LED tube lights are designed to be a replacement for the toxic fluorescent tube lights, they represent the new generation of eco-friendly lights. They have an exquisite design and offer maximum light output. They provide a lighting solution in terms of energy savings. Their unique solid state design makes them independent of warm up time. They are light weight and extremely durable. They have a long life expectancy and require virtually no maintenance. LED tube lights are available in both clear and frosted lens designs in different color temperatures. These revolutionary tube lights reduce your electricity bills and this is especially true for the T8 LED lamps which use 40 percent less energy than the older T8 lamps, the T8 LED tube light is the new leader that promises better efficiency in commercial lighting.
Unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs contain no mercury. This makes them environmentally friendly. Many LED tube lights can be dimmed to a greater extent, fluorescents have proven to be expensive to dim followed by a poor dimming performance. LEDs are good at directional thus allowing you to illuminate the intended area. This is different to fluorescent lights which produce multi-directional light. This means light is lost within the lighting fixture and other unnecessary regions. These new lights also tend to work well with controls, because their lifespan is not interfered with turning them on and off. On the other hand, fluorescent lights tend to burn faster when combined with sensors and other controls. LEDs are more efficient than fluorescent in terms of amount of energy used. In fact, the new T8 LED offer more efficiency by a margin of 30 percent compared to LFL. LEDs are also associated with quality light, the new models produce a variety of color temperatures just like the fluorescent. The difference comes with the elimination of flickering issues associated with fluorescent lamps. LED have a longer lifespan, the T8 LED tube which last 50000 hours compared to an average LFL which last for 8000 hours. These revolutionary lights are also shatterproof, however, there are new glass options that look like T8 LFL which are not shatterproof. Plastic LED tubes provides the best option for a shatterproof lamp, the LEDs are known to be more expensive than LFL but their life is much longer.
There are three different types of LED linear tubes. This segregation is meant to provide an excellent choice for a specific facility. The UL type A tube is designed with an internal driver that allows it to operate directly from the mains to the existing linear fluorescent ballast. However, this calls for additional maintenance costs during their lifetime. Compatibility with linear fluorescent blasts may vary depending with different models. Most of them are designed to work with T12, T8 and T5 ballasts, you may need to sacrifice the efficiency due to power losses from the existing ballast, the dimming and control capabilities are also limited. The UL type B is also integrated with an internal driver. However, the driver is powered directly from the main voltage supplied to the existing LFL, this calls for several unique considerations. The existing LFL and the corresponding ballast must be removed during installation. UL Type B is more efficient since there are no power losses with the removal of the existing ballast. The UL Type C operates with a remote driver, this is used to power the LED linear tube. The driver can power several LED tubes throughout the fixture once installed, it offers the highest system efficacy with compatibility and overall performance. It can be integrated with dimming and control functionality.
The UL Type A is easy to install. The retrofitting process involves a simple swap with the existing LFL. There are no structural or electrical modifications required. It requires no electrical or structural modifications like other options, the existing LFL ballast is retained. The installation of UL Type B involves electrical modification on the existing fixture. this is to allow the tube to be connected to the power supply. The existing fluorescent lamp and the corresponding ballast are removed from the fixture. The sockets may also need to be replaced which is followed by a connection of fixture input wires directly to the socket. Care should be exercised during installation since the installer is potentially exposed to the mains voltage, the high voltage wiring consumes time and is more costly. The installation of UL Type C involves removal of existing tubes and ballasts. Fixture input wires must be fixed to the driver and the drivers low output wires must be connected to the sockets before installing the new LED tubes. This type helps in offsetting installation costs with increased efficiency.
Direct replacement of LEDs call for consideration of type of LED ballasts. Some LED tubes work with magnetic ballasts while others work with electronic ballasts only, some are also not recommended for instant start ballasts. Therefore the replacements depend on the existing fluorescent ballasts. There are many bypass LED tube lights available in the market. Recently, several manufacturers have introduced plug-and-play LED linear lights. The fluorescent replacement requires no rewiring, only a snap into place. They are expensive but easier to install than LED tubes that require removal of the existing fluorescent ballast.
The LED tube lights are the new lighting solutions. They are durable, efficient and lighter. They are environmentally friendly and save a lot of energy compared to fluorescent tubes. They have good illumination characteristics and are compatible with control systems. The three types of LED tubes offer different benefits and require different installation processes. Some are designed to be a drop-in replacement into the existing fixture with the appropriate ballast, others require rewiring of the fixture and removal of the ballast. New light fittings have been introduced which don’t require the bulb to contain circuitry for operation from the mains voltage. The long life associated with LED is ideal for many commercial uses, they are also becoming popular in homes.
