With the development of LED technology, people have higher and higher requirements for lighting. Lighting is no longer just lighting, but more about energy efficiency, lighting effects, and even aesthetically pleasing lighting. We see that LED neon flex lights are becoming more and more popular now as LED updates and innovations have revolutionized the lighting industry.
LED lighting is famous for its energy saving; However, it is still unfamiliar to most people. So, what is LED neon flex? How does an LED neon tube work? What are the advantages of LED neon flex? Read on to learn more about these and more about LED neon flex.
What are Traditional Neon Lights?
Traditional neon lights are brightly luminous glass tube or bulb that uses neon or argon gas to create bright colors. It is filled with a lot of rare gases and is a cold cathode gas discharge lamp. It is a closed tube with electrodes at both ends, filled with low-pressure gas. The electrodes apply a voltage of several thousand volts, which ionizes the gas in the tube and causes it to glow.
The gas inside the tube mainly determines the color of the light. Neon is a transliteration of neon light, a rare gas that emits a popular orange-red light. If you need other colors, then you have to choose other colors of gas, such as hydrogen (red), helium (pink), carbon dioxide (white), mercury vapor (blue), etc.
What are LED Neon Flex Lights?
LED Neon Flex is an innovative lighting system with the look of a neon tube. Instead of a traditional gas-filled tube, it consists of a series of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) connected to an electrical circuit and mounted on a light strip.
The transparent PVC or silicone shell wraps the appearance of LED neon flex, mainly to protect the neon LED and the circuit board. LED lights shine through the diffuser for a neon-like glow, suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
What is the Difference Between Traditional Neon Lights vs LED Neon Flex?
Structure
The LED neon flex is a light strip composed of countless insulated LEDs, and an all-in-one silicone extrudes its appearance. Traditional neon lights use gas-filled tubes with electrodes at the end of the tubes to deliver the electric current.
Cost
The Traditional neon lights can be more expensive, requiring specialized equipment and skilled craftsmen to bend the tubes into the desired shape, a time-consuming and expensive process. The LED neon flex uses LED technology and a new structure, using PVC, silicone, or PU housing to wrap the LED light source, LED neon sign flex is easy to manufacture and very efficient.
Lifespan
Traditional neon lights are glass tubes, which are very fragile and easily damaged during installation or transportation, so they are not suitable for outdoor use. The LED neon flex use LED as the light source and the appearance of silicone, the life span can reach 3-5 years.
Function
The factory designs the shape of traditional neon lights in advance, and the shape cannot be changed later. In addition, the color is also limited. A set of glass tubes can only emit light of one color. LED neon flex support bending and cutting, and there are a variety of color temperatures for you to choose from, such as RGB, RGBW, DMX512 Pixel, etc.
Safety
In contrast, LED neon flex is safer because it uses low voltage 12V&24V, and have low heat dissipation and is safe to use.
Environmental Protection
LED neon flex is more friendly to the environment. Heavy metals pollute traditional neon lights, while LED neon tubes do not contain heavy metals or other harmful substances.
Durable
The LED neon flex is also very durable and can withstand harsh weather conditions, making it ideal for outdoor use.
Easy to Install
Cutting to size and connecting to other pipe fittings can easily install the LED neon flex without any special tools or equipment.
Flexibility
The flexibility of LED neon flex allows it to fit any design or pattern by being easily shaped and bent, making it highly customizable and suitable for creating complex shapes or text in signage.
The Main Structure of LED Neon Flex Lights
The light source of LED neon flex lights is LED, which is the LED strip lights, and the outsourcing material is PVC, silicone, or PU. One machine extrudes all of our LED neon tubes, ensuring their light is consistent and uniform.
Classification of LED Neon Flex Lights
Benefits of Using LED Neon Flex Lights
LED Neon Flex is one of the most adaptable LED lighting options available today. Their solutions outperform older glass neon signs and other traditional lighting options. LED neon flex products are thinner, lighter, and more energy-efficient. It saves energy while providing excellent lighting quality.
