LED vs Fluorescent Tubes - Comparison in Energy Consumption, Lighting Performance & Efficiency - metroLED (2024)

FAQs

Which is more energy efficient LED or fluorescent? ›

Compared to fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are up to 80% more efficient. Unlike fluorescent lights, LED lights convert 95% of their energy into light and only 5% is wasted as heat; this is all while still using far less power to provide a strong and consistent output at a lower wattage.

The two different technologies are entirely different methods of producing light. Fluorescent bulbs contain inert gas within the glass casing while LEDs are a solid state technology. Fluorescent lights produce UV radiation and then convert it into visible light through the use of a phosphor coating inside the bulb.

LED tube lighting is the better choice because it lasts about 40,000 hours longer in testing, is more energy efficient, will save you more money, and will leave less impact on the environment.

Fluorescent lighting is very energy efficient

It uses around one fifth of the power used by incandescent lighting – an electric light with a wire filament heated until it glows. Typically, fluorescent bulbs last for 6000 to 8000 hours, whereas incandescent bulbs generally only last for around 1000 to 2000 hours.

There are two main types of energy-efficient light bulbs available: compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are the most common and adaptable light fitting, and are suitable for replacing dimmable lights and spotlights. LEDs are also more energy-efficient than CFLs.

LED bulbs. Generally, the most energy efficient lighting technology you can buy for your home is the Light Emitting Diode (LED). A quality LED produces the most light with the least electricity. Fortunately, their purchase price is also continuing to go down.

Replacing fluorescent tubes with LED lights is low-cost, energy-efficient lighting for you. The LED lights will give you better quality lighting and a much longer lifespan. Increased lifespan is one of the reasons LED lights have quickly become a popular alternative for fluorescent and incandescent lights.

Why choose LED and how much do I save? Using LED, you will save 62% in costs. An LED bulb will actually use 75% less energy on average compared to a standard fluorescent bulb. LED lighting can be more expensive initially when buying the bulbs, however, in the long run they will save you money.

Based on the direction, loss of heat, and reflection reductions – LED lights provide almost 70% more light when supplied with the same amount of energy as a fluorescent tube.

Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.

Does LED tube light save electricity? ›

“With an estimated energy efficiency of 80-90% compared to conventional light bulbs, LEDs significantly reduce energy consumption, and thus help save money by lowering electricity bills,” says Rakesh Zutshi, MD, Halonix Technologies and President of Electric Lamp and Components Manufacturers Association of India.

An LED light produces 90% more efficient light as compared to incandescent bulbs and Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL) tube lights. Furthermore, unlike bulbs and CFLs, LEDs do not burn out.

2. Energy efficiency. Because of their high lumen output per watt, LEDs are capable of turning about 70% of their energy into light. This makes them much more efficient than other bulbs, which waste a lot of energy by turning it into heat.

Fluorescent lamps are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs of an equivalent brightness. This is because a greater proportion of the power used is converted to usable light and a smaller proportion is converted to heat, allowing fluorescent lamps to run cooler.

The light-emitting diode (LED) is today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technology.

LEDs are super-efficient light bulbs; they create a lot of light but use very little energy. ENERGY STAR^® certified LEDs are up to 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, and they last at least 15 times longer.

XED lights are better in terms of spectral contents, power consumption as well as total running life hours. They produce less glares and are clearer under foggy weather. Moreover, the XED lights don't have excess blue emissions like LED lights.

Because diode light is more power efficient than filament light, LEDs use less energy than incandescent bulbs. More than seventy-five percent less energy is consumed by LED lights compared to incandescent bulbs. The discrepancy is considerably more pronounced at low power levels.

Which is better for health LED or fluorescent? ›

The answer is LEDs. LED lighting is the unrivaled choice for any commercial or industrial facility. An LED tube is more energy efficient and lasts longer than a fluorescent tube. An LED lamp is safer due to its lack of toxic materials and is more durable than a fluorescent lamp.

When will CFL bulbs be removed from the market? As part of the European Union's Ecodesign Directive, no new CFL bulbs with integrated ballasts (for example those with E14 or E27 bases) will be produced from 1 September 2021. Old bulbs can still be sold, but the stock will be steadily reduced.

Fluorescent bulbs can go for years without replacement—even when the ends start to blacken. Don't worry about them until the light they put out starts to weaken.

LEDs produce less heat

The difference is that the heat produced by LEDs is significantly lower than other lighting technology. This is why you often hear LEDs being cool to the touch and incandescent and fluorescent lights being hot to the touch.

LED lighting differs from incandescent and fluorescent in several ways. When designed well, LED lighting is more efficient, versatile, and lasts longer. LEDs are “directional” light sources, which means they emit light in a specific direction, unlike incandescent and CFL, which emit light and heat in all directions.

