LED Retrofit & Neon to LED Conversion in Los Angeles

If your commercial sign is still running on neon tubes or fluorescent lighting, you are paying significantly more for electricity than you need to, dealing with more frequent maintenance and repairs, and getting dimmer output than modern technology can deliver. LED retrofits solve all three problems at once, and they do it while keeping your existing sign structure intact.

LED technology has advanced dramatically in the past decade. Today’s commercial-grade LED modules produce brighter, more uniform light output than neon or fluorescent lighting ever could. They consume 50 to 70 percent less electricity. They last 50,000 to 100,000 hours compared to 8,000 to 15,000 hours for neon and fluorescent. And they require virtually no maintenance over their rated lifespan because there are no tubes to replace, no ballasts to fail, and no gases to leak.

For businesses that operate signs for extended hours — restaurants, hotels, gas stations, convenience stores, retail shops, and entertainment venues — the energy savings alone often pay for the LED conversion within 1 to 3 years. After that payback period, the savings flow directly to your bottom line for the remaining decades of the LED’s service life.

The energy savings from an LED retrofit are not hypothetical. They show up on your electricity bill the very first month. Here are typical savings based on common sign types we convert:

A standard set of neon channel letters draws approximately 400 to 800 watts. After LED conversion, the same set of letters draws 100 to 200 watts — a 60 to 75 percent reduction. For a sign that operates 12 hours per day, 365 days per year at an average California electricity rate of $0.25 per kWh, that translates to $130 to $260 per year in energy savings from a single sign.

Larger signs see proportionally larger savings. A fluorescent cabinet sign or light box drawing 1,000 to 2,000 watts can be retrofitted to LED at 200 to 500 watts. A pylon sign with multiple fluorescent cabinets drawing 3,000+ watts total can be reduced to under 1,000 watts. For multi-location businesses or property managers with portfolios of signs, the aggregate annual savings can be substantial.

We include a detailed energy savings calculation with every LED retrofit proposal, using your actual sign specifications, operating hours, and local electricity rates. This gives you a clear payback timeline and lifetime savings projection before you commit to the conversion.

The rated lifespan of commercial LED modules is 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Compare that to neon (8,000 to 15,000 hours before tubes need replacement) and fluorescent (10,000 to 20,000 hours before tubes and ballasts need replacement). This means LED modules last 5 to 10 times longer than the lighting they replace.

More importantly, LED modules have no moving parts, no filaments to break, no gas to leak, and no ballasts to fail. The failure mode for LEDs is a very gradual dimming over many years, not the sudden failure that characterizes neon tube cracks and ballast burnouts. This means far fewer emergency service calls, far less downtime with your sign dark, and far lower maintenance costs over the life of the sign.

Channel Letter Conversions

Channel letters are the most common sign type we retrofit. Whether front lit, back lit, or combination lit, we replace the internal neon or fluorescent tubes with LED modules positioned for optimal face illumination. Front lit channel letters receive modules aimed at the translucent face. Back lit (reverse) channel letters receive modules aimed at the wall behind the letter to create the halo effect. Edge lit and combination lit letters receive modules positioned for their specific illumination pattern.

Cabinet Sign and Light Box Conversions

Cabinet signs and light boxes are ideal candidates for LED retrofit. These signs typically used rows of fluorescent tubes that created visible banding patterns on the face. LED modules eliminate the banding and create smooth, even illumination across the entire face panel. We also replace yellowed or damaged face panels during the retrofit when needed, giving the sign a completely refreshed appearance.

Pole Sign and Pylon Sign Conversions

Pole signs and pylon signs often contain multiple fluorescent cabinets at heights that make maintenance expensive and disruptive. Converting these signs to LED dramatically reduces the frequency of service calls at height, which saves on both maintenance costs and business disruption. LED retrofits for elevated signs pay for themselves even faster than ground-level signs because of the eliminated aerial service costs.

Monument Sign Conversions

Monument signs with internal illumination benefit from LED conversion in the same way as cabinet signs. We replace the internal fluorescent or neon lighting with properly spaced LED modules, improving brightness and uniformity while cutting energy consumption significantly.