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LED or Cold Cathode for constantly smashed neon site.
I’ve got a customer (with more money than sense) that keeps getting his neon smashed or stolen by some little toe-rags. It’s in a weird sculpture in an industrial park.
I warned them but, “Nooooo’, we want neon not LEDs.”
So after having half a set stolen & a couple of smashed sections a month they might be relenting and wanting to go down an alternative route I suggest – although I am making good money off the replacements!
Ideally, I’d like an encased (but flexible) Light Blue LED arrangement – akin to the ‘boy racer’ rubbish. Or cold cathode like PC case modders use.
The normal LED strips for internally iluminating letters is a bit open to the elements for my liking, and the shade of blue might be a bit ‘dark’.
Suggestions?
ps. They will be encasing the open sections in P/Carb or St/Stl mesh to try to reduce the vandal problem….doubt it’ll work.
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9 Replies
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Hi David
I used the ‘boy racer’ rubbish to outline the lettering on my shop sign (as a trial more than anything)-works really well, all enclosed and bends wherever you want it to.
http://www.litewave.co.uk is where I got mine-no phone no, you have to email them & they get back to you.
Best bit is it’s really inexpensive, ‘specially if it needs replacing frequently.
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hi lorraine, any chance you could posta pic so i can see your shop sign in the led’s? been thinking about doing something simular.
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Lorraine, do you mean you used the the EL wire? (Did some R’n’D with it for vehicle signs – embedding it into the vinyl design under clear, only looked good at night 😥 ) I’d need a h (hot) ll of a lot more light output than that as it’s for illuminating the inside of 3 sculptures 5′, 10′ & 15′ high!. The ‘superflux’ modules look pretty good for what i’ll be needing – a LOT cheaper than re-doing all the neons again!!
Really good site though for cheap bits – will email them in morning.
Thanks
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Hi David
Your right EL wire is not bright enough for outdoor use, there is a flexible Led out (probably more than one) which would give a good effect, but by the sounds of it, whatever you put there it’ll get nicked, maybe if you wet the floor and put silver earthing tape on the back of the neon sec’s they wouldn’t be nicking them much longer, and inform the local undertaker you found him some extra work, (make up for the neon sections you would be losing out on) Cold Cathodes are OK but again not really meant for that kind of application.
Regards
Chris Timmermans
(NeonMan) -
quote NeonMan:…. whatever you put there it’ll get nicked, maybe if you wet the floor and put silver earthing tape on the back of the neon sec’s they wouldn’t be nicking them much longer
SHOCKING suggestion!!
Unfortunately I fitted it with HT transformers that trip off at the slightest hint of over, under or earth leakage current….bah.
You got a source for these flexible LEDs?
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Hi Dave
At last someone who fits Neon properly!!!
here try this link Dave,
http://www.chamaeleon-tech.com/APollo-LL.htm.
Chamaeleon Technologies do it in Blue, but they do other stuff too like led colour wash, which may be better suited well worth a look though.Regards
Chris -
I used Glow wire from Litewave, but you are right, it doesn’t glow in daylight, only dark. Thing is, I wanted a lit sign but didn’t want to upset the people living opposite the shop, with bright lights, as I didn’t apply for planning permision (Shhhhhh….)
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Hi Dave
Did you manage to have a look at that site? or still supplying the Neon?
Regards
Neonman -
Had a quick look at the site.
I’ll more than likely going to give them the option of LED, but it’ll be the wrong shade of blue – too dark and getting decent (tamperproof) external 12v (or 24v) transformers can be a PITA.
Also, they’ll be left with £500 (retail) worth of FART XFMRs if they go LED. Replacement neon’s going to cost them about £500 for a full set, LED would be about half that plus XFMRs – but infinately cheaper to fix as modules are easily fixed & unbreakable.
Will find out in the next day or two.
Thanks for the help anyway.
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