Buy Led Fluorescent Tubes ((EXCLUSIVE))
Fluorescent lamps were once the only choice when it came to low-energy recessed lights. Thankfully, LED technology has drastically changed the lighting landscape. LED tubes are an excellent way to retrofit fluorescent fixtures without having to replace the entire housing.
buy led fluorescent tubes
When switching from fluorescent to LED, don't get too caught up on wattage equivalent. Look instead at the number of lumens produced by the LED tube and consider the height of your fixture. For offices, retail spaces, hospitality, and applications with similar a ceiling height, 4 ft. tubes with 1800 lumens or fewer are the most popular. You don't want to overwhelm a space and make customers or employees feel like they are sitting in an interrogation room. For taller ceilings that use strip lights or high-bay fixtures, like hospitals, warehouses, and parking garages, LED tube lights with more than 2000 lumens offer the brightest output.
Dimmable tubes can be used in areas where adjustable brightness is desired. For added durability in food service applications, look for LED tubes with a shatter-resistant coating that meets NSF/ANSI requirements. LED tubes that are DLC-certified have been tested to meet strict efficiency standards and may provide additional energy savings with state or local rebates.Ratings and certifications indicate the kinds of conditions that the tubes can be safely used in. Dry-location rated tubes should only be used indoors where the tubes will not come into any contact with water or moisture. LED tubes with a damp location rating can be used where moisture is present but should not come into direct contact with water.
The advanced technology of LED tubes allows for traditional direct-wire or the newer plug-and-play installation options. Plug-and-play (ballast-compatible) lamps operate with the fixture's existing fluorescent ballast, so no rewiring is necessary. Direct-wire (ballast-bypass) LED tubes operate off the line voltage directly from the sockets, so the fixture's ballast must first be bypassed and then removed. Sockets may also need to be replaced. Because fluorescent ballasts draw a small amount of electricity, direct-wire LED tubes offer more energy savings over the life of the bulb compared to plug-and-play LED tubes.
If unsure of which installation method is right for your situation, be sure to check the Ballast Compatibility PDF or spec sheet hyperlinked on the product pages at 1000Bulbs.com to help locate the correct fluorescent replacement tubes, or call one of our lighting experts at 1-800-624-4488.
Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture. If the LED bulb is compatible with the existing fluorescent ballast in the fixture, simply remove the fluorescent tube and replace it with the LED tube light. Because the ballast is still operational, it will continue to draw power and can fail.
Direct-wire LED tubes can also replace fluorescents but require rewiring the fixture to bypass the ballast and replace sockets with non-shunted lamp holders. While this conversion is a little more effort upfront, using direct-wire LED tubes eliminates the ballast as a failure point (as in the plug-and-play option), and reduces the overall energy consumption by eliminating the ballast.
If time and manpower are limited, hybrid LED tubes may be the ideal solution. Hybrid LED tubes can be installed initially as plug-and-play tubes to get you back up and running with minimal downtime, then switched to direct-wire installation once the ballast fails. Unlike plug-and-play tubes that can only be used with a working ballast, hybrid LED lamps can be used in either installation.
LED tubes last an average 50,000 hours, twice that of fluorescent tubes. Used for 12 hours a day, an LED tube with a 50,000 hour rated life will last over 11-years. Some LED tube lights are rated for 70,000 hours or longer.
Most T8 LED bulbs do not need a ballast. The only type of LED tube that requires a ballast is plug-and-play. Used as direct replacements for fluorescent tubes, plug-and-play LED tube lights install without fixture rewiring, and operate off the existing fluorescent ballast. Hybrid LED tubes can be used with a ballast, but one is not required. Some LED tubes cannot operate with a ballast. Direct-wire or ballast-bypass LED tubes require the ballast be removed prior to installation.
Installing as double-ended direct-wire tubes, high-output LED tubes replace high-output fluorescent lamps. Featuring a recessed double-contact (R17d) base, these tubes operate with the existing sockets once the ballast has been removed and the fixture rewired.
