LED tubes to replace fluorescent T8

[akara]

Dear all,

I am considering of changing my fluorescent tubes with these new LED tubes that can operate with ballast. So far I know that Cree and Philips can provide such LED tubes but I did not find any reviews or user comments about them.
Could anyone help me and suggest which ones should buy?
Does anyone have any experience with them, what about their performance?

Cheers

[eebowler]

I’ve seen some over at ledsupply.com. some requires electrical retrofitting while one I believe doesn’t.

http://www.ledsupply.com/led-bulbs/everled-ve-t8-led-tube-light?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sept2014

Many others available at other places.

[leaftye]

Feit has some. Only about 1000 lumens per tube, but I really like it. I got mine with a fixture from Costco a couple months ago. There's a thread here about it.

[akara]

What about philips InstantFit, because I am thinking of buying this one?

[blueb8llz]

im curious as well. my aquarium still uses the t8 or maybe even the t12 hahah
but im also running some t5’s with it two.
its a 300 gallon aquarium , so lots of lighting.
i would love to get some led’s for it though.

[hank]

Time to redo a 1920s desk lamp — adding a ground wire, taking the old suspicious GE 3-watt ballast to the toxic waste dump, replacing the cracked wiring.

I can find a ballast and fluorescent but would like to find a LED tube replacement.

It’s not for me, or it’d become a massive heat sink with multiple stars — but it’s for someone who’d like it to either look like the same thing or not too weird ….

[syadasti]

These are the best I’ve seen so far, we demoed them. Works well but very expensive up front. You bypass the ballast…

http://www.thinklite.com/TL%20LED%20Tube%20Products_Technologies.html

131 LM/W

ThinkLite introduces the first LED tube capable of actually
replicating fluorescent light levels when replaced one for one. It
is easily and safely installed in existing fluorescent fixtures by
simply bypassing the ballast and inserting the tubes.
ThinkLite’s unique driverless design enables the use of an
enhanced heat sink system, producing advanced thermal
management capabilities, thus eliminating long term color shifts
and increasing lifespans to 65,000 hours.
Features Included:
• ThinkLite’s proprietary driverless LED technology
• Reduced energy consumption by 50%
• Vibration and impact resistant
• Longer lifespan (65,000 hours)
• 5 year warranty
• No harmful UV rays
• Instant on / off
• Can be used to replace T12 FL
• Optional opaque lens cover

We decided to lower our fixtures for easy access and stick with our existing traditional T5HO setup…

[hank]

those don’t include 18” tubes, so I suspect I’m going to use a new fluorescent.

Still poking around for something.
The old lamp has a “15 watt” GE 18” x 1” (no other numbering on the lamp) and the ballast is 4” long between mounting points and rated for 3 watts.
It’s a pretty dim desk lamp by modern standards, though still working — flickery cool white, tired — and as i said not even grounded and not a polarized plug.

EDIT —- I moved that old fluorescent discussion to replace a single 18-inch fluorescent tube (rehab an old art deco desk lamp) so I don’t mix up the older topic

and will keep this one about using LEDs for building/rehabbing fluorescent fixtures.

[syadasti]

How about a 280W LEP? :bigsmile:

http://www.luxim.com

[I_ant]

I finally convinced my employer to purchase some led replacements. Our ceiling lights are super hard to get to, because of several layers of process piping.

Maybe this would work?

Ledwholesalers 20 watt LED T8 Tube for 48” 4FT fluorescent replacement, no ballast no UV & IR white

with a lot of reviews… and it does what it supposed to do. ONly now, we won’t have to worry about replacing them for a while.

PS. Link is affiliate, so thank you.

here also

This 48” LED tube is compatible with virtually every standard ballast equipped fluorescent light fixture. To install, simply bypass the existing ballast/starter and connect the hot wire to one end and the neutral wire to the other end. Ideal for all energy saving application in offices, shops, warehouses, and stores.

Note

• Ballast/starter of existing fixtures must be bypassed or removed.
• Power is to be applied on both ends of the bulb — Hot/Live to one end and Neutral to opposite end.

Specifications

• LED Type: Surface Mount LEDs
• Input Voltage: 120VAC, 60Hz
• Power: 20 Watts
• Beam Angle: 140°
• Available Color Temperatures: White (5000-6000K) | Neutral White (4100-4500K) | Warm White (3100-3400K)
• Light Output (lumen): 1950 | 1900 | 1850
• Base Type: Bi-Pin, Double ended power
• Dimmable: No
• IP Rating: IP30
• Life Expectancy: 35,000 hours
• Dimensions: ∅=1.2”, Length=48”
  Item Weight 12.8 ounces
  Product Dimensions 48 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches
  Assembled Height 1.50 inches
  Assembled Length 48 inches
  Assembled Width 1.50 inches
  Color White
  Shape T8
  Finish Plastic
  Voltage 120 volts
  Power Source ac
  Type of Bulb LED
  Wattage 20 watts
  Wattage 20 watts

[Ricflair]

LEP? I clicked it. That is rad.

I looked into the LED Floors on Amazon. Some good info in the reviews there.

All of mine in my house are the older T12’s. I think I need to change the whole fixture. I thought I read that all you have to do is take out the ballast, and add a shunt to make the Led work?

Wish someone here would do a budget rig and post a killer thread with great instructions on it.

[I_ant]

Yes, T12 need a little rewiring…
pic here

http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Brightest-Fluorescent-Replacement-Approved/dp/B00BSJ2HXA

again, look at reviews. ON the right side, close to the bottom of the page…

[snakebite]

that might be old enough to leave alone.its not 1920’s.
1939 at earliest.if you gut it i may want the bulb,ballast,sockets,ect.no pcb’s to be afraid of in that.its a simple choke with no oil filled cap.

@hank

those don’t include 18” tubes, so I suspect I’m going to use a new fluorescent.

Still poking around for something.
The old lamp has a “15 watt” GE 18” x 1” (no other numbering on the lamp) and the ballast is 4” long between mounting points and rated for 3 watts.
It’s a pretty dim desk lamp by modern standards, though still working — flickery cool white, tired — and as i said not even grounded and not a polarized plug.

Maybe a few LED stars will start to look like a better idea ….

[hank]

> 1939 at earliest
reply over at replace a single 18-inch fluorescent tube (rehab an old art deco desk lamp) so I don’t mix up the older topic

[hank]

So sorting out the two different threads — this is where I got to on finding LEDs to fit an 18” space:

I’d rather go with LEDs …
Well, two of these COB strips for instance would fit end to end inside the lamp housing, adding up to about the same length as the fluorescent tube:

http://www.dx.com/p/18w-3200k-1890lm-warm-white-light-cob-led-rectangle-…

Those are described as 18w apiece
but a review said “Give em 12V and it consumes a third of an amp (only 4W!)”
— so a pair would need a power supply providing um, 36watts? or 8 watts? (sigh)
and maybe a dimmer.

I’m dubious a power supply would fit in the base, so it’d be a wall wart or a brick.

These COB strips are described as getting very hot. I guess they’d glue/screw to something like
http://www.rapidled.com/1-4-x-18-aluminum-heatsink/