Energy Efficiency
As far as LED products are concerned, it generates very little heat. In terms of LED neon flex, it is also very energy efficient and consumes less power. Save up to 75% energy compared to traditional neon lights. Therefore, it not only reduces energy consumption but also saves your electricity bills. So, LED neon flex becomes a more cost-effective lighting solution.
Flexibility
Almost any sign or display you can think of can be created using extremely flexible LED neon flex. Therefore, the customizability of this product is very high, and it supports the customization of complex shapes or texts.
Durability
LED neon flex lights are very durable because their light source is LED, which is more environmentally friendly. Durable silicone material, which is UV and water-resistant, makes up the tubing. LED Neon Flex is also lead and mercury-free and ROHS compliant. With our LED products, there is no need to worry about leaking mercury or lead from a broken lamp.
Easy Installation
LED neon flex is easy to install because the product is very light. The LED neon flex is easy to install, just use channels or clips to bend the neon sign into a suitable shape ie, which reduces the time and labor required for installation.
Save Costs
LED neon flex can save you up to 70% on energy bills compared to traditional neon lights! Traditional neon lights have an expected lifespan of 10,000 hours and operate at 15,000 volts. In contrast, LED neon signs have an expected lifespan of 50,000 hours and require only 24 volts.
Safety
LED neon flex is safer than traditional neon lights because they do not contain any harmful gases or chemicals. So LED neon flex will be more environmentally friendly and also reduce the risk of harmful emissions. Thus LED neon flex lights become a more environmentally friendly lighting solution.
Easy to Transport
The LED neon flex light source is LED, and the casing is PVC/Silicone/PU, so we don’t have to worry about it breaking during transportation. We need only pack and fix the position without worrying about damage during transportation.
How are LED Neon Flex Lights Produced?
You can understand the production of LED neon flex lights is generally divided into two main parts.
- The first part: The first is the process of making LED strip lights because the main light source of LED neon flex is LED.
- The second part: Then use the integrated machine to extrude the finished LED neon tube. Today we mainly talk about how to add a silicone shell to the LED strip lights.
There are two main production methods for silicon tubes for LED neon strips.
- Manually
- Integrated Machine Extrusion Process
Integrated Machine Extrusion Process for LED Neon Flex lights
Our LED neon flex lights are all extruded by a one-piece machine, this technology can make LED Neon flex durable and extra-long. You can check the below a few simple steps:
- First, install the rolled LED strip lights on the pay-off frame, then order and adjust these LED strips.
- Then pass the LED strip lights and silicone through the hole of the pre-installed mold. Start the machine to wrap the material around the LED strip lights to activate the operation button of the electric control box.
- During the vulcanization process through the vulcanization furnace, the machine gradually forms the product by extruding the LED strip lights. The temperature in the oven should be moderate to avoid burning out the LED lamp beads.
- After vulcanization, the LED neon flex is led out by the tractor.
What are the Features of the Machine Extrusion LED Neon Flex Process?
- The machine can make the LED neon flex longer through silicone extrusion.
- Compared with the manual way, the extrusion process can save a lot of labor and can produce very high-quality LED neon flex lights in large quantities.
- The efficiency of the integrated silicone extrusion is much higher than that of the manual method, which takes less time and reduces human errors.
- The color temperature is more stable and consistent because it extrudes in one piece.
- They effectively solve the color difference, have a better light angle, and are more convenient for maintenance by stripping the glue and lamp beads from the LED neon tube.
- The extrusion light strip has an integrally formed plug that provides excellent waterproof performance and is not corroded by water.
- The LED neon flex has a super-strong anti-ultraviolet ability, which ensures it can be used outdoors for a long time.
- Good acid, alkali, and salt resistance. The light strip’s appearance remains unchanged and can be used normally in weak acid, weak alkali, and weak salt environments.
