LED Neon Flex emits an amazingly even, smooth light across the entire length of the Neon Flex giving the look of traditional glass neon whilst being cheaper, more resilient, easier to install, lower on maintenance and consuming far less electricity. It’s ease-of-use makes for short installation times reducing your installation costs.
Our 24V silicone LED Neon Flex adorns a number of high-profile building facades not only in South Africa but in a number of countries across the African continent. Offered with a 5 year warranty it is the ideal product for use on projects where absolute reliability and performance is required. We offer a wide range of models to suit most facade installations and our personalised hands-on approach ensures successful projects.
Our PVC LED Neon Flex – aimed at the signage industry – offers one of the shortest cutting lengths available – at 3.6cm – giving you total control over the lengths needed for your sign. Using high quality Epistar LED chips you can expect a long lifespan, exceptional brightness whilst dramatically reducing electricity consumption. It is ideal for signage, stage and event lighting.
Neon flex colours
LUMUL LED Neon Flex is available in a range of coloured PVC jackets, a milky white PVC jacket, or a milky white silicone jacket. All ranges of LUMUL LED Neon Flex contain coloured Epistar LEDs within.
We carry a wide range of different Neon Flex colours in stock, including cool white, warm white, natural white, red, green, blue, amber yellow, lemon yellow, pink and purple. A wider range of colours is available on request.
| Colour | 9*19 PVC | 10*25 Silicone | 16*17 Silicone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6000K | Y | Y | Y |
| 4000K | Y | Y | Y |
| 3000K | Y | Y | Y |
| Red | Y | Y | Y |
| Green | Y | Y | Y |
| Blue | Y | Y | Y |
| Amber yellow | Y | Y | Y |
| Orange | Y | Y | Y |
| Pink | Y | ||
| Purple | Y | ||
| Ice blue | Y | ||
| Lemon yellow | Y | ||
| Light pink | Y |
Technical specifications
| Jacket material | PVC | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone |
| Size | 8 x 18 mm | 10 x 25 mm | 16 x 17 | 16 x 17 | 16 x 17 | 16 x 17 | 16 x 17 | 16 x 17 |
| Profile | Hollow dome | Hollow dome | Flat top | Flat top | Flat top | Flat top | Flat top | Flat top |
| Colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour | Single colour |
| Jacket colour | Coloured PVC + Milky white | Milky white | Milky white | Milky white | Milky white | Milky white | Milky white | Milky white |
| LED | Epistar 2835 | Epistar 3014 | Epistar | Epistar | Epistar 2835 | Epistar 4040 | Epistar | Epistar |
| LEDs per meter | 84 | 120 | 96 | 96 | 112 | 112 | 140 | 140 |
| Voltage | 12V | 24V | 24V | 24V | 24V | 24V | 24V | 24V |
| Power consumption | 9 W/m | 10 W/m | 7.7 W/m | 15.3 W/m | 8 W/m | 17.28 W/m | 8 W/m | 17.28 W/m |
| Max brightness | 546 lm/m | 458 lm/m | 865 lm/m | 470 lm/m | 1122 lm/m | 470 lm/m | 1144 lm/m | |
| Max length single feed | 5m | 15m | 30m | 10m | 15m | 10m | 15m | 10m |
| Max length dual feed | 10m | 30m | 60m | 20m | 30m | 20m | 30m | 20m |
| Cutting unit | 3.6 cm | 5 cm | 6.3 cm | 6.3 cm | 6.3 cm | 6.3 cm | 5 cm | 5 cm |
| L/R bend diameter | 4 cm | 5 cm | 40 cm | 40 cm | 0 | 0 | 12 cm | 12 cm |
| U/D bend diameter | 0 | 0 | 20 cm | 20 cm | 20 cm | 20 cm | 0 | 0 |
| CRI | > 80Ra | > 80Ra | > 80 Ra | > 80 Ra | > 80 Ra | > 80 Ra | > 80 Ra | > 80 Ra |
| LED spacing | 1.2 cm | 0.8 cm | 1.04 cm | 1.04 cm | 0.89 cm | .89 cm | .71 cm | .71 cm |
| L70 lumen maintenance | 50,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours | 60,000 hours |
| FPC position | Vertical | Vertical | Horizontal | Horizontal | Horizontal | Horizontal | Vertical | Vertical |
| FPC thickness | 2oz | 3oz | 3oz | 3oz | 3oz | 3oz | 3oz | 3oz |
| Internal wire | 0.24mm copper | No wire | No wire | No wire | No wire | No wire | No wire | No wire |
| Operating temp | -20°C to 45°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C | -20°C to 60°C |
| Certification | CE, RoHS | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL | CE, RoHS, UL |
| IP rating | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 | IP65 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
Accessories
We have a range of LUMUL LED Neon Flex accessories available to make for an easier installation of the product. Our extensive range of accessories offered include:
- 220V 10A power converter
- 220V 10A power converter with surge protector
- Left & right power connector
- Connector pins
- Splicing pins
- Wired mini connector pins
- Unwired mini connector pin
- End caps
- Coloured mini end caps
- I, L and T connectors
- Cable connectors
- Heat shrink
- 5cm, 1m & 2m aluminium mounting channels
- DMX decoders
- DMX amplifiers
- Controllers for RGB colour control
- Controllers for single colour dimming
- Remote controls
- Wired wall-mounted controls
- Mean Well power supplies
Installation
- Ensure the product is installed by a qualified electrician.
