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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: unclet on July 18, 2007, 10:42:15 pm

Title: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: unclet on July 18, 2007, 10:42:15 pm
How long does stuff like this last?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-5M-Flexible-Car-12V-Blue-Neon-Light-Wire-Cable-A6U_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33714QQihZ012QQitemZ220129930938QQrdZ1

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-10-NEON-LIGHT-SUBWOOFER-SPEAKER-RING-BLUE_W0QQitemZ330147012621QQihZ014QQcategoryZ67773QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Basically, how long until the blue neon no longer lights up?  Months, Years, Forever ?
Title: Re: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: BamBam on July 18, 2007, 10:53:25 pm
My blue rings of love are a year old and still going strong.  I bought a second set so I have some on hand when the other set burns out.
Title: Re: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: SavannahLion on July 18, 2007, 11:29:12 pm
I don't think I've ever seen flexible neon light. Is there even such a thing or is it just a bunch of LED's in a flexible diffuser?

In any case, neons do eventually wear out. Has to do with the electrodes or something. Apparently, they have a life expectancy of around ten years, though I've seen some over twenty still in operation.
Title: Re: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: DarkBubble on July 19, 2007, 01:53:20 am
Quote from: SavannahLion on July 18, 2007, 11:29:12 pm
I don't think I've ever seen flexible neon light. Is there even such a thing or is it just a bunch of LED's in a flexible diffuser?

My little brother installed some of it years back in a '91 Ford Escort.  The stuff pictured (at least in the first link) is using a fiberoptic-style approach, piping light from a single light source through a slightly opaque, flexible plastic cord.  The stuff would be great for arcade cabs, really, especially if  you're doing a Tron theme.

It's funny that you mention LEDs in a flexible diffuser.  You know the old plastic tube with the white lights in it that they would use to line the walkways in a movie theater?  They've switched that over to LED.  I'm not sure if they do colors though.  The only time I saw it was when a 3' sample came back from a job about 8 months ago.  Seems neat, but it's not something I'd use on a cab.
Title: Re: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: waveryder on July 19, 2007, 03:30:03 am
The flexible stuff is eluminesent wire (think I spelt that wrong :) ) It doesnt actually burn out. It just gets duller and duller after 14 days it glows half its original brightness and will stay like that for about 100 hours. I bought some for my cab and decided not to use it the ebay shot doesnt show that the plastic tubing its in is actually tinted blue. Thats how cheap EL wire is lit.

Speaker rings are cold cathode and last about 1000hours continous use. Personally I am More a fan of LED's You can easily make speaker rings with a few LED's some perspex and a dremel. Much better than cheap and often badly made Hong Kong Neons.
Title: Re: How long does blue neon "rope" or "speaker rings" last?
Post by: ErikRuud on July 19, 2007, 09:18:42 am
100 Hours?

Most EL wire is usually rated for at least 1,000 hours of continuous use.

http://www.hovering.com/coolneon/wire.html