fluorescent tubes to LED tubes - easy swap?

[ARTHURX1]

I want to change my fluorescent tubes to LED tubes.
Is it as easy as buy the correct size tubes replace the starter with an LED starter ?
Probably not as i have watched a number of you tube videos which mention "breakers, tombstones.etc etc (I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED BY THESE TECHNICAL TERMS)
I have also watched a video where it was just a straight swap---is it so easy
My current tubes are 72cm F16W / 840 T8 COOL WHITE.
The tubes are single tubes under the kitchen cabinets and have cables connected at each end of the tubes
Any help would be great thanks

 

[chivers67]

Hi, I have swapped out quite a Few T5s the ones I've installed are only fed from one end. The preparation involves bypassing any ballast and simply connecting one end up directly to the incoming Switched Live / Neutral they are supplied with an LED starter but so far all i have replaced haven't required them.

 

[ericmark]

If the lights have a starter then they have a wire wound ballast so you can fit a LED tube in no problem. The starter is replaced with a fuse. I did one in last house, worked well, however the 22 watt LED was around 2000 lumen and the old fluorescent was around 5200 lumen (58 watt) so clearly less light, but was still enough.

However the electronic ballast (HF) was more efficient so 5800 lumen from same tube, and the current dropped from 58 watt to around 56 watt, you had no starter, and it needs a special LED tube to replace the fluorescent tube, they are now made, but at the time I still had fluorescent lights they were not available.

To increase the lumen per watt one could remove the ballast, the two ends needed wiring in series, so that which ever way around the LED tube is placed it still works without a short circuit, as one end of tube is power, the other end is short circuit, early LED kits had a sticker to mark the fitting so only one end needs power, but that relies on no one putting tube in wrong way around. So seems a silly idea.

However today one does need to read the info with the tube carefully. They are not all direct replacements.

 

[flameport]

Is it as easy as buy the correct size tubes replace the starter with an LED starter ?

In some cases yes.
In others rewiring of the fitting is required.
Depends on the fitting and what tube is being installed into it.

Unless you are desperate to keep the old fluorescent fittings, far better to just buy complete new LED lights.