How Can I Buy High-Quality LED Neon Flex Lights?
- Quality first. So be sure to choose high-quality light source LED strips and components.
- The thickness of the PCB of LED strip lights, make sure with a thickness of 2oz or 3oz.
- Must have an LM80 test report, and the life of LM80 can reach 50,000 hours.
- They ensure the LED silicone neon housing is made of high-quality silicone that is UV-resistant, flame-retardant, and corrosion-resistant.
- Relevant product certifications, such as CE, RoHS, UL, etc.
- Make sure that the color temperature range of the finished silicone neon lights is as narrow as possible.
- Guarantee the color rendering index of silicone neon lights. The higher the color rendering index, the better!
- Understand that the LED neon flex has complete accessories. Such as solderless plugs, plugs with different outlet directions, mounting clips, etc.
- They ensure that the LED neon flex lights are cuttable and customizable.
How to Cut & Solder LED Neon Flex Lights?
- Determine the required length.
- Following the cut mark, the cut on the LED Neon Flex.
- Cut the LED Neon Flex at the designated spot.
- Remove excess silicone from the end of the LED Neon Flex.
- Solder the cable to the LED Neon Flex.
- Apply silicone to fill the LED Neon Flex and the end cap.
- Test the LED Neon Flex to ensure it lights up properly.
- Allow the silicone to dry and harden before moving forward.
How to Install LED Neon Flex Lights?
- Measure the length you need to install
- Find the cut logo to cut the LED neon flex
- Cut it to your desired size
- Re-solder the LED neon flex
- Connect the LED neon flex to the power plug
- Fix it to the place with the installation clip
- Press the LED neon flex into the mounting channel
- Test by Lighting the LED Neon flex
Step by Step: Choose the Right Power Supply for LED Neon Flex
- Choose a brand and a power supply with a long shelf life
- Consider whether the power supply will be used indoors or outdoors
- Check the operating voltage of the LED Neon Flex
- Find Compatible Power Supplies and Controllers If Needed
- Calculate the power of the LED neon tube and power supply
- The installation location of the power supply should be dry and ventilated
How to Connect the LED Neon Flex to Power Supply?
The following is a diagram of the LED neon tube connected to the power supply: single color, tunable white, RGB, and RGBW. Hope it can help you connect correctly and reduce some unnecessary problems.
Single Color:
Tunable White:
RGB:
RGBW:
How LED Neon Flex Light Up Your Lighting Application?
LED Neon Flex is suitable for indoor and outdoor lighting. Mainly to light up dark areas, to decorate buildings or structures, we can all consider neon lighting solutions. It can effectively beautify an area and make a display stand out.
So, whether subtle or bright, the right accent lighting can bring life to an otherwise dull display. The LED neon flex lights can be used almost anywhere you can imagine.
Applications include:
In Conclusion
LED neon flex lights are a highly customizable, energy-efficient, durable, and safe lighting solution that offers several advantages including energy efficiency, durability, flexibility, ease of installation, and safety. If you have related lighting projects, you can give priority to our LED neon flex lights.
We are a factory specializing in the production of LED strip lights and LED neon flex, if you have any questions about them, you can consult us at any time.
FAQs
LED neon flexible lights are for indoor and outdoor lighting, mainly for interior decoration, commercial institution signs, and buildings. They can showcase a variety of lights and colors as accent lighting, or add color to a home as auxiliary lighting.
LED Neon Flex has LED strip lights as the light source and a flexible protective shell made of PVC or silicone, which is not fragile like traditional neon tubes.
LED Neon Flex supports customization, such as color temperature, length, lumens, power, color, label, etc.
You can cut LED Neon Flex by yourself, but you must find the cutting signs, such as color temperature, length, lumens, power, color, label, etc., before cutting it.
LED neon tubes are efficient and energy-saving, so you can rest assured that they will not use much electricity.