- Ensure you install a power conditioner (e.g. UPS) with your 220V Neon Flex installation to protect against voltage spikes.
- Ensure all wiring is in accordance with national and local electrical regulations.
- Ensure you cut exactly on the cutting line to avoid damaging the Neon Flex and voiding your warranty.
- Ensure you seal the Neon Flex ends appropriately for outdoor or wet installations.
- Ensure you connect positive and negative wires and terminals appropriately to avoid damaging the Neon Flex (applicable if you have modified or extended the power converter).
- Don’t place the Neon Flex onto rough surfaces as the PVC jacket may scratch.
- Never bend the Neon Flex beyond the stipulated minimum bending diameter as this will damage the internal circuit.
- Never bend the Neon Flex on the vertical axis (up and down) when the Neon Flex has a vertical FPC as this will damage the internal circuit.
- Never bend the Neon Flex laterally (left and right) when the Neon Flex has a horizontal FPC as this will damage the internal circuit.
- Never operate the Neon Flex in temperatures exceeding 45°C as the LEDs may overheat and their lifespan will be dramatically reduced.
- Never power the Neon Flex whilst tightly coiled as you risk overheating the LEDs.
- Do not puncture or pierce the Neon Flex as it will void your warranty.
- Do not continuous flex the Neon Flex as you may break the internal copper circuit board.
- Never strike the Neon Flex.
- Do not twist the Neon Flex as you may damage the internal circuit.
- Do not light the Neon Flex for longer than 12 hours a day.
- Do not exceed the recommended maximum running lengths.
- Measure the desired length of Neon Flex you require and make a mark on the underside of the Neon Flex.
- The Neon Flex can be safely cut on every cutting mark printed on the Neon Flex.
- Carefully cut the Neon Flex on your cutting mark, using a Stanley knife (utility knife). Clean up the cut to ensure it is square. Ensure you cut exactly on the cutting line or you will damage the product and void your warranty.
- Clean up any exposed copper wires and PCB so that the edge of the cut is square and neat.
- Should you be installing your Neon Flex outdoors, where it will be exposed to rain or other water, it is essential that you protect the Neon Flex from all water and moisture.
- End caps and connectors all fit snugly over the Neon Flex jacket, however water and moisture could still seep in and damage your Neon Flex.
- To prevent any risk of water and moisture damage, we recommend that liberally applied neutral cure silicon glue when connecting a power connector or end cap.
- Use heat shrink tubes when joining Neon Flex, fitting end caps or fitting connectors.
- The power connectors only connect from the right hand end of the Neon Flex. Plan for this before commencing with your installation.
- Before installing power cables to Neon Flex, pre-join all cables to the power cable leads. Use appropriate IP68 connectors and where necessary seal with silicone glue to ensure a waterproof seal.
- Insert the connector pin fully into the two holes on the Neon Flex end, using pliers if needed. Using the power connector to push the pin fully into the Neon Flex risks shorting the neon flex since the pin may not be pushed in straight.
- Pull a heat shrink sleeve over the Neon Flex, moving it away from your work area.
- Apply silicone glue around the end of the Neon Flex ensuring no areas are overlooked.
