Neon lights are a stunning addition to any home, shop or business and at Little Pineapple Neon, we specialise in custom neon signs in Australia. Whether you want a high impact feature light for your bar or a custom neon sign to advertise your hair and beauty salon, neon lights can be a great choice. If you’re considering installing a neon light, you may be wondering do neon signs use a lot of electricity, so we’ve created a handy guide to the costs of neon lighting.
The cost of neon signs
Most modern neon signs will use about the same amount of energy as a standard domestic lightbulb and neon signs can last for between 8 and 15 years, so they don’t need replacing as often as normal lightbulbs. Neon signs are a relatively energy-efficient option if you’re looking for a high-impact and stylish light fixture and they are safe to use in homes and businesses. The typical neon light’s power consumption is 400 watts, compared to LED lights at 150 watts and fluorescent lights at 610 watts. Many modern neon signs use a combination of custom LED neon flex and clear perspex backing for a bold look that uses less electricity.
Calculating the electricity consumption of a neon sign
For businesses and customers looking for large, high impact neon signs, or a lot of custom neon signs for your premises, it might be worth looking at the running costs of your proposed design. You could also consider a custom LED neon flex design that utilises the latest LED lighting technology to reduce electricity consumption. If you want to calculate the running cost of a neon light, you will need to work out the ratio of watts used per foot of neon tube lighting, and this is affected by the colour and transformer used. Then you will need to calculate your average electricity cost per kWh and the times the light will be on. Times the figure for the wattage used by the number of hours the neon will be on. If it’s an emergency light that needs to be constantly on, then you will need to calculate for 24 hours. Then multiply this figure by the average cost of your electricity per kWh to find out an estimate of how much neon signs will use to run.
What factors affect the power usage of neon lights?
Neon signs don’t generally use any more electricity than normal lightbulbs, but your personal usage will depend on the size of the light and how often you use it. Another factor to consider is the colour of the neon gas used in the light – for red neon lighting, the typical power consumption is 3.5 to 4 watts per foot.
It’s also important to consider the output of the neon light. If you want it to be very large, with multiple letters and bright light, it may use more energy. Smaller neon lights like our Head in the Clouds neon sign will use less energy than larger options with multiple letters. It might also be worth considering what font your neon sign uses, as some can require far more glass tubing and power.
Energy-efficiency and neon lighting
Compared to fluorescent lighting, neon signs are far more energy-efficient, and fluorescent fixtures can use up to 50% more energy than a standard neon glass tube. Many business owners choose neon lights as they can provide bold illumination throughout both day and night, which means they could be in use for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some customers choose to use LED neon signs as they are more energy-efficient and LED neon flex signage offers the ideal combination of energy efficiency and bold lighting design. LED neon signs are available in the same huge range of colours and can also be hired for special occasions like weddings and birthday parties.
Choosing a neon sign
Neon signs are the perfect way to inject some personality into a space, with bold colours and unique designs. Because our neon signs are handmade to order we have a wide range of colour options to choose from, including purple, pink, cool white, yellow, dark blue, red, green and more. We can also use a number of different colours for an amazing rainbow effect. We also offer custom made neon signs in a wide range of sizes, so if you’re worried about large energy bills, you could choose a smaller font or only operate your neon sign during business hours if that is more convenient.
Get in touch
If you’re looking for a custom neon sign in Australia, Little Pineapple Neon has the perfect option for you! Just email us at hello@littlepineapple.com.au and we can create a custom neon light and an individual quote.
