LED tubes.

[dartagnan]

I've changed all the bulbs in the house to LED and just left now with 2 fluorescent tubes in the kitchen.
I've read you can replace these with LEDs. Do you have to replace the entire lamp or just the tube? Do they wire up differsntld?

 

[flameport]

Do you have to replace the entire lamp or just the tube? Do they wire up differsntld?

Depends on what the existing lights are and how the LED tubes are designed.
If they have magnetic ballasts, it should be just swap the tube and replace the starter with the device included with the LED tube.
If they are electronic ballasts / drivers, then the fitting will need to be rewired.

As the difference in energy use between fluorescent and LED is minimal, you may as well just keep the fluorescent tubes.
Or if you really want to replace, buy new LED fittings.

 

[dartagnan]

Thanks flameport, how to I tell if they are magnetic or electronic. They look just like any standard florescent to me with a started that clips into the side.

 

[flameport]

If it has a starter, then they will be magnetic.

 

[dartagnan]

Thanks flameport, im nearly there.... will i be ok to use one rated to IP60 in a kitchen. IP65 look more industrial

 

[fluorescence]

Do you do jet washing in there?! It's unlikely you'll need anything more than IP20 in a kitchen!

Personally I'd just get some new tubes and electronic starters for the existing fitting. Get Philips or Osram branded tubes & LEL multipulse starters (sold through eBay) and then forget about that light for 5-10 years or so depending on usage

 

[JohnW2]

.... will i be ok to use one rated to IP60 in a kitchen. IP65 look more industrial

As far as I am aware, IP60 does not exist. The least protection against water ingress would be IP61, and that means "NO protection against water ingress" -and there can't be anything 'worse' than that!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

I replaced one in kitchen, only to find.

1) LED tube 2400 lumen where old fluorescent tube 5200 lumen so a lot dimmer.
2) Unless you remove the ballast they are less efficient compared with fluorescent.
3) Tube only lasted 18 months where fluorescent lasted around 5 years each.

Although LED was 24W and fluorescent was 58W there was such a drop in lumen output it was simply like swapping a 100W bulb for 40W bulb there was no gain from being more efficient you need to have also swapped to a twin fitting to get nearly same output.

Yes with magnetic fitting you can leave the ballast connected, this means the tube gets around 200 volt instead of 230 volt but the electronics in the tube compensate for volt drop, so tube uses 24W at 200 volt which equals around 28W at 230 volt so around 86 lumen per watt LED compared with 90 lumen per watt fluorescent.

If the magnet ballast is replaced with an electronic HF ballast then the fluorescent goes up to around 94 - 98 lumen per watt and are reported to have same tube life as LED plus start quicker, and if ballast removed for LED then they are around 98 - 110 lumen per watt but cost a lot more than fluorescent.

Because the watts for a 5 foot fluorescent tube are fixed to 58W and to light a corridor you need a light every 20 foot dropping to 24W is a big saving as did not need that much light it was the spread that was needed also LED lights you can better switch them with PIR sensors they don't mind being switched on/off as much, but in a room the light output is so much reduced it does not make sense to swap them.

The same is not true for compact fluorescent, making a fluorescent tube into a bulb shape did not really work.

 

[AndyPRK]

white LED tubes won't save you money, they are instant on light.
And hopefully no more, having to change the tube or starter and deciding which one is at fault

 

[fluorescence]

Yes with magnetic fitting you can leave the ballast connected, this means the tube gets around 200 volt instead of 230 volt but the electronics in the tube compensate for volt drop, so tube uses 24W at 200 volt which equals around 28W at 230 volt so around 86 lumen per watt LED compared with 90 lumen per watt fluorescent.

This is simply inaccurate. The LED tube will see full voltage (actually 240v, 230v is a myth). The problem is the ballast can start to resonate so draws power itself. LED lumens-per-watt are generally higher than what you've stated and and fluorescent is generally lower.

The same is not true for compact fluorescent, making a fluorescent tube into a bulb shape did not really work.

???

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

This is simply inaccurate. The LED tube will see full voltage (actually 240v, 230v is a myth). The problem is the ballast can start to resonate so draws power itself. LED lumens-per-watt are generally higher than what you've stated and and fluorescent is generally lower.

???

I wish people wouldn't keep claiming ridiculous things about the mains voltage. It is defined as lying between 218 and 253V. In my house it is usually 250V. At work it is usually 252V. 230V is the nominal voltage used for calculation. 240V is what the nominal voltage used to be many years ago. That still didn't fix the actual voltage which obviously varies from house to house and over the day.

 

[fluorescence]

I wish people wouldn't keep claiming ridiculous things about the mains voltage. It is defined as lying between 218 and 253V. In my house it is usually 250V. At work it is usually 252V. 230V is the nominal voltage used for calculation. 240V is what the nominal voltage used to be many years ago. That still didn't fix the actual voltage which obviously varies from house to house and over the day.

You are correct, however if I ever measured much less than 230v in a UK property I'd be thinking they may have a line fault or transformer issue.

The fact is our nominal voltage is still 240, whatever the re-written wording is in regs books to comply with our EU neighbours.

 

[JohnW2]

This is simply inaccurate. The LED tube will see full voltage ... The problem is the ballast can start to resonate so draws power itself ...

I'm not sure that Mr Kirchoff would agree with that. If you put something with impedance in series with an LED tube, when current flows there is bound to be some voltage ('drop') across that something, hence less than the full supply voltage (whatever that may be) across the tube, isn't there?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

The fact is our nominal voltage is still 240, whatever the re-written wording is in regs books to comply with our EU neighbours.

I agree that it is many ways silly, but you don't seem to understand what "nominal" means. The most common supply voltage in the UK is probably around 240V, just as it was when the 'nominal voltage' was 240V. Despite that, there is no doubt that the 'nominal voltage' (essentially meaning "in name only") in the UK is now 230V, since that what it has been bureaucratically defined to be.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

The fact is our nominal voltage is still 240, whatever the re-written wording is in regs books to comply with our EU neighbours.

I think you should look up the meaning of the word 'nominal'.