Everything You Need to Know About LED Tube Lights (2024)

Advantages of LED Tube Lights

LED tube lights have numerous advantages over fluorescent lamps.

• Up to 50% energy savings compared to fluorescent lamps
• Longer lifetimes - up to 50,000 hours of continuous operation
• With proper design, higher color quality and lower flicker
• No toxic chemicals such as mercury that can be released with broken fluorescent lamps

Are LED tube lights the right choice?

LED tube lights are superior to their fluorescent counterparts in almost every way. But that doesn't mean that your lighting installation necessarily must use LED tube lights. In fact, we generally recommend LED tube lights only when all of the following statements are true:

• You already have compatible fluorescent fixtures installed and are satisfied with their placement and light distribution
• You are comfortable and familiar with performing basic electrical work, or you have access to a qualified electrician
• If rewiring work is needed, you have sufficient resources (time, equipment and if applicable, labor costs) to complete the work

Many fixtures are mounted on very high ceilings, and rewiring work can be a lot more difficult when performed on a ladder while facing upwards!

In many cases, other LED lighting options such as LED shop lights, integrated fixtures and even LED strip lights may be better suited for a lighting installation.

Are LED tube lights the right choice?

LED tube lights are superior to their fluorescent counterparts in almost every way. But that doesn't mean that your lighting installation necessarily must use LED tube lights. In fact, we generally recommend LED tube lights only when all of the following statements are true:

• You already have compatible fluorescent fixtures installed and are satisfied with their placement and light distribution
• You are comfortable and familiar with performing basic electrical work, or you have access to a qualified electrician
• If rewiring work is needed, you have sufficient resources (time, equipment and if applicable, labor costs) to complete the work

Many fixtures are mounted on very high ceilings, and rewiring work can be a lot more difficult when performed on a ladder while facing upwards!

In many cases, other LED lighting options such as LED shop lights, integrated fixtures and even LED strip lights may be better suited for a lighting installation.

Are LED tube lights physically compatible with my fluorescent fixture?

Let's say you've found an LED tube light product, but you aren't sure if it will work in your fluorescent fixture. How can you check for compatibility?

We break this down into two separate questions - (1) is the fixture physically compatible, and (2) is the fixture electrically compatible? Only if the answer to both of these question is yes, we can be assured of a safe and reliable installation.

How to Check for Physical Compatibility

• Lamp length: The LED tube light's length should perfectly match the distance between the lampholders of the fluorescent fixture. If you are unsure, you can physically measure the fluorescent fixture to double check. The most commonly seen T8 4-ft fixtures, for example, should measure exactly 48 inches in between the lampholders.
• Lamp pins: Next, we need to determine if the metal contact pins on both ends of the lamp are compatible. The easiest way to check this is to remove an existing lamp and examine the pins on the end of the lamp, and measure the distance between the pins to determine the pin specification. The most common type for T8 and T12 lamps is the G13 bipin (0.5 inch / 13 mm apart), and T5 lamps is the G5 bipin (0.2 inch / 5 mm apart)

Both T8 and T12 lamps typically utilize the same G13 bipin. Therefore, a T8 LED tube light is physically compatible in a T12 fluorescent fixture, and conversely, a T12 LED tube light is also physically compatible in a T8 fluorescent fixture (assuming they are the same length).

Remember, just because it fits, doesn't mean that it is safe to operate! Physical compatibility ≠ electrical compatibility. Read on to the next section to determine electrical compatibility.

What's my fixture wiring configuration?

Fixture modification should only be performed by qualified individuals with knowledge of lamp fixture operation and installation. If you are not qualified or not comfortable, seek a qualified electrician’s assistance.

Once you've determined the requirements for the LED tube light's wiring configuration, you will want to check that your fluorescent fixture's wiring is compatible.

If your fluorescent fixture currently houses fluorescent lamps, it most likely has a fluorescent ballast inside the fixture. If your LED tube light is "ballast-compatible," no fixture rewiring is needed, but you will still need to ensure that the fluroescent ballast is on the LED tube light manufacturer's approved ballast list. Use the step-by-step instruction photos shown here to open up the fixture and obtain the ballast's model number so that you check that it is on the approved ballast list.

Unfortunately, the ballast model number typically cannot be determined from the fixture model number alone. The most reliable way to check on your fluorescent fixture's wiring configuration is to open the fixture and physically check the wires inside the fixtures.

If the fixture has already been modified for use with LED tube lights, open up the fixture and follow the input wires to determine how it is configured (i.e. direct-wire single-ended or double-ended) and check if the LED tube light is compatible with that wiring configuration. Fixture rewiring requires more advanced knowledge of electrical installation and wiring; be sure to consult a qualified electrician if you are unsure about how to perform this work.

Still unsure about fixture compatibility? Consider purchasing Waveform Lighting's LED-ready fixtures + T8 LED tube lights for guaranteed compatibility.

Color Temperature Selection

LED tube lights are available in a wide range of white light colors ranging from neutral white to cool white. Color temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin, is the most precise way to describe a light's color.

Most LED tube lights are designed for use in commercial, retail and industrial settings, so you will find that most LED tube lights have higher color temperature (whiter / bluer) than residential lighting products. Most residential lamps are in the 2700K - 3000K range (i.e. warm white), but you will find most LED tube lights to be in the 4000K - 6500K range.

4000K is a typically the "warmest" color option available for LED tube lights. 4000K light offers a softer light color commonly used in retail and commercial settings. It has a subtle yellow-orange hue and most closely resembles morning or late afternoon sunshine.

5000K is a light color that most closely matches noon daylight. It is considered the most "neutral" white color and is used in color-critical applications in graphic arts, printing and other visually intensive industrial processes (also look for D50 ISO compliant products). 5000 K will produce a strong and "bright" lighting effect which is typically not suitable for home or residential installations, especially during evening hours.

Finally, 6500K is a light color that is most similar to north-facing blue sky. Its D65 counterpart also matches the ISO standard for digital arts and other screen-based work. 6500 K is well suited for art studios and digital artwork studios (e.g. post-production photography work). As with 5000 K, we generally only recommend 6500K for specialty applications which require specific daylight-calibrated light color. See here for a comparison between 5000K and 6500K.

Color Rendering

In addition to an LED tube light's color temperature, its color rendering index (CRI) rating is an additional metric that you will also want to consider.

Color temperature is a measure of how "warm" or "cool" the light's color appears. On the other hand, color rendering is a measure of how accurate colors appear under the light source. Under a low CRI LED tube light, colors might appear distorted, washed out, or indistinguishable. High CRI LED products offer light that allows objects to appear the way they would under natural daylight. You will also want to look for an LED tube light's R9 value, which provides further information about how red colors are rendered.

Many LED tube lights have a CRI value of 80 or lower, which is generally acceptable for spaces such as parking garages and storage facilities. In spaces where color appearance can start to matter, such as retail and industrial spaces, 90 CRI or higher is recommended. For the most color-critical installations, such as color inspection stations or studios, 95 CRI or higher is generally needed.

Adjust the sliders below for a visual demonstration of CRI vs color temperature in action.