Fluorescent tube to led conversion

[Bob2016]

The electronic ballast in a relatively modern weatherproof twin T8 4ft tube housed in my garage has blown (one of the resistors on the pcb has burnt and the fuse link next to the supply on the board has blown - it made an impressive bang when I turned it on).

Would welcome some advice on what to replace with.

Have considered just replacing the ballast like for like which seems the simplest and cheapest option but am also considering swapping out the tubes for more efficient Led's. I'm ok with rewiring the fitting for the Led's but the options on tubes is confusing and the more I research the more confused I am getting.

Most diy guides seem to be for upgrading older fittings with a starter and transformer ballast and include replacing the starter with a led fuse (would this still be required? the feed is fed off a circuit breaker).

Some tubes seem to run directly off 240v
Some tubes need a transformer.
Some tubes are single end fed and some are not.
Some tubes have the led strip at 90deg to the pins so when put in a non-led fitting they shine out sideways.

Or would buying a new Led fitting and tubes be a better albeit more expensive bet?


What are my best options for this setup?

 

[flameport]

Either replace the ballast and continue using fluorescent tubes
or replace the entire fitting with a new LED one.

Led fitting and tubes be a better albeit more expensive bet?

You buy a LED fitting. There are no tubes.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-twin-led-batten-43w-4400lm-4ft/6481v

 

[davelx]

You buy a LED fitting. There are no tubes.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-twin-led-batten-43w-4400lm-4ft/6481v

That depends on what you buy. I prefer these as it's easier for the user to replace the tubes when they fail - which will probably be earlier than a fluorescent tube would fail:

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_I...ting_Fluorescent_Index/LED_Battens/index.html

You can also rewire your existing fittings to use these:

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_I...ghting_Fluorescent_Index/LED_Tubes/index.html

 

[winston1]

LED tubes are not more efficient than florescent.
The best way forward would be to repair the existing ballast. Usually a transistor goes which causes a resistor to burn out etc.

 

[davelx]

LED tubes are not more efficient than florescent.
The best way forward would be to repair the existing ballast. Usually a transistor goes which causes a resistor to burn out etc.

Indeed - I recently had to procure new lighting for a scout hall, and the electrical contractor was pushing LED battens. I refused that suggestion and spec'd new twin HF ballast units.

The one advantage of LED tubes is that in a very cold garage in winter, they come to near full brightness almost instantly, whereas the fluorescent tubes sit there swirling dimly for longer than I am generally in the garage at night!