Since there is such an enormous difference between LED bulbs and incandescent bulbs and also a difference between fluorescent lighting and LED's it's not hard to figure out that the reasons that LED lights seem so much brighter is because they have a higher lumens output/watt which means that even though less power is ...

LED lighting can last up to five times longer than fluorescents, and LEDs require few, if any, replacements. Overall, our LED lights will produce an equivalent amount of total lumens at a significantly lower wattage than fluorescent lighting, reducing the energy usage of the bulb.

You have fluorescent troffers or strip fixtures already, and you're wondering if you can just pop LED tubes in them or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news: You can absolutely use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!

If the temperature around it gets too hot and it does not have a proper heat sink, that can cause the LEDs in the lamp to overheat and then it will fail. That can happen, for instance, if you use an LED lamp that is not supposed to be used in an enclosed fixture, like a recessed can or downlight.

Shop 8-foot LED retrofit kits

Install LED retrofit kits to 4-foot tubes. Another option to get rid of 8-foot tubes completely is to use an LED retrofit kit for 4-foot tubes.

Does leaving LED lights on increase electric bill? ›

Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs for short, are the most efficient bulbs you can use for home illumination. Like incandescent bulbs, they are generally unaffected by the number of times you turn them on or off.

Disadvantages of LED Bulbs

Most white LED bulbs emit a cooler, blue-tinted light — rather than the “warmer” glow that is associated with incandescent bulbs. Some people prefer “daylight” or “natural light” LED options. Some LED fixtures may create sharp shadows that may not be desirable in certain places in the home.

Even though fluorescent tube is considered as energy saving light sources compared to incandescent bulbs, it consumes more energy compared to LED.

Fluorescent lights have a variety of great advantages over old lighting technology, like incandescents. They're much more efficient, so they use less energy. They also have a longer lifespan—about 13x longer—so they don't need to be replaced as often.

The semiconductor acts as a junction through which electrical energy is filtered, releasing light as a by product. Light is therefore emitted directly from the source input, without first powering a separate light emitting load (e.g. filament). In this way, LED consumes less power than rival technologies.

Even if you're using fluorescent, metal halide or sodium vapor lights, an LED light will last at least two to four times longer. As such, savings extend not only to replacement costs but also to the maintenance costs of your company's lighting bill.

Because they run at much lower wattages to produce the same lumen output as their fluorescent equivalents, LEDs are far cheaper in terms of energy bills.

LED efficiency is best because the bulbs waste very little energy on heat, concentrating electricity on the production of light. Incandescents waste the most energy. CFLs are not all that much better, releasing 80% as heat.

One disadvantage of LEDs is the high initial cost per bulb. Over time, however, LED lights will pay for themselves through energy savings and incredibly long lifespans. Bulbs from various manufacturers may appear noticeably different in terms of their white light hues, so choose a well-known brand.

Can you replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes? ›

Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.

An urban myth has continued to circulate about the amount of electricity used by fluorescent tubes when they are first turned on. The extra electricity used is negligible. If it wasn't, it would blow your fuses and trip switches.

Turning off fluorescent lights for more than 5 seconds will save more energy than will be consumed in turning them back on again. Therefore, the real issue is the value of the electricity saved by turning the light off relative to the cost of changing a lightbulb.

The UK began phasing out the sale of higher-energy halogen lightbulbs in 2018, with the sale of halogen bulbs for general household use in the UK banned from September 2021. High-energy fluorescent lightbulbs are next to follow suit, with all T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps being banned in the UK from 2023.

Here's why LEDs are more expensive. But LEDs are great because they don't produce heat. LEDs or light-emitting diodes don't require any heat to help their elements 'glow'. We have helpful information on why LEDs don't get warm.

Fluorescent lights produce between 50 and 100 lumens per watt. By comparison, LEDs can produce roughly 130 lumens per watt. For example, a T5HO Commercial LED tube light uses only 25 watts to produce an output of 3334 lumens. In other words, LEDs require fewer watts to produce a brighter light.

LED Light is Too White

Some people who have used LED bulbs have noticed that they are usually whiter and brighter than regular incandescent light bulbs. As such, some people feel that these LED bulbs make their home feel like a hospital operating room or a chemical laboratory. People are accustomed to warmer light.

There are a number of basic reasons for LED lights to fail but the primary issue is heat. Over-heating can be a result of a number of design and assembly issues but is still the cause of the majority of LED lamp failures – both in the fitting themselves and also the drivers.

Chronic exposure to LED lights can speed up the ageing of retinal tissue, leading to a decline in visual acuity and an increased risk of eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).