customization.
LED neon is also more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and capable of features that traditional neon lacks—it can change colors, dim, or create a strobe effect, for example.
On this page, we examine how the two compare, focusing on:
- Materials and components
- Technology
- Running costs
- Safety and environmental impact
- Flexibility of design
- Placement
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Materials and Components
Neon is a chemical element discovered in London by Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers in 1898, and was explored to be as neon lights in France by Mr. Georges Claude in 1910. The traditional neon lights shines a bright light when the electricity is passed through it in the glass tube. It is complicated to make the traditional neon light since it needs to heat the glass tube to bend the shapes, insert the neon or other inert gas, etc.
What Are Traditional Neon Signs Made Of?
A neon sign consists of the following main components:
-
Tubes
Made of soft lead glass (crystal), these are heated, bent, and twisted by hand, then cooled and fused together. They are later filled with various gases to create different colors. -
Electrodes
Pure-iron electrodes surrounded by a glass jacket are welded to both ends of the tube and wired to a transformer using high-voltage cables. -
Transformer
This electrical device transfers voltage from the mains to the electrodes, causing the neon gas inside the fluorescent tubes to glow through electromagnetic induction. -
Backing Panel/Framework
Once crafted into a final design, the glass tubes are mounted to a backing panel or supported by a framework. Small signs usually have a steel framework, while larger displays use wood, steel, or aluminum.
What Are LED Neon Signs Made Of?
LED neon (faux-neon) signs like VASTEN Light® do not use glass or neon gas. Instead, they are made from acrylic—a thermoplastic known as Altuglas or Perspex—which is lightweight, shatter-resistant, and effective at transmitting light.
A typical LED neon sign has the following components:
-
Tubes
Cut from a solid block of opal acrylic, rounded and sanded, these hollow tubes house the LEDs. -
Edges
Acrylic tubes are finished with blockout paint or vinyl edging to achieve the final design. -
LEDs
LEDs (light-emitting diodes) function as semiconductors and are typically made from aluminum-gallium-arsenide. They are embedded close together inside the acrylic tube and wired for illumination. -
Backing Panel
If required by the design, tubes are mounted to a backing panel made of materials such as polycarbonate, acrylic, or steel.
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Technology
How Do Traditional Neon Signs Work?
Neon signs emit light through a chemical reaction between the gas inside the glass tube and electricity supplied via metal electrodes. When high-voltage electricity is passed through the gas, the neon tubing glows.
How Does LED Neon Work?
Unlike neon, which relies on gas and electricity, LED neon functions through the passage of electrons across a semiconductor, typically aluminum-gallium-arsenide.
To ensure consistent lighting, LEDs must be positioned correctly inside the tubes. Overcrowding LEDs in one space increases power consumption and may cause hot spots (creating a dotted lighting effect). Too few LEDs, spaced incorrectly, result in black spots.
Proper positioning allows LEDs to emit a steady light similar to the glow of neon gas.
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Running Costs
One key advantage of LED neon is its cost-effectiveness. Running on significantly lower voltage than traditional neon, LED neon is approximately 20% cheaper to operate, particularly for large-scale signs and outdoor installations.
Additionally, LED neon signs require minimal maintenance, reducing expenses on repairs or replacements. Although neon signs tend to have a longer lifespan, they are more likely to require servicing by a professional, leading to additional costs.
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Safety and Environmental Impact
Safety
LED neon does not require toxic gases or mercury. In contrast, traditional neon signs contain small amounts of mercury, which are necessary to produce specific colors. Due to growing concerns, regulations may soon ban mercury use in signage.
While neon gas is generally safe, a broken glass tube could release gas into the air, potentially posing health risks.
Environmental Impact
As an inert gas, neon does not react with other elements, so it poses no direct environmental threat. However, traditional neon consumes more power, which contributes to energy-related environmental concerns.
Another consideration is the responsible disposal of neon components, including precious metals and potentially toxic gases. Improper disposal in landfills could present hazards.
VASTEN Light® LED neon signs are approximately 80% more energy-efficient than traditional neon, producing minimal heat and using fully recyclable materials, thus reducing their carbon footprint.
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Flexibility of Design
Lighting Changes
Traditional neon signs are static in function. Once manufactured and filled with neon gas, they can only produce a single, steady glow without color variations, dimming, or flashing.
LED neon, however, is digitally controlled, allowing for dynamic effects such as color changes, strobing, dimming, and brightening.
Design Capabilities
Due to their manufacturing process, LED neon signs can more precisely replicate brand logos and intricate designs. While traditional neon tubes can also be shaped into specific designs, they lack the same level of precision.
LED Neon vs Traditional Neon – Placement
Both traditional and LED neon signs are suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Major cities frequently showcase both types of signage in large-scale billboards and architectural displays.
Why it still keeps the neon word in led neon light after all there is nothing related with neon anymore? Probabaly the neon has extended its meaning to colorful light, good memories, etc. Also probabaly LED neon light can bear and improve the business as traditional neon light does: a vivid and eye-catching display – for advertisements, signage, billboards, pop art, and more..
Post time: Mar-19-2025
