Why Get a LED Replacement for Fluorescent Tubes (2024)

FAQs

Why Get a LED Replacement for Fluorescent Tubes? ›

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.

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.

Since plug and play LEDs are compatible with ballasts, you can simply remove a fluorescent bulb and replace it with an LED. Since no additional modification or wiring is required, it's as easy as replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs in your home.

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!

The average home with incandescent bulbs uses about 2,000 kWh of electricity per year. At the national average of $0.10 per kWh, these homeowners spend $215 a year on lighting. By switching to LEDs, you can save around $4,000 over 20 years (the typical lifespan of an LED).

LED tube lights are increasingly used to replace fluorescent lights. Compared to fluorescents, LED lighting lasts longer, is more energy efficient and uses no mercury.

No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or "plug-and-play" LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.

Additionally, because ballasts eventually fail over time, removing and bypassing the ballast when installing your new lights guarantees a longer lifespan, since direct-wiring LEDs is significantly more energy-efficient.

In short, YES!

New linear LED tube bulbs are simple plug-and-play and ballast compatible. You will simply need to remove your fluorescent bulb and plug in your LED light replacement. Read on for more info to support your decision to replace your linear fluorescent light bulbs with tube LEDs.

There are various methods for converting fluorescent lighting fixtures into LED ones. However, the simplest way is to use some sort of retrofit kit. These kits attach to already existing lighting fixtures and allow for LED bulbs to be housed in them.

Do you need a different starter for LED tubes? ›

Conventional fluorescent tubes need a starter. This starter provides ignition voltage. Naturally, this isn't necessary for LEDs, so the ignition voltage is superfluous. If you want to replace a traditional fluorescent bulb with an LED, then you must install a dummy starter or bypass the standard starter manually.

Check the Ballast with a Multimeter

Insert one probe into the wire connector while holding the white wires together. Touch the other probe to the ends of yellow, red, and blue wires coming from the ballast. Some might exclude the yellow. If the ballast doesn't cause the needle to move, you know it needs to be replaced.

The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube's diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5" in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won't fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they'll fit just fine.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of LED light bulbs is that they emit more blue light than incandescent bulbs, which are more on the red end of the spectrum. Blue light can cause a disruption in your circadian rhythm, negatively affect your ability to fall asleep and the quality of your sleep.

LED tube lights that have a "UL Type B" specification are not compatible with fluorescent ballasts. They cannot be used with the fluorescent ballast, and must be connected directly to mains electricity. The LED driver, however, is integrated into the LED tube itself.

T8 fluorescent tubes are commonly rated for 20,000 life hours, but range from 7,500 hours to 46,000 hours for standard T8 tubes. More energy efficient fluorescent T8 lamps can have a rated lifespan of up to 84,000 hours.

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.

T5 & T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes are to be phased out. In 2023, T5 and T8 fluorescent and compact fluorescent tubes (CFL) will be phased out in accordance with the European Commission's ecodesign and RoHS directives.

In many fluorescent fixtures, power is sent through a pair of bulbs. If either bulb is bad, they may both flicker or one may flicker and the other show no life. My philosophy of sensible repair is to always replace both bulbs.

You could destroy the LEDs. The ballast from fluorescent lights uses a much higher starting voltage (around 600 V) to get them started. It lasts for fractions of a second before dropping down to the normal line voltage. Depending on the LED circuit tolerances, it could be destroyed.

Should I replace ballast or buy new fixture? ›

For energy savings, reliability, and longevity – replace ballasts – not bulbs. In addition to energy efficiency issues, older ballasts simply do not offer the reflection geometry newer options do.

Type A – ballast for led lights compatible

Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.

Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.

According to the Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association, the average magnetic ballast lasts about 75,000 hours, or 12 to 15 years with normal use. The optimum economic life of a fluorescent lighting system with magnetic ballasts is usually about 15 years.

Enclosed fixtures that don't allow for proper ventilation can drastically affect the temperature of the LED bulb, causing it to overheat and shortening the lifespan of the bulb. That's why some bulbs will tell you not to use it in an enclosed ceiling fan or fully enclosed porch light fixture.

The short answer: yes. This is one of the most common questions we come across. Before you jump in and make the decision to upgrade without changing out the ballast, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s.

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.

Yes, some fluorescent tubes are able to function without the use of a starter. When your tube works with an electronic ballast it does not have a starter. This is for example the case with high-frequent (HF) tubes.

All the wiring that is commonly used in houses is perfectly fine for use with LEDs. Many LED fixtures have a transformer already built in and can be connected to a standard electrical outlet. Some LED products, i.e. LED strip lights, require an external power supply.

Changing a ballast CAN BE demanding, even for the experienced. If you have no idea your skill level but if you're asking about a ballast then you you need an electrician. Ballasts are as basic as they come. Personally I would ditch the fluorescents and install regular fixtures.

What are the signs of a bad ballast? ›

The average life expectancy of a fluorescent light ballast is 10-15 years. Any ballast beyond that age should be considered to be at a heightened risk of failure.

Direct-wire compatible T8 LED tube lights can be used in a T12 fixture, as long as the T12 ballast is either bypassed, or completely removed.

Why are my light bulbs phased out? In July 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy's lighting mandate took effect. Fluorescent T12 lamps and ballasts were phased out and are no longer legal to be produced or imported. This mandate was passed due to federal energy efficiency regulations.

Bulbs that provide light at around 4100K to 5000K are considered "cool white" and these start to have a slightly blue feel to them. Bulbs that provide light at around 6500K are considered "daylight bulbs" and these have a definite blue and cool sensation to them.

Not only do LED holiday lights consume less electricity, they also have the following advantages: Safer: LEDs are much cooler than incandescent lights, reducing the risk of combustion or burnt fingers. Sturdier: LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, and are much more resistant to breakage.

No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or "plug-and-play" LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.

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.

While the discontinued products may no longer be manufactured, they can still be sold until existing supplies are gone. In the meantime, consumers are likely to pay a premium for the lamps themselves, but also more in utility costs because these technologies use more energy.

LED tube lights are increasingly used to replace fluorescent lights. Compared to fluorescents, LED lighting lasts longer, is more energy efficient and uses no mercury. LED lights also offer superior light quality, with no flickering.

Can I replace my T12 bulbs with LED? ›

The short answer: yes. This is one of the most common questions we come across. Before you jump in and make the decision to upgrade without changing out the ballast, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s.

Type A – ballast for led lights compatible

Can LED lamps work off of existing ballasts? Yes, if they have an internal driver than can work off that ballast. Philips, for example, has designed a tube that is compatible with an existing electronic ballast.

Mercury-containing light sources will be phased out after a public comment process that closed in July 2021. This means that linear fluorescent lamps, the largest category of mercury-containing light sources, will be banned from September 2023.

LEDs have an extremely long lifespan relative to every other lighting technology (including fluorescent lights). New LEDs can last 50,000 to 100,000 hours or more. The typical lifespan for a fluorescent bulb, by comparison, is 10-25% as long at best (roughly 10,000 hours).

Why are my light bulbs phased out? In July 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy's lighting mandate took effect. Fluorescent T12 lamps and ballasts were phased out and are no longer legal to be produced or imported. This mandate was passed due to federal energy efficiency regulations.

The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube's diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5" in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won't fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they'll fit just fine.