LED tubes

Now that I am on a roll with LED lighting, I am wondering about replacing fluorescent with T8 LED tubes. I see these are on sale, though quite expensive.

My question is whether it is necessary to remove (or bypass) the ballast. There is a suggestion that there are lamps that can run with the ballast but these are less efficient. There is also mention of a 'converter'. Is taking the ballast out as simple as adding a terminal block and bypassing the ballast and is it best practice to do this?

Can tubes designed to run with a ballast run without?

Reply to
Scott
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I fitted some of these about 18months ago in a shop (double 5ft fittings). They came with a dummy starter that simply plugged in & replaced the normal starter. Worked very well - didn't check the power consumption but excellent light, looked brighter than the original fluorescent tubes. Hope this helps Adrian

Reply to
Adrian Brentnall

I would bypass the ballast in most cases[1]. It is as simple do you as you said. If you want to go back to using fluorescent tubes then you do need a ballast

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[1] Some LED tubes I fit are because the ballast is knackered and it's cheaper to go LED than swap the ballast.
Reply to
ARW

Most normal tubes, ie non led ones, need the balast to act as a way to increase the voltage to strike the tube. If its a semiconductor ballast they tend, at least in the el cheapo versions to just shove a huge voltage in and hope it works, posher ones do use the little heaters at the end to warm it up so it kind of comes on nicely. As for leds, I'd suspect looking at an old Thorne unit that the power factor capacitor and balast should be removed and also all the starter stuff, as most seem to be designed just as a long strip of leds powered by the mains. I've not tried it as I use lighting these days only when somebody sighted comes around. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Thanks. Very helpful. How do you know if it's a magnetic or electronic ballast though?

Reply to
Scott

There are two ways to find out:-)

  1. electronic ballasts do not have a starter
  2. magnetic ballasts have a starter

BTW the dummy starter used with LED tubes is nothing other than a short circuit or a 3A fuse

Reply to
ARW

Interesting it says "To comply with UK regulations, installation must be carried out by qualified electrician and in accordance with the current IEE Wiring Regulations (BS7671) and Building Regulations."

And just qualified and not belonging to some 'association'.

When did that become 'law', what UK regulations?

Reply to
Fredxxx

Quickstart? ;-)

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I wondered that too. I thought it was 'competent person' or something similar. I am obviously omnicompetent. :-)

Reply to
Scott

This a light fitting, not wiring such I'm not sure if even competency is a legal requirement?

Reply to
Fredxxx

You were only supposed to look at the pictures and not read the instructions.

Reply to
ARW

It's not.

But there's actually a worse regulatory issue - if you are delving in to the fitting and modifying connections to the control gear, you are probably invalidating any certifications it has, and strictly it should be recertified. That's not in the compitency of a qualified electrician.

Just ignore it, providing you are sure you know what you're doing.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel
[snip]

As we say in Glasgow - 'ya-danc-er'. If it's got two starters all I need to do is take them out and replace them with pretend ones!!!

Reply to
Scott

But why ?.

Fluorescents are already lowish power but give out a nice flat even sort of light that some people prefer.

Local garden centre has about a hundred (or more) of these so it saves them money. They dont give off an omnidirectional light and you can see the LEDs shining brightly which is quite hard on the eye.

You might want to visit somewhere that is using these at the same ceiling height of your application. They might be brilliant when they are 3 metres above the floor but not necessarily in a domestic situation just above your head.

Reply to
Andrew

Utility room - high ceiling - fitted with diffuser - existing tubes flicker - curiosity.

Reply to
Scott

It's not a modification of the control gear, it's a removal of the control gear!

There is then nothing left to test other than the LED tube:-)

Reply to
ARW

I've found this with several LEDs. Looking at them directly and they are uncomfortably bright. But this isn't translated into useful light.

Florries, on the other hand, aren't uncomfortable to look at.

I suppose it's down to the surface area of the light source.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Glasgow:-)

If you see my ex bird, name of Lisa - red head about 5"2' tall with 36 DD t*ts tell her she was the best shag I ever had.

If I was not already married when I started dating her then I would probably have married her.

Reply to
ARW

That's modification of the luminare, which will invalidate its certifications.

Not suggesting you worry about it though.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Putting my pedantic hat on!

Not so long ago you only had to conform to all the rules and regulations associated with CE marking if you placed the item up for sale.

Now it's after modification, even when for personal use.

Reply to
Fredxxx

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