As experts say, a good repair in an apartment is only half the battle. The main task is to correctly set the lighting so that it does not emphasize, but hides the flaws in the finish, which are almost inevitable. At the same time, beauty and aesthetics are important. A neon ribbon or tube can help with this, the glow of which will not only emphasize an interesting design, but also ennoble it. Today we will talk about this product.
Neon: what is it?
Such lighting was very popular in the 80s of the last century. It is a tube filled with a monatomic inert gas that has no smell. When current passes through it, a soft glow appears. The principle of operation is similar to a fluorescent lamp, but neon is completely harmless to humans.
Today, such lighting is made a little differently. Inside the silicone sleeve is placed LED neon strip, which is more practical, it can be laid in any direction, regardless of the curves. There is no need to use specialized tools andburners capable of softening glass.
Switching a neon strip: how is such a lighting device connected?
The voltage of an ordinary home network of 220 V will not work here - the lamp will instantly fail. A special high-frequency converter is required for connection. Depending on the characteristics of the device, it can operate from a 220 or 12 V network.
If such a backlight is made on the basis of LEDs, an individual power supply of the required power is used for connection. Its output voltage can be 12, 24 or 36 V. Such tapes or tubes are specially marked in places where it is allowed to cut them. It turns out that if the flexible neon strip 5 m long is too large, you can remove the unnecessary part without any loss of functionality.
Installation nuances and applications
Such lighting is used everywhere. This applies not only to decorating walls, ceilings or floors in an apartment. Motorists also use it - neon under the bottom of the car at night creates the impression that it is hovering above the ground. It also looks good such a backlight on the wheels of bicycles. Many people ask how to connect a neon strip so that it glows on a vehicle without a battery. Everything is quite simple - AA or AAA batteries serve as power.
Application for decorative lighting in the apartment
Here really is where the fantasy roam. Soft, as if spreading light will createromantic atmosphere or, conversely, will place accents on certain objects. The main convenience of neon ribbons or tubes is that it is very easy to mount them and even a home master who has absolutely no such experience will cope with such work.
The advantages of such a backlight are many. It can be placed in the most inaccessible places, you can choose any colors, it is safe for your eyes. The main difference from a conventional LED strip can be called the fact that when working between the elements, gaps and dark areas are not noticeable. A huge plus is that the tube practically does not heat up during operation.
Worth a word of caution if you want to mount neon lights in the bathroom. Such actions are justified only if the tubes are placed on the ceiling - they may not be able to stand the ingress of water. For such purposes, you can use an adhesive strip that accumulates light, does not require a network connection, but it will be visible only in the dark. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on the method and place of installation, which is precisely what contributes to the constant growth in the popularity of neon ribbons.
Wire is another kind of neon
Relatively recently, a product appeared on the Russian market that is slightly different in appearance from the tape. This is a neon wire that distributes the glow around, over the entire area. It is a copper core coated with a layer of phosphor and a sheath. Under the influence of a high-frequency transducer, an electric field arises around it. This is what makes the phosphor glow.
In closing
Every year, engineers create more and more new light sources that are used to create various interior designs. It is possible that something new will appear tomorrow, but today neon ribbons and tubes can be called the most suitable for repairing an apartment or making a car unique.
