Neon Signs Los Angeles-818-861-5394

 

                                                        What is neon
Neon is a gas. But most people use the word neon to describe signs, art, and lighting that is made entirely or in part with neon tubes. These tubes are sealed, airtight glass, filled at a very low pressure with either NEON or ARGON gas. The ends of the tubes have electrodes (metal fittings) that are connected by wires to a neon transformer or power supply which transmits electric current through the tube, and cause it to emit light. A typical neon sign or art piece may have any number of tubes wired together to one or more transformers or power supplies. You can find some more information at Neon Signs Los Angeles.

When luminous tubes were first being developed, around the turn of the previous century, one of many problems encountered was that of longevity. Experimenters found that they could put almost any gas, including carbon dioxide, into a sealed glass tube and, by applying the right amount of current, it would 'light up'. However, within a relatively short period of time, these tubes would go out. This was due to chemical reactions inside the tube caused in large part by the electrical current required to light up the gas. The solution was to use either neon or argon, which are known as 'noble' gasses, and won't combine with other elements or molecules. You can take a look at some neon pictures at our Los Angeles Neon Sign gallery.
                                            
                                How are the colors made

The colors are created in the following ways: By filling the glass tube with either of the two gases: neon appears red-orange in a clear glass tube; argon appears pale blue in a clear glass tube. Virtually all of the other colors are created by using one of these two gasses in:
1) clear glass tubes that are coated on the inside with fluorescent powders that, when lit, will emit certain colors.
2) colored glass tubes that may be clear, or coated on the inside with fluorescent powders. 

There is a limit to the number of colors that can be made, which is dictated, for the most part, by the phosphor compounds used to coat the inside of the tubes. However, occasionally a manufacturer will come up with a new color. There are only 3 major neon tube manu- facturers in the US, those are: Voltarc Sign Technologies , EGL, and FMS. A large importer of mostly European glass, among other things, is Technolux.

                                    How long does neon last  

Most neon pieces are virtually maintenance free. They can last between 10-20 years depending on what type of electrodes were placed during the manufacturing of the neon, and how the neon tube was cured during the heating process. The transformer or power supply can last between  4-10 years, if it is correctly matched to the neon display. The neon tubes do not burn out like incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.

                        How much electricity does neon use 

The electrical power needed to run neon depends on the total length of tubing, the diameter of the tubing, the colors, etc. A typical neon sign(interior window neon), of average size will consume approximately fifty to two hundred watts, which can be compared to the power consumption of an equivalent incandescent bulb. Neon is a very efficient light source. Most of the interior neon signs(especially window neon) employ efficient electronic power supplies, which adjust themselves to the 'load' presented by the neon tubes and use only as much power as is needed to light them. Most window neon sign are between 50-60 watts. Many of our customers leave their neon on continuously.

 

However, for exterior neon signs, the consumption of electricity is much greater. The transformers for exterior neon signs can run from 4,000-15,000 volts per transformer, depending on how much neon tubing was used for the sign.

You can contact us: www.losangelessigns.biz, call now: 818-861-5394, for a free estimate.