Yes! LED u-bend tubes come with either 6-inch or 1.625-inch leg spacing, and operate more efficiently than their fluorescent counterparts. These tubes are commonly used in 2x2 fixtures in retail stores, offices, hospitals, and other locations. Tubes with a shatter-resistant coating meeting NSF requirements can be used in restaurants and in food prep areas. Some tubes can be paired with dimmers, allowing you to adjust the light output as needed. For potential state or local rebates, look for LED u-bend tubes that are DLC listed. LED u-bends are available in various color temperatures and plug-and-play and direct-wire configurations. Check the product compatibility PDF hyperlinked under Brochures and Spec Sheets on 1000Bulbs.com for assistance. Some LED u-bends cannot be used in fully enclosed fixtures.
In short, YES! LED lighting technology has come to a point where the efficiency makes it hard to justify keeping your old fluorescent lights or incandescent bulbs in place. Even though the initial replacement costs to choose LED tubes will be higher, you will see energy savings that will pay for those upfront costs within 2 years in most cases. 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.
LED replacement lamps are on average 30% more efficient than their fluorescent light counterparts. That means if you are spending $10,000 on your lighting energy costs per year, your bill will be reduced by $3,000 or more every year that you use the LED bulbs. Standard 4-foot T8 LED bulbs are available at as low as 12 watts of power consumption, while their fluorescent light counterparts will start at 25 watts.
One of the big reasons why LED tubes are more efficient is because it only emits light in one direction. The light emitting diodes (LEDs) are all arranged along the bottom of the lamp and send light downwards. Fluorescent lamps emit light in all directions, including up towards the ceiling where it is not needed.
Some LED lamps are now rated to last up to 84,000 hours, while the average life of a fluorescent tube lamp is only 30,000 hours. That is over twice as long, so keep that in mind when you are calculating your purchase. The LED lamp is more expensive, but you will need to replace your fluorescent bulbs 2 or 3 times during the lifespan of an LED. Keep in mind the labor costs of replacing those fluorescent bulbs, particularly if you are lighting a large warehouse.
The ability to dim your lights increases their efficiency because you will only be using the wattage necessary for the amount of light that you require. Most fluorescent lights have two settings, ON and OFF. That means that even if you only need a little bit of light, you still need to operate at full power consumption. Some expensive fluorescent bulbs are dimmable with a special ballast, but at that point, your cost is comparable to an LED option.
One of the downfalls of fluorescent lighting is that each bulb contains mercury, which is harmful to the environment and must be disposed of properly. You can purchase special recycling kits to dispose of your fluorescent lamps properly, but add that to the cost of opting for fluorescent lighting over LED lights.
Have you ever picked up a fluorescent lamp that dropped on the ground? If you did it was probably with a broom and dustpan. Fluorescent tube lamps are notoriously fragile, but their LED counterparts are quite strong. They are built with durable, plastic housing that should even be able to withstand a drop from a low height.
A great way to improve efficiency in your warehouse or other space is to install occupancy sensors. This ensures that light will only be produced in areas where someone is present. Unfortunately, this can have a big impact on the life of your fluorescent lights. Each time you turn on a fluorescent bulb, a small amount of mercury vapor is burned off. Once that is diminished, the bulb will no longer work. On the other hand, the life of an LED bulb is not affected by the number of times it is turned on and off.
Many LED tubes are "plug and play", meaning you can just install them like you would a fluorescent bulb. For this to be true, look for bulbs that are "ballast-compatible" meaning that they can use the ballast already installed in your fluorescent fixture to power the LEDs.
The time has come for fluorescent lamps to step aside and make room for LED technology because LED lights are far more efficient and affordable than fluorescent lamps. Simply put, if you want to lower your energy demands while saving time and money on labor, switch your linear light fixtures to LED!
If you don't have fluorescent fixtures and need to install new lighting, tube LEDs may not be the best choice. It is often more efficient to install a fixture with built-in LEDs that will not require bulbs. You can shop for those on ShineRetrofits.com here.
A ballast is a device that sits between your power source and your fluorescent light fixture. Its job is to protect the fluorescent bulbs by controlling the flow of electrical current into the fixture. Since fluorescent bulbs cannot regulate current on their own, without a ballast, the bulbs can draw too much power and burn out. In addition to significantly shortening the lifespan of the bulb, this can create a safety hazard. 041b061a72