Do LEDs last longer than neon tubes?
This is a tricky question…if you consider the decrease in light output over time, there is no definitive answer. The light output of an LED is decreased by a deterioration of the semiconductors crystal lattice, whereas the light output of a neon tube is decreased by a deterioration of the fluorescent phosphours. Several factors contribute to the deterioration in both cases, including increased operating temperature, increased operating current, material contamination, etc. Both will deteriorate with time, so there really is very little point in trying to compare the lifetime of one over the other. Eventually an LED will completely fail (after an average of 12+ years when run 24 hours a day), but at the same time, a neon tube will have decreased its light output so much that it may not be worth turning it on to begin with.