- Using the heat gun, warm the cap of the power cable until it is malleable.
- Apply silicone glue to the inside of the power cable cap. Slide the power cable cap over the end of the Neon Flex ensuring the connector pins are aligned, and that the pins insert fully into both the power cable and the Neon Flex.
- Apply silicone sealant around the power cable cap and slide the heat shrink sleeve over the power cable cap.
- Using the heat gun, heat the heat shrink evenly until it has shrunk evenly around the power cable cap. Be careful to not over-heat the heat shrink sleeve otherwise it will tear.
- Apply silicone glue around both ends of the heat shrink sleeve. Allow the silicone glue to cure.
- Pull a heat shrink sleeve over the Neon Flex, moving it away from your work area.
- Apply silicone glue around the end of the Neon Flex ensuring no areas are overlooked.
- Using the heat gun, warm the end cap until it is malleable.
- Apply silicone glue to the inside of the end cap. Slide the end cap over the end of the Neon Flex ensuring it is pushed as far as possible.
- Apply silicone sealant around the end cap and slide the heat shrink sleeve over the end cap.
- Using the heat gun, heat the heat shrink evenly until it has shrunk evenly around the end cap. Be careful to not over-heat the heat shrink sleeve.
- Apply silicone glue around both ends of the heat shrink sleeve. Allow the silicone glue to cure.
This mode of joining Neon Flex delivers a smooth, unbroken light effect. This joining mode is not as strong and secure as using I, T or L connectors and should definitely be used in conjunction with mounting channels to ensure the Neon Flex cannot move about.
- Ensure the ends of both pieces of Neon Flex have been cut square.
- Clean up the cut edge and remove debris.
- Pull a heat shrink sleeve over the Neon Flex, moving it away from your work area.
- Insert the connector pin fully into the two holes on the one piece of Neon Flex end, using flat-nosed pliers if needed, then insert the connector pin into the other end of the Neon Flex to be joined.
- Test your connection to ensure the splicing pin is correctly inserted on both ends.
- Apply silicon glue to the two sides of Neon Flex to seal the join.
- Smear excess silicone glue around the join area.
- Using the heat gun, heat the heat shrink sleeve until it has shrunk evenly around the power cable cap. Be careful to not over-heat the sleeve.
- Apply silicone glue around both ends of the heat shrink sleeve. Allow the silicone glue to cure.
- Repeat the following steps for each piece of Neon Flex to be joined.
- Pull a heat shrink sleeve over the Neon Flex and move it away from the work area.
- Apply silicone glue to one end of connector pins. Insert the connector pin fully into the two holes on the Neon Flex end, using flat-nosed pliers if needed.
- Apply silicone glue evenly to the inside of the I, T or L connector and ensure coverage on all walls.
- Insert the Neon Flex into the connector, ensuring the connector pin inserts fully into the holes in the connector.
- Smear excess silicone glue around the join area.
- Pull the heat shrink sleeve over the join.
- Using the heat gun, heat the heat shrink evenly until it has shrunk evenly around the power cable cap. Be careful to not over-heat the sleeve.
- Apply silicone glue around both ends of the heat shrink sleeve. Allow the silicone glue to cure.
- If installing your Neon Flex in the 1m or 2m aluminium channels, ensure you plan correctly in advance. Removing Neon Flex from the channels risks damaging the Neon Flex internal circuitry due to bending the Neon Flex on the vertical axis. Should you need to remove Neon Flex from a 1m aluminium channel be aware of the risk of damage involved which will not be covered by your warranty. To remove Neon Flex from a 1m or 2m aluminium channel, hold the Neon Flex as close to the channel as possible and pull slowly vertically, keeping the Neon Flex as taught as possible.
- If installing long lengths of Neon Flex be cautious not to twist the Neon Flex. You must unroll the Neon Flex by turning the reel to avoid twisting it, preferably unrolling the Neon Flex from the reel as you insert it into the channels. Unrolling an entire reel before installing it is not advised unless the surface you place it on is smooth and won’t damage the Neon Flex PVC jacket.
- Neon Flex is ideally mounted using the 5cm, 1m or 2m aluminium mounting bracket.
- Mounting brackets will hold the Neon Flex in place through bends or over straight lines.
- Each portion of a curve will require a mounting bracket.
- For precise bends consider cutting smaller mounting bracket lengths using a hacksaw.
