Replacing your fluorescent tube lights with LED retrofits can be a confusing and daunting process. We've put together
this guide to demystify all of the ins and outs of replacing your fluorescent tubes with LED tube lights.
1) Advantages of
LED tubes over fluorescent tubes[/b]
The many advantages of LED tubes over fluorescents are covered quite extensively, so we won't go into depth, but the
three primary advantages are:
Higher efficiency, energy savings (up to 30-50%)
Longer lifetimes (typically 50k hours)
No mercury
2) Fluorescent tubes sizes and
LED tube light retrofitting[/b]
Because fluorescent fixtures are often mounted into ceilings and connected directly to mains electricity, they are relatively
expensive and difficult to replace completely.
As a result, it oftentimes makes the most economical sense to simply use the same fluorescent fixture, but replace the
fluorescent tube with an LED tube light.
Therefore, it is important to understand the types of fluorescent tubes that were developed, so that the correct
LED panel light can be retrofitted in place.
Over the years, fluorescent tube manufacturers developed many varieties of sizes and types.
T8 4-ft: Four-foot T8 fluorescent lamps are the most commonly used type today. They are 48 inches in length, and
have a 1 inch lamp diameter.
T12 4-ft: Four-foot T12 fluorescent lamps are less efficient compared to T8 lamps. They are the same length as T8
lamps, but have a larger 1.5 inch lamp diameter.
T5 4-ft: Four-foot T5 fluorescent lamps are typically the most efficient, and some of the newest types of lamps
introduced in the 2000's in the USA. They are commonly designated T5HO (high output) and provide more brightness than
their T8 counterparts. They are slightly shorter than four feet (45.8 inches). T5 lamps come in a variety of lengths such as
1-ft, 2-ft and 3-ft versions and are commonly used in non-ceiling fixtures such as table lamps.
T8 and T12 tubes are also available in other lengths such as 8-ft tubes, but 4-ft lengths remain the most common types.
LED tube lights replicate the mechanical dimensions to ensure that they can be true retrofit replacements, and adopt the same
form factor names (e.g. 4-foot T8 LED tube light).
T8 and T12 fixtures are generally the same length and use the same pins, so mechanically they are usually cross-compatible.
T5 fixtures are NOT cross-compatible with T8 and T12 lamps due to their different pin sizes and actual length.
3) Fluorescent ballasts and
LED tri-proof light retrofitting[/b]
All fluorescent tube lights use a device called a ballast to regulate the lamp's brightness as it warms up. These devices
are necessary for fluorescent lamps, and differ from incandescent lamps which can be connected directly to mains electrical
circuits.
Fluorescent lamp fixtures typically house the ballast inside the fixture, and is not accessible without removing the fixture
from the ceiling. Alterations to the fluorescent lamp ballast should be done only by those comfortable and knowledgeable with
electrical work.
Today
LED high bay lights deliver equal or
better lighting performance with only a fraction of the energy consumption of the traditional fluorescent tube
LED flood lights. LED tube is the newest product line in the tube
family made up of white LED chip modules. Provided with the advantages of long life-span, radiation-free, energy saving,
environmental friendly.
Once you learn about the benefits of LED tube lights, you will see and understand why they are a positive choice for
anyone looking to improve the environment with their lighting choices. In this Article, we will be comparing
LED linear Lighting and traditional Fluorescent
Tube Light by following characteristics
Function
Light Output
Power Consumption
Directivity
Color
What are LED Tube Lights?
LED tube lights are among the most popular and versatile lighting solutions available today. They’re particularly well
suited to applications and install environments where the goal is to achieve a flexible variety of modern, clean-looking
indoor lighting in rooms and displays of all sizes.
You’ll often find assemblies of larger LED tube lights being used to provide bright, even lighting across many types of
wider or more open spaces. Common examples might include commercial displays, workshops and laboratories, kitchens, hallways,
foyers, factory floors, gymnasiums, car parks, and any other communal, multipurpose or high traffic areas.
Smaller LED tubes are also highly popular options for accent lighting in and under cabinets, worktops and other items of
built-in or freestanding furniture, as well as in many different types of signage assemblies and other important display
areas.
Today, a huge number of homes, business premises and civic facilities are transitioning away from the traditional, older
style fluorescent/CFL tube lighting and installing LED alternatives in their place. There are several great reasons to do
this, with the most compelling being the lower running costs and far longer lifespans of LED lamps vs fluorescent
equivalents. This generally results in vastly improved efficiency throughout the working life of the light. In turn, this
ultimately means that you can expect far better value over time, as well as considerably reduced environmental impact, by
switching to LEDs.
In this introductory guide, we’ll find out a little more about the different types of LED tube lights you can buy
online, as well as briefly looking at how to fit them. We’ll also compare LED tubes to other common types of tube and strip
lights, and contrast the relative strengths and weaknesses of each kind.
T5 LED Tube light and T5 Tubes
LED tube lights are usually categorised by various key designations. The most common of these are tube length (this can
be stated in either imperial or metric measurements) and bulb or lamp size. Lamp size is typically given as a ‘T’
measurement, with widespread standard sizes including T5, T8 and T12.
If you’re wondering exactly what is the difference between T5, T8 and T12 lights, the main point to remember is that the
higher the T rating, the thicker a lamp will be in diameter. T equals 1/8 of an inch and the number after the T denotes how
many eighths of an inch wide the bulb is - hence T8 is exactly one inch or 8/8ths. You can use this to calculate the diameter
of different sized LED tube lights. Therefore,
T8 tubes
at 1-inch (25.4mm) have a larger diameter than T5 tubes (5/8-inch or 15.9mm), but they are not as wide as T12 (1.5-
inches or 38.1mm) lamps.
In standard fluorescent tubes, smaller diameters almost always mean better efficiency. A T5 bulb will use less energy to
produce the same amount of light as a T8, while a T12 will run at about 45% higher electricity consumption to output the same
amount of light as a T5. Being vastly more power-efficient across the board, newer LED equivalents don’t follow quite the
same pattern in terms of percentages. However, the basic principle remains similar, even if the ratios between bulb diameter
and energy usage stay far closer together as you move up the lamp sizing scale.
It's also worth noting that different tube sizes will tend to be associated with different lamp bases or sockets. T8
and T12 tubes are mounted to bi-pin G13 bases as standard, while T5 tubes are normally attached to a bi-pin G5 socket
fitting. In simple terms, this is essentially the tube light equivalent of standard bulb cap styles and sizes.