[HN Gopher] Local Neon
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       Local Neon
        
       Author : andyjohnson0
       Score  : 36 points
       Date   : 2022-09-23 08:55 UTC (2 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (theprepared.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (theprepared.org)
        
       | highpost wrote:
       | Los Angeles (Glendale really) also has the Museum of Neon Art:
       | https://www.neonmona.org/
        
       | [deleted]
        
       | itronitron wrote:
       | Most commercial neon production is hidden as it's installed
       | within 'channel' letters (shaped aluminum sheet metal) that
       | comprise signage for stores outside strip malls.
       | 
       | I would be surprised if store owners willingly replace those with
       | LEDs due to the longevity of well made neon, which is easily 10
       | to 20 years.
        
         | parker_mountain wrote:
         | > I would be surprised if store owners willingly replace those
         | with LEDs due to the longevity of well made neon, which is
         | easily 10 to 20 years.
         | 
         | Commercial LEDs need to be replaced about every 7-10 years -
         | closer to 10-20 if only run at night.
         | 
         | Their power usage is about 1/10th that of neon. Their failure
         | mode is also a lot more graceful - they tend to slowly dim.
         | 
         | Replacing LED modules is also quite a bit easier than replacing
         | neon - instead of charging up a glass tube (or worse, patching
         | broken glass), you show up with a box of inexpensive modules -
         | an afternoon's work for any electrician. Replacing neon tubing
         | with LEDs is also quite easy. Unfortunately, neon requires
         | specialized skills.
         | 
         | The TCO of LEDs for signage is significantly lower than neon,
         | the installation cost is significantly lower, it's much easier
         | to find someone who can install LED lighting than it is neon,
         | and you have a much wider array of options of color for LEDs.
         | 
         | Which is a huge shame, because I really like the way bare neon
         | tubes look - even with dense LED packages, you can't get
         | anything close to the ephemeral glow of classic, glass tube
         | neon.
        
           | squarefoot wrote:
           | > even with dense LED packages, you can't get anything close
           | to the ephemeral glow of classic, glass tube neon.
           | 
           | You can obtain results close to the real thing by using a
           | good light diffuser.
           | 
           | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9bSzE9ir1Q
           | 
           | Those strips are cheap.
           | 
           | https://www.ebay.com/itm/274148208415
           | 
           | They however don't emit light in all direction like a real
           | neon; if that's the goal, a light pipe might be more
           | suitable.
           | 
           | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CQnRARsk4E
           | 
           | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsi1jHEuarI
        
       | nathell wrote:
       | There's a neon museum in Warsaw, Poland. Worth a visit if you're
       | in town, especially after sunset.
        
         | eneumann wrote:
         | Can confirm. It's so cool. It's a shame neon signage has gone
         | out of fashion.
        
         | parker_mountain wrote:
         | The one in Vegas is also fantastic, although less of a museum
         | and more of a large dirt lot. Certainly better to spend an
         | evening there than on the strip, in my opinion.
        
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