- Place the Neon Flex into the mounting brackets and test the layout, making adjustments as required. Remove the Neon Flex.
- If necessary, drill holes for the mounting bracket, using plastic wall plugs where necessary.
- Screw the mounting bracket to the mounting surface ensuring it is securely mounted.
- Apply a small amount of silicone glue to the inside of each mounting bracket to help ensure that once mounted, the Neon Flex does not easily move.
- If mounting the Neon Flex vertically use a 1m or 2m aluminium channel, use liberal quantities of silicon glue and consider using cable ties around the Neon Flex and channel to prevent the Neon Flex slipping down or falling out of the channel due to gravity.
- Place the Neon Flex into the mounting brackets and press down firmly to ensure the Neon Flex is properly secured.
Common questions & answers
- A good warranty and back up service.
LUMUL Neon Flex offers up to a 5 year warranty on our silicone Neon Flex, a 1 year warranty on our 12V and 24V Neon Flex and a 6 month warranty on our 220V Neon Flex. - SMD LED chips.
Avoid DIP LED chips as these are old technology, are not efficient, not as bright as modern SMD LED chips and cannot achieve the chip density of modern SMD chips – meaning you will see the dots underneath the jacket. - Quality SMD LED chips.
In this game, only the name-brand chips, such as Epistar, are good, the rest (like Sa’nan) will truly disappoint over time. - Lumen efficiency (lm/W).
You want as much brightness as possible for the power consumed, and this is best achieved with more LED chips configured to run at a lower current. - Electrical efficiency (W/m).
Electricity is expensive so you want to achieve a good efficiency. LUMUL offers a range of Neon Flex with a power consumption ranging from 7W/m to 14.4 W/m. - A high number of LED chips per meter.
Anything less than 72 LED/m will result in dots being visible underneath the jacket. As a general rule, the more LEDs, the better the efficiency and brightness will be although the brightness is also a factor of the thickness of the jacket. Brightness.
Neon Flex chips are contained in a thick PVC jacket, so for most use cases it’s imperative to have sufficient brightness through the PVC jacket. Different colours have a different brightness, white being brightest, yellow the dimmest. - Lumen maintenance.
Aim for a lumen maintenance of at least L7 at 50,000 hours, meaning you want your Neon Flex brightness to be at least 70% of the original brightness after 50,000 hours. - FPC copper thickness.
A good thickness of copper in the FPC (flexible printed circuit) within the Neon Flex helps to effectively conduct heat away from the LED chips. - Quality internal wire.
Where the Neon Flex relies on internal wire to conduct current, this wire must be genuine copper and must be at least 0.24mm thick to effectively carry the current – especially true of low voltage Neon Flex where the current will be higher than 220V Neon Flex. - Small cutting unit.
Neon Flex must be cut in specific places to avoid disrupting light in a section of the internal strip. High voltage strips have a larger cutting unit because of the way the LEDs are wired internally whereas low voltage strips have smaller cutting units. LUMUL 12V Neon Flex has a cutting unit of 3.6cm whereas our 220V Neon Flex has a cutting unit of 1m. - UV-protected PVC jackets.
No plastic is fully UV-resistant and all will over time suffer UV damage, however with UV inhibitors placed inside the plastic, the Neon Flex will resist UV rays much better and last much longer. - Silicone jacket.
Silicone is a far better material than PVC but equally more expensive. It has better UV protection qualities and can bend more easily. - A good range of accessories.
The accessories are important to make installation simpler. LUMUL offers one of the widest ranges of Neon Flex accessories available in South Africa.
Electrical surges will certainly damage 220V Neon Flex because the rectifier (the AC to DC converter) does not offer over/under protection, and the internal components fail at voltages over ~225V. We recommend installing an online (double conversion) UPS when installing 220V Neon Flex, a very small cost to protect your investment. Your warranty does not cover damage from electrical surges or spikes so please consider this small investment.
Electrical surges should generally not damage 12V Neon Flex since most good power supplies will offer over-voltage and under-current protection.
- LUMUL 12V + 24V Neon Flex can be dimmed.
- LUMUL 12V + 24V Neon Flex can certainly be dimmed, as any 12V or 24V flexible strip can be dimmed using a dimming power supply or one of our commercial grade controllers.
