LED Strip Lighting Blog & Buying Guides

2026-11-02

Two Reels Show a Visible Brightness Line at Dusk on My Sign

The join between two reels only shows up when the ambient light drops. I cover lot numbers, bin matching and how to order one long run.

2026-11-02

Mounting Neon Flex on a Rough Timber Sign Without Clips

Adhesive on a sawn timber face grips poorly. I prime the grain, space the clips and choose a fixing that survives expansion and contraction.

2026-11-02

The End Cap Keeps Pulling Off My Neon Flex Under Tension

Tension at the cable exit pries the cap off before the glue fails. I show the loop, the clamp and the silicone order that keeps the cap on.

2026-11-02

Tight Inner Curves Go Dark on My Neon Flex Letter - What Happened?

A forced inner bend squishes the copper trace inside the diffuser. I diagnose the kink, rescue what can be cut back to, and bend within radius next time.

2026-11-02

RGB Neon Flex Makes a Grotty White - Do I Need a White Channel?

Mixing three die colours never gives a clean white. I compare RGB, RGBW and RGBCCT flex for signs that need a believable warm white.

2026-11-02

My Cheap Neon Flex Is Turning Sticky and Oily After One Summer

That tacky, oily film on the diffuser is plasticizer leaving cheap PVC. I explain why silicone flex does not do this and what cannot be fixed.

2026-11-02

Does a Neon Sign Need an Earth Ground? What Electricians Actually Check

Neon runs high voltage on a small secondary winding. I explain the earthing and isolation checks an electrician should sign off before switch-on.

2026-11-02

Neon Sign Above a Kitchen Pass or Pizza Oven: Heat Rating and Life

Hot air rising off a pass ages silicone and phosphor fast. I cover where a neon sign belongs and where a rated flex is the safer call.

2026-11-02

Why a Dark Shadow Band Runs Behind My Neon Letter on the Wall

Mount the tube too close and the wall behind turns into a dark band; too far and the halo spreads. I set the standoff gap that avoids both.

2026-11-02

The Neon Sign Takes Ten Seconds to Warm Up and Flickers on Start

Cold gas strikes slowly, but a ten-second stutter means a weak transformer or a leaky joint. I run through the order of checks.

2026-11-02

My Neon Sign Hums Loud Enough to Hear Across the Room - What Is It?

A low mains hum in a neon sign is the transformer, not the tube. I trace loose laminations, overloading and loose mounting brackets.

2026-11-02

Adding a Neon Tube Section Years Later and the Hue Will Not Match

The rest of the sign has aged five years; the replacement tube glows brand new. I set expectations and pick the closest aged match.