Replacing fluorescent light tubes with LED equivalent, guidance please

molerat

I replaced my garage fitting complete with an LED one from Lidl.  Looks much nicer than the old industrial looking one too.

BooJewels

I'm sure that a new fitting is the best longer term solution @molerat - but that would necessitate an electrician and that's a whole different - and more expensive - solution.  How much was the Lidl fitting?

Further to @adindas posting those vids earlier, this one that followed on, explains why it's not that straightforward - a straight tube (or toob as he says) swap can work for a while, but may cause the whole fitting (i.e. the ballast) to fail eventually.  So if it's necessary/desirable/preferable to poke around inside to look at wires before even buying a toob, then that is a task for an electrician, so we're back to a whole new unit - I'm certainly not going to pay a tradesman for a makeshift job.  If I bother, I'll do it properly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3AuoFRFOM

Risteard

The more efficient way to run an LED T8 tube is to bypass the controlgear i.e. ballast and the starter. You need to make sure the live end is connected to the correct side (which should be labelled) as the other side will cause a short circuit. If you don't know what you're doing then you should get an Electrician to do the modification to the luminaire.

BooJewels

Thanks @Risteard.  As mentioned already, if I need to engage an electrician at all, I'll do the job properly and change the fitting for a proper LED one.

If it isn't as simple as just swapping the tube - or buying the right model in the first instance, I'll do it properly at some point.

ciderboy2009

Mine was just a straight swap in the garage - as long as you get a retrofit one then there's no reason why it shouldn't be the same for you.

I actually did mine based on advice from a friend who changed a few in his house a couple of years ago and hasn't had any problems since.

BooJewels

ciderboy2009 said:

Mine was just a straight swap in the garage - as long as you get a retrofit one then there's no reason why it shouldn't be the same for you.

I actually did mine based on advice from a friend who changed a few in his house a couple of years ago and hasn't had any problems since.

I looked at one seller yesterday who said they only sold retrofit ones and even in the body of the description it said to disengage the ballast and that instructions were in the package.   That was why I asked in my OP about recommendations for specific tubes, thinking that maybe some were more suitable to retrofit than others.  

So I now have enough doubts that I've contacted a local electrician (with lots of positive feedback available) as I have 3 small jobs I need looking at, so it might be enough together to be worth them doing it.  I already had doubts, hence asking, but I don't feel reassured enough that I want to rely on 'it should be okay'.  If I'm going to do it, I'd rather do it once and do it properly.

Section62

BooJewels said:

If I'm going to do it, I'd rather do it once and do it properly.

Always the best way if there is any doubt about the alternatives.

littleboo

I'm looking to do the same, have a 6ft 70W fitting in the kitchen, which is supposed to be 6300lm. The led replacements all seem to be much lower, around 3000 - do people notice any difference?

BooJewels

I wondered that too @littleboo - but one article I read said it was because flu tubes shone light through 360 degrees,  lighting the ceiling etc as well, where LED fittings tend to be more directional downwards.  I'm not sure if that actually applies to retrofit tubes, as they're still round in profile.

I have an under cabinet tube over my sink - which unusually is on an internal wall - and the LED equivalent is a lot lower lumen number - about a third.

sk2402005

I recently swapped my kitchen florecent tube for an LED one, its really easy, literally 2 mins.

I went for a white one, its much better and instantly bright.

I think the old one was 56w, new one only 22w and its brighter.

Remove the old tube, fit LED tube, swap the starter for the one in the box.

https://www.toolstation.com/v-tac-t8-nano-plastic-led-tube/p77622