Can you replace a fluorescent light fixture with an LED light fixture?

If you have fluorescent fixtures and are eying the cost- and energy-savings of switching to LED lighting, you’ll find there are two paths you can take: convert your existing fixtures to work with LED or replace those fixtures with new LED fixtures.

Can I directly replace fluorescent tubes with LED?





Can I convert a fluorescent fixture to LED? Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes.

How do I convert fluorescent light fixtures to LED?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: We pop in the led light tube. And we see that it works now here we have an led fixture this is actually the fixture from the first. Video. It's been converted. And it uses a single ended connection.

Do I need to remove the ballast to use an LED bulb?

An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.

Can you mix LED and fluorescent tubes?

LED and fluorescent lights on the same circuit? Some things were never meant to work together. If you intend to upgrade some lights to LED, ensure that there are no old technology lights remaining on the same circuit. LED drivers contain electronics that may be upset by old technology transformers on the same circuit.

How do I know if my ballast is compatible with LED?





You can determine whether you have a compatible fixture in seconds. Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.

Do you need a starter with LED tubes?

LED tubes do not need to have a starter (fuse) and can be fixed to be used without ballast. LED tubes are mostly used for home offices, garages and storage spaces at home.

How do you bypass the ballast for LED lights?

How to Bypass A Ballast

  1. Step 1: Disconnect All Power So There is No Electrical Current. …
  2. Step 2: Find the Ballast. …
  3. Step 3: Locate and Cut Only the Hot and Neutral Wires. …
  4. Step 4: Cut the Socket Lead Wires. …
  5. Step 5: Remove the Ballast (if you wish) …
  6. Step 6: Connect the Wires. …
  7. Step 7: Reattach Any Coverings and Turn On.


How do I change a tube light to an LED?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: If your fixture is like mine. That's made a little bit easier by just removing. This. So now we can pinch these ends probably easier to do one end at a.

What happens if you don’t bypass the ballast for LED lights?

The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It’s a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .

Will ballast compatible LED work without ballast?

The T8 LED tube won’t work without the ballast, so you are forced to continue buying and replacing ballasts as long as you have an LED tube that is ONLY ballast dependent.

What happens if you don’t use ballast?



Without a ballast, a lamp or a bulb will rapidly increase its current draw and it can become uncontrollable as well. When a ballast is present in a lamp, the power becomes stable, and even if such lamps are connected to high power sources, the ballast will regulate the energy and avoid the current rise.

Can you bypass a ballast on a fluorescent light?

If the existing fluorescent tube fixture you want to replace has a non-shunted tombstone, you can proceed with the ballast bypass procedure. Nonetheless, if the existing fixture offers a shunted tombstone, you should replace it with a non-shunted variant.

Are ballast bypass LED tubes safe?

Safety risk



The most significant negative to a ballast-bypass linear LED is the risk of electric shock since the sockets carry line voltage. It’s a common practice to place a finger on the lamp pins while you are trying to install it, and this becomes a risky endeavor when using single-ended ballast-bypass lamps .

Can I replace a T12 fluorescent light tube with an LED tube?

Can you actually retrofit T12 to LED without changing out the ballast? Actually, yes. But before you make a decision, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s. A lot has changed in just a few years in the lighting industry.

How do I know if I have a magnetic ballast?



Method One – Use your smart phone camera



Stand under the light or a place close to the light and point your cell phone camera at the light. If you can see some strong dark strips flickering in your camera, it must be a magnetic ballast based light. Otherwise it should be an electronic ballast based light.

What can I replace fluorescent lights with?

Replacement choices include pendant lighting, flush-mount ceiling fixtures, track lighting, monorail lighting, potrack lighting and more. You can even skip the ceiling-mounted light and instead install a couple of wall sconces.

How do I know if I have a T8 or T12 ballast?

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.

What happens if you put a T8 bulb in a T12 fixture?

T12 vs T8 Fluorescent Tubes



T12 tubes are 1.5″ in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won’t fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they’ll fit just fine.

Are T8 bulbs being discontinued?



Even some T8 lamps have been phased out. US Congress has enacted legislation to prohibit the manufacture of these and other inefficient lighting technologies, and is calling for manufacturers to meet minimum efficiency requirements and lumens per watt for new products.