U.s. Neon Vendors

[malonso]

Looking for a new neon vendor here in the U.S. The current one I've been using hasn't even started my project yet and he's had our money for the past month and is really hard to get a hold of. My customer opens his business this week and has no sign that is a big part of his window display. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[aerial]

Call Len at Neon by Frack at Bartush Signs in Orwigsburg. Great guy. Close to you, you can pick it up.

 

[IGNITION]

Where are you located? I imagine if you need it done that fast you need someone local, I have had great experience with Marilyn at Manhattan Neon and Roger Borg at 419 Neon

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

Altoona Neon, might be close to you

 

[ams]

I am hoping all neon plants shut down soon. It's already obsolete. Retrofit to LED!

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

I am hoping all neon plants shut down soon. It's already obsolete. Retrofit to LED!

Now that's just silly talk. Why would you say such a thing?

There is very little power difference between Fluor HO / Neon Lamps vs LEDs when it comes to equal brightness.

 

[ams]

Do you not know that Neon is 30,000 volts and LED is 12 volts? But there are a dozen reasons to switch, however there are some neon nazi's on here that live to serve and protect it, so not worth the argument.

 

[equippaint]

Do you not know that Neon is 30,000 volts and LED is 12 volts? But there are a dozen reasons to switch, however there are some neon nazi's on here that live to serve and protect it, so not worth the argument.

Volts has nothing to do with power consumption, its amps. 20000 amps @ 12v is the same as 1 amp at 20000 volts and for a 1 foot run would use the same size cable and same size fuse. Distance is where voltage matters. If a/c power was distributed at 240v, the lines would be the size of tree trunks so they step up voltage to carry the amps and step it down at service points.

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

Well, I'm no Nazi. But I also won't let you make a false blanket statements filled with mis-information and mis-characterization such as

.....But there are a dozen reasons to switch, however there are some neon nazi's on here that live to serve and protect it, so not worth the argument....

I sell all light sources, Neon is not 30,000 Volts, the biggest tranny size is 15kv and even then it's only 7,500v per hub and tranny's only put out what tubes are pulling, so you'll never get hit with that much voltage let alone the fact that it's low amperage of 30ma, you will do a nice lil dance nothing more if you touch a exposes part.

So besides the secondary voltage difference which means nothing as it translates into light output, what are the other reasons as to why?

Why would you encourage a retrofit and make the consumer pay more for less light? That ROI is 20 to 40 years when we're talking equal light output.

 

[ams]

Funny how old transformers I stripped out state 30,000 on the label. My electrical pen tester goes off 3 feet away from the sign, that is enough to stop your heart.

 

[ddarlak]

I am hoping all neon plants shut down soon. It's already obsolete. Retrofit to LED

LED will NEVER look as good as neon.

you should be banned just for being stupid...

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

Funny how old transformers I stripped out state 30,000 on the label. My electrical pen tester goes off 3 feet away from the sign, that is enough to stop your heart.

Maybe it wasn't an electrical pen you had going off, maybe it was a stud finder.

LEDs might be your best bet in life and much safer for you, and I understand why you favor them so much.

Critical thinking, basic know how, everything else that goes into managing and maintaining higher voltage light sources involved in a trade might best be left for others and always best to call a professional when you do run into those scenarios, or just pass on those jobs due to personal safety

 

[ams]

LED will NEVER look as good as neon.

you should be banned just for being stupid...

Hence the reason I wanted to ignore everyone, this is turning into a pissing match. LED looks 10X better than neon and is also brighter and a cleaner light.

 

[ams]

Maybe it wasn't an electrical pen you had going off, maybe it was a stud finder.

LEDs might be your best bet in life and much safer for you, and I understand why you favor them so much.

Critical thinking, basic know how, everything else that goes into managing and maintaining higher voltage light sources involved in a trade might best be left for others and always best to call a professional when you do run into those scenarios, or just pass on those jobs due to personal safety

No it was an electrical pen tester. I know the difference and have installed, repaired and retrofitted over 65 electrical signs.
Personal safety is one reason I avoid neon, but another is because it's horrible, burns out quickly, tubes break, expensive to repair, etc

 

[signage]

No it was an electrical pen tester. I know the difference and have installed, repaired and retrofitted over 65 electrical signs.
Personal safety is one reason I avoid neon, but another is because it's horrible, burns out quickly, tubes break, expensive to repair, etc

I don't know what you are saying burn out quickly, only time I have seen them burn out quickly is when they are not properly powered.

Myself and a lot of other do not believe LED are brighter or better! Most people can not work on the correctly and do not understand and are afraid of the high voltage.

 

[Westcoast Sign Guy]

It's scary to think that some consumers assume you know what you're talking about or assume you have real experience in the electric sign industry

 

[ams]

I don't know what you are saying burn out quickly, only time I have seen them burn out quickly is when they are not properly powered.

Myself and a lot of other do not believe LED are brighter or better! Most people can not work on the correctly and do not understand and are afraid of the high voltage.

It appears it's an average of 18 months before neon starts to fail around here. I have a hotel customer who says they get repairs every 3 months for a letter going out. A new jewelry store opened here and in only a month, one of the neon signs is now sparking like static and is dim.

Every single sign I've done with LED has been brighter than neon, front-lit and back-lit. It's always like this:

 

[MikePro]

neon burning-out? laughable. take a walk down Freemont St. in Las Vegas, and I'd bet over half of the neon there is 30+yrs old.

neon mainly has issues with cold weather. the "service" most people incur, aside from the obvious broken tube, involves removing the tube & rolling it around until the bead of mercury that has solidified/settled finds its way back into the electrode. plug it back in, and it fires-up beautifully.

We still do neon here in Wisconsin, mainly as service, but we lean people towards LED as a more cost-effictive option on new signage.

 

[spectrum maine]

I have neon in my shop window that is 20+ years old- still working great 24-7 - never been serviced.

 

[Johnny Best]

My vote on neon.