LED panel lights

I spotted LED panels and wondered whether these would be a substitute for our worn out fluorescents in the kitchen? We just have an ordinary ceiling - not a panelled ceiling. Can these be screwed to the ceiling and look okay?

Curiously, the 50w panel has around the same lumens output as a 5ft fluorescent tube (58w). I thought that LEDs are supposed to be much more efficient?

It's this one here:

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Reply to
GB
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You can also buy LED tubes:

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Reply to
Scott

I guess you could screw or double-sided tape them, I have a smaller circular one and just used an adjustable cutter to make a suitable hole in the ceiling for it, they're no deeper than the plasterboard.

Reply to
Andy Burns

Are these a "plug and play" replacement for a fluorescent tube? What do you do about the (presumably no longer required) starters?

Reply to
Huge

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Reply to
DerbyBorn

The kits include a replacement 'starter' which simply shorts the contacts out.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

Thank you.

I have now done the reading I should have done before asking the damn stupid question.

Reply to
Huge

Thanks.

Reply to
Huge

Surely the ballast could be by-passed!

Reply to
DerbyBorn

Yes - and I think that is the difference between the 'plug and play' versions and the other versions. There is also a difference depending on whether the ballast is magnetic or electronic. This is explained in the Philips website

Reply to
Scott

Some manufactures sell special brackets to allow the panels to be surface mounted - double check first that these allow the use of the driver without having to bash a hole in the ceiling to hide the driver! The slimline ones would need a hole bashing in the ceiling[1].

Their efficiency is improved by the fact that they only light up on one side. I suppose you really ought to be comparing the LED panel light/lumens with one of the ceiling grid panels that uses 4 x 18 2ft tubes (say 1150 lumens per tube) that they are usually used to replace. Then imagine some losses in the old fitting as not all the light is directed downwards

Another advantage of the LED is that is will stay at full brightness for it's lifespan.

Reply to
ARW

There is another guide here that covers a little more

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just download the T8 LED Tubes installation and Operating Instructions

(I cannot find a direct link to the info)

Reply to
ARW

So the choke is pointless as well then. Do these devices chuck out more or less interference on the radio frequencies I wonder? Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Some (including the Philips?) ones seem to be designed to keep the ballast, I can't understand why they'd want it in circuit?

Reply to
Andy Burns

To keep it simple plug and play. Swap the tube and starter job done?

Reply to
ARW

Kitchen 24 ft long previously had 9 x 60w halogen lights, replaced with

4 x 6 inch panels 12w LEDs, much brighter and `she` likes it. Flush fitting to ceiling so had to cut out hole in plasterboard ceiling.
Reply to
ss

Interesting. I recently replaced some 5mm white LEDs lighting a panel meter because they'd gone dim. And they weren't driven hard either, at about 8mA.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

LEDs can dim badly sometimes.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

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Reply to
Huge

They don't. It's for the convenience of the installer.

Reply to
Huge

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