Observing neon signs in your RV

Everyone knows a neon sign when they see one, but most people do not know what a neon sign is made of. First off, there are many different types of neon signs, ranging from your everyday neon open signs, neon beer signs, and neon bar signs to custom neon signs. The most well known types of signs are the typical neon beer signs which can be seen almost on a daily basis. Beyond that, there are many different applications for neon, such as neon channel letters, cove lighting, exposed neon, neon border lighting, and various other applications for neon.

But what really goes into a neon sign? Originally neon signs were simple, and derived their name from the gas that filled the tube – neon. Neon signs were composed of clear glass, filled with neon, enclosed with electrodes on each end, and powered by a transformer. Clear glass filled with neon gas gives off a reddish/orange color, which is still used in some neon signs today. When neon signs were first made these were the components that were used, and thus the name ‘neon signs’ was given to them. Today, you will still see neon open signs filled with neon gas.

As the neon industry advanced with technology, new developments arouse and the standard red neon sign advanced tremendously into what you see today in bars, on billboards, rooftops, and in Times Square. Instead of using just clear glass filled with neon gas, people began using different types of gas to fill the neon tubes to create different colors. For instance, clear neon tubes filled with argon gas give off a bluish color rather the tradition red of neon gas. Many other gases were experimented with and can be used in neon signs besides just straight neon or argon gas. Therefore, by changing the gas inside the tubes, people came up with different colors for neon beer signs. Through experimentation more advancements were made and people started to use phosphor coatings in conjunction with neon. People established that when a clear tube was coated with a phosphor coating, different colors could be created with a neon sign. So, people started to coat the clear glass with phosphor coatings in order to create different color neon signs.

When a neon open sign is turned on, the gas particles inside the tube get excited, and give off different colors of light depending on the phosphor coating on the tube. Furthermore, the same phosphor coating on a neon tube can give off two different colors of light to the human eye when filled with two different types of gases. Today, most “neon signs” are actually not filled with neon gas at all. Most neon signs today are currently filled with argon gas or a mixture of neon and argon gas, so “neon signs” are actually misnamed.

Phosphor technology has advanced leaps and bounds since it was first introduced to the neon sign market. Because of these advancements in phosphor technology, today’s neon beer signs are brighter, last longer, and there are many more color options available. Some neon sign manufacturers offer as many as 30 different shades of white alone, and up to 100 or more colors in total. Some neon sign manufacturers will even make custom colors which give people an almost limitless amount of colors to choose from when making or buying a neon sign. A neon business sign can only be limited by the imagination of its creator.

Click on this link to see an examples of a neon sign