"Help, my neon sign is flickering or only lights up in sections!"
"My neon doesn't look the pictures, it's so dim."
"My neon is broken, it won't light up all the way!"
"My neon is dying, it's winking good-bye to me"

These are just some of the most common customer questions we get, fortunately they are all a natural and normal occurrence. Very easily fixed!

Why Does It Happen?

Real neon signs light up by energy exchanges from the gases inside the glass tube. Electricity excites these gases, and science explains brilliantly how light is created from it. The gases are injected into the glass tube in powder. If you look closely, you can see the powder coating inside the glass.

Sometimes these gasses can pool or migrate. Especially if they travelled or were stored in cold temperatures, or experienced altitude changes like shipping by air (the pressure inside the glass is very low). This can also be the case if you haven't turned your neon on in awhile.

All our real neon lights are low voltage, and if any of these above situations occurred, your neon light may need a little help from you to get excited again. Follow the guidelines below to give your neon light some extra energy and bring it back to life!

First, make sure all parts are inserted correctly and the glass design is facing the right way. Plug your adapter directly into a wall outlet, not a power bar.

Step 1 - Caress The Glass With Two Hands

You read that right!

Place your fingers on the glass tube on each side and slowly and gently touch the neon tube on opposite ends. Oftentimes, your body's natural electrical conductivity can be all that's needed to get the gasses flowing! If this works, skip to step 3.

This step should work for all neons that partially light up and just need a bit of extra energy help. If you have a flickering or dim neon, especially from periods of long rest, step 2 will work better for you.

Step 2 - Shake It Up

Literally! Gently remove the glass from the base and shake it like a can of dry shampoo or your morning protein powder. Get those gases flowing again!

Be careful not to crush or break the glass, it is fragile! Give yourself a few feet of space in case you get carried away.

Step 3 - Leave On for 5-8 Hours 

Or longer, just make sure to leave it on for a full 5-8 hours straight. For flickering, see if you notice an improvement. If the flickering has subsided but still continues, leave it on for 24-48 hours and try step 2 again. Mostly all of our support cases have been resolved in the first try. If you left your neon light (for example) in a cold garage over the winter, it may need longer time. 

If these steps did not resolve the problem, check to make sure there are no cracks in the glass where the gas might have escaped. As long as the glass is intact, your neon light is not broken 😉 If the glass is broken click here. And if you still experience any inconsistencies with the light after troubleshooting, we can send you a replacement base - see how to contact us here.