LED Vs. Neon Power
Neon lighting is an older technology, strongly associated with the art deco movement of the 1920s and 1930s. It works by heating up gas in a hollow glass tube; the composition of the gas can create a variety of colors, and the glass allows the light to be shaped in various ways. LED (light emitting diode) lighting is newer and advantageous in its lower power consumption and longer lifespan compared to neon.
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The Facts
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Neon lighting is comparable to incandescent lighting in terms of power consumption and luminescent output. LED lighting is even more power-conserving than fluorescent lighting, requiring in some cases only one-tenth the wattage for a similar light output to an equivalent neon sign or light source.
History
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The first neon lamp was invented in 1910 by Georges Claude of France, combining the neon gas discovered in 1898, with a narrow glass tube. Neon was deployed commercially in 1915; by the 1950s, the iconic use of neon in American destinations like Times Square in New York City and along the Las Vegas Strip, made neon lighting a key part of the design of that era. LED technology dates back as far as 1907, but did not receive serious scientific research until the 1960s, when the red LED was invented. Additional colors were added to the LED spectrum in the next several years, but it took until 1995 for a white LED light to become available.
Significance
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Lighting consumes up to 30 percent of the nation's energy budget, with much of this still being consumed by older and less efficient incandescent and neon lighting. The use of newer technologies, such as fluorescent and LED lighting, can create brighter light sources with far less consumption of energy. Additionally, both of these new types of bulbs have much longer life spans than their incandescent and neon equivalents, reducing waste and the need for landfill space when they are no longer in service.
Features
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Neon light, like incandescent light, is created by heating a part of the bulb; incandescent bulbs generate light by heating a metal, while neon works by heating a gas. Both create a more diffuse, "warmer" light than is typical of fluorescents and LED lighting. LEDs, on the other hand, can create much brighter lighting without creating waste heat, and with much lower energy consumption.
Size
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Neon bulbs are made of narrow glass tubes; their fragility requires signage to be created in bulky protective packaging. LED lights are much smaller and sturdier and can be packaged in far smaller housing.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Hey Paul