There is tolerance for cutting a bit to either side of the cutting mark however if you do cut through one of the circuits you will definitely damage the circuit section where you cut. If this is 12V Neon Flex you may have the last 5cm not lighting up, for 220V Neon Flex that could be a meter. You might cause a short-circuit in the Neon Flex, in which case the Neon Flex will either not work until the short circuit is resolved (12V Neon Flex) or might even cause a more significant permanent failure (220V Neon Flex). A short-circuit of 220V Neon Flex will generally cause your 220V controller to fail.
- Type of driver: LUMUL 12V Neon Flex requires a 12V constant voltage power supply.
- Wattage: Your power supply must be able to handle the power drawn by the Neon Flex. Take the length of Neon Flex (in meters) connected to the power supply and multiply by 14.4 to know the total wattage required. Find a power supply which can supply this wattage, and include a 20% buffer otherwise you risk overworking the power supply.
- Water protection: Ensure your power supply is suitable to the environmental conditions: if the power supply is exposed to the environment you may need to purchase an IP67 power supply.
- Operating temperature: Ensure your power supply is suitable for the operating temperature where it will be located.
- Lifespan: The power supply will generally fail before the Neon Flex, so it is wise to purchase a power supply which will last in alignment with your needs. IP67 power supplies will generally outlast an IP20 power supply hence they usually have longer warranties. Mean Well power supplies will almost always outlast a no-name power supply.
Only consider powering 12V Neon Flex from both ends and not the 220V Neon Flex. Powering your Neon Flex from both ends is perfectly fine and a good way to get longer runs without voltage drop. It is critical that you ensure you wire the positive and negative wires correctly – both ends must match, otherwise you risk damaging your power supply and your Neon Flex.
Our Neon Flex is IP65 rated. It *could in theory* be submerged in water however we don’t recommend it, especially the ends where end caps and power connectors are sealed since not all clients are adept at sealing their Neon Flex properly. Where Neon Flex is used in a damp / moist environment it is imperative that the ends are sealed with a silicon glue and end cap / proper power connector / converter and heat shrink, otherwise water can leak in and damage the internals.
We NEVER recommend the use of 220V Neon Flex around pools, ponds and water features, as there is always the risk of shock if the neon flex was not sealed properly or the jacket was damaged.
It’s dead simple, and can be cut with a Stanley knife or even a sharp kitchen knife. A little pressure and some care to not cut your finger, and Bob’s your uncle. It really is simple.
Yes! That’s the beauty of Neon Flex. But note that inside the Neon Flex is a flat flexible strip FPC which means the Neon Flex can only be bent on one axis (laterally). It can be bent into quite a small radius without any problems or risk to the internals.
Yes, the PVC jackets and end caps, connectors and accessories are all resistant to salt water, sea air and high humidity.
Not really. Heat is the enemy of LED chips – the hotter the chips get the quicker the brightness will fade. It’s not a good idea to run them in an environment exceed 45 degrees Celsius.
Only use a neutral cure silicone sealant.
Troubleshooting
- Check your power source: Check your 12V or 24V constant voltage power supply or the power connector are supplying power.
- Check that the connector pins are inserted correctly and making contact with the internal copper wires.
- Check that you have the polarity correct : positive to positive, negative to negative.
- For 12V or 24V Neon Flex ensure your power supply is a constant voltage power supply and can supply sufficient current.
- For 220V Neon Flex ensure the power converter or controller is not faulty.
- You have almost certainly experienced a voltage spike exceeding around 240V which has permanently damaged your Neon Flex.
- There has been an electrical voltage surge which has damaged the internal circuit.
- A point on the internal circuit is damaged, most commonly this is because the Neon Flex was bent on the vertical axis or because of power spikes exceeding 240V. If this was due to man-handling the Neon Flex you can resolve this by cutting out the faulty section and splicing a working section of Neon Flex using splicing pins, silicon glue and heat shrink.
- This is most likely due to voltage drop – not enough voltage is reaching the furthest end of Neon Flex from the power supply. You can:
Reduce the length of the Neon Flex.
If it is 12V or 24V Neon Flex you can try to power it from both ends, ensuring the polarity is correct.
- Check that the connector pins are inserted correctly and making contact with the internal copper wires.
- Check the wiring on the power supply.
- If you are using a 220V power converter, the converter may be faulty.