8 Ways to Convert Fluorescent Light To LED Tube Lights

Fluorescent tube lights were widely popular all around. These lights were noticed widely across the globe – be that in office, library, university or even at your home. However, times have changed now in favor of LED lights.

And with the change, there are many things who want to change their fluorescent tubes to LED lights. But how? There are two broad paths that you can take – Either you convert existing lights to work with LED or replace them with new LED ones.

You will want to convert this fluorescent into LED tube lights. But it has to be understood that these two technologies vary in large proportion, meaning LED tube lights will fix only if they are compatible with existing fixtures.

The following are the eight ways to convert fluorescent light into LED tube lights.

Using different sockets

There is another complication with converting fluorescent tube fixtures. This involves a type of socket which is used by existing fixture around. LED tubes need non shunted sockets, and fluorescent have either shunted or non-shunted sockets.

This is a simple method, where all you need to do is turn the power off of the fixture. And then, you need to turn your VOM dial to a continuity setting. Place the contact point on each side of the socket and there itself VOM will light up, beep or ring after the socket is shunted.

Replacing non shunted sockets is a fairly cheap way. It is equally reliable and can be done with efficiency around.

Conversion of existing fixtures for an instant fit

Among the wide variety of methods to convert fluorescent tubes into LED tubes, this is simple and widely practiced. This method is about the replacement of old fluorescent tubes and other fixtures with brand new LED fixtures.

Some tubes are designated as UL Type A and are explained under several descriptions like plug and play, remote driver lamps and instant fit. They are designed in such a way that they can be directly installed into existing fixtures without any sort of modification.

So, if the ballast lies in the existing fixture, which is around 5 to 7 years old – they can be replaced with the new ones.

Ballast Bypass Conversion

The next important way to upgrade the existing fluorescent fixtures into LED is by accepting UL Type B tubes. They are commonly sold as ballast bypass or through direct wire bulbs.

This process is simple as it will require the fixture which will be rewired to bypass the ballast. It can either be left in place or can be removed. This method importantly ensures the benefit as you should not replace the older ballast here.

It is cost-efficient as well. However, it is important to check local electrical supplier if they are offering fewer prices, or if there are offer rebates around.

Replacing the fixtures with LED panel lights

There is the next important way through which these old fluorescent lights can be converted into LED panel light. They can be replaced with LED panel lights easily.

This method is regarded to be ideal for replacing fixtures in suspended grid ceilings, which can be surface mounted to flat ceilings. This method provides evenly dispersed lightings without the visible dim spots which sometimes show with both fluorescent and LED tubes.

It is relatively less price consuming and ensures longer life of the light as well. Retaining offer footprint at the time of upgrading to sleek with a contemporary look is the main element here.

Replacing fluorescent tubes with magnetic LED strips

Basically for tube lights, replacing fluorescent tubes with magnetic LED strips is less expensive than replacing the fixture as a whole. These magnetic LED strips and magnetic LED drivers easily adhere to metal fixtures and there won’t be any necessity to wire power them.

It can simply be connected to the building’s power to the driver, connecting them with cables. So, if it is about an easy mechanism – this can be the best way to get out of the fluorescent age.

It uses around 32W to 40W per 2 lamps, with 4-foot troffer – ensuring 50,000-hour average lamp life.

Replacement of fluorescent tubes with ballast compatible LED tubes

Among many mechanisms to convert fluorescent into LED Tubes, this turns out to be one significant way. It is easy to install, as it is about just changing a light bulb in various fluorescent fixtures.

As this ballast compatible LED tubes are easily accepted with most electronic ballast without any sort of rewiring practice. However, they are not compatible with some electronic or magnetic sets. For them, a certain rewiring is necessary to bypass the ballast.

This method can be used for the replacement of four 32W fluorescent tubes with four 12W ballast, reducing a drastic amount of power. Hence, it is easy to step to reduce your electricity bill as well.

Replacing fluorescent tubes with LED retrofit tubes

To replace fluorescent tubes with LED retrofit tubes, a small proportion of rewriting would be necessary. This rewiring will let the fixture bypass the ballast directly into the sockets.

Retrofit tubes are available in standard and high-efficiency models offering impressive lamp life as a whole. This method helps in reducing annoying ballast failures and flickering behavior of the fluorescent tube lights.

It will help to reduce energy consumption and is a significant tool in overall processes.

One End vs Two End ballast bypass tubes

Through the use of a double end bulb, you can wire up the supply of hot wire to the sockets at the next end of the bulb into the neutral wire. Be in two or four bulb fixtures, wiring all the sockets at one end of the fixture to supply wire and all the other sockets at the next end to the neutral wire- the conversion can be done.

Through this method, the accommodation of ballast bypass tubes can be carried out as well.

Although everyone might opt to convert fluorescent to LED, it is important to look over few important aspects. The use of appropriate size is one of the significant features that has to be seen around. LED light must be of the same height as that of a fluorescent tube.

It is important to reduce installation time, upgrade to UL Type B and then determine appropriate socket as per the requirement. LED tubes that are compatible in all the cases should be brought into practice.

LED lights ensure brighter light in the room than fluorescent lights, ensures second of time to lighten up and ultimately you contribute to the environment by making less use of electricity. There, you save your electricity bills too.