Once upon a time, fluorescent lighting was the more economical and ecologically friendly option. Those days are now gone, as advances in technology have shifted the balance in favour of LEDs and made fluorescent tubes more difficult to find in recent years. Millions of fluorescent tubes are still in use today, however, and they are waiting to be converted to LEDs. Even if fluorescent lights are efficient in and of themselves, T8 LEDs have several advantages over fluorescents.
Light Quality: LEDs don't flicker, but they do emit light in a range of colour temperatures that are comparable to fluorescents.
Dimmable: A wide range of LED alternatives are available with full dimming capabilities. Dimming fluorescent lights is more costly and less efficient than dimming LEDs.
Energy Efficient: Compared to fluorescent T8 tubes, new T8 LED tubes have an average efficiency of around 30% higher.
Mercury-Free: Since LEDs don't contain mercury, they are safe for the environment and don't require special recycling fees.
Simpler to Control: When occupancy sensors or other controls are used, fluorescent lights burn out more quickly. LEDs don't have this issue because turning them on or off has no effect on their lifespan.
Directional Lighting: Wherever light is required, it may be directed effectively thanks to LEDs. Since fluorescent lights emit light in multiple directions, some light will be lost inside the fixture.
Lifespan: T8 LED lamps have a 50,000-hour average lifespan compared to 30,000 hours for T8 linear fluorescent lamps. Nevertheless, more recent T8 linear fluorescent lights have a maximum lifespan of 84,000 hours.
Type A: LED tube with built-in driver for use with fluorescent ballast already in place
To function, type A LED tubes require an existing T8 electronic ballast. This facilitates an uncomplicated installation process if you have T8 electronic ballasts. All that has to be done is swap out the old T8 fluorescent light for a new T8 LED Type A lamp. Nevertheless, since the old ballast needs to be replaced before the LED itself, employing it is less efficient than the techniques listed below in terms of longevity. Additionally, it depends on the Type A LED tube's compatibility with your specific ballast. In this situation, residential-grade ballasts are rarely effective; however, if you possess a commercial-grade ballast, your chances of success can be higher. If you choose this course, however, make sure to review ballast compatibility papers.
Type B: LED tube wired to main voltage with internal driver
In order to use Type B LED tubes, the present light fixture's ballasts must be removed, and the electricity must then be connected straight to the sockets. Since there is no power loss in the ballast, they are far more energy-efficient than Type A bulbs. Since the ballast won't need to be changed, not having it also lowers future maintenance expenses. The removal of the ballasts and the potential need to replace the sockets are, of course, the initial maintenance alterations. Having said that, the majority of Type B LED tubes available today may be connected either single- or double-end; if your sockets are in good condition, you can simply omit the ballast and leave the switched sockets in place. Strict safety precautions must be followed during installation because connecting outlets to electrical cables might be hazardous as well. The overall cost of installation goes up as a result, but in the long run, Type A's setup is significantly more efficient.
Type C - LED tube has Remote Driver to power LED
The big difference between the Type B LED tubes are that instead of an internal driver, Type C LED tubes utilize a remote driver to power the LED. One remote driver can power multiple LED tubes; this system is quite similar to how linear fluorescent lighting operates. Type C installations still require fluorescent ballasts being removed. They boast maximized functionality such as motion-based control systems and crisp 0-10V dimming. Like a Type B installation, Type C requires an extensive installation process that costs more than Type A.
Type D or Type AB - Combo-Drive LED T8 Bulbs that work on ballast and line voltage
New to the LED T8 market are ComboDrive LED T8 lamps, also known as Dual mode. ComboDrive LED T8 lamps will run on existing fluorescent ballasts (if compatible), and then when the ballast dies they can be wired up direct to line voltage (120-277V). As always if you intend to re-use on an existing ballast, make sure you check the compatibility sheet as they only tend to work on quality, commercial-grade ballasts. In bypass mode you will find that some of these lamps are single-end wired only or double-end wired.
