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LED Replacement Bulbs for T8 Fixtures

They're nowhere near as bright as the fluorescents they replace, and the light per watt is also lower. You'd be better off just using lower wattage fluorescent. The only good use for the LED ones right now would be inside a refrigerator case or around something that's UV-sensitive.
 
MEP001 said:
They're nowhere near as bright as the fluorescents they replace, and the light per watt is also lower. You'd be better off just using lower wattage fluorescent. The only good use for the LED ones right now would be inside a refrigerator case or around something that's UV-sensitive.
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That's kind of what I was thinking too. I really like my T5HO's
 
our city has been replacing some street lights with led's and there is like no light under them, and a gas station replaced the 400watt mh's with led's and people looked like ghosts under the lights. The color of led's and the output is just not there for high powered applications.
 
There is new led technology out there. Check out "Cree Leds". They are getting better. Something to ponder. They put off 231 lumens per watt.....Comparing that to my 85w CFL's @ 65 Lumens per watt, I would be looking at another 72% in savings. I should have done better homework though before posting this link. The bulbs listed don't compare to our CFL's or flourescent tubes. But we might want to keep an eye on the new LED technology....

My Hubbel fixtures are old and some of the lenses are yellowed from the heat of the Halides. If I ever replace the fixtures or when my CFL's need replacing, I'll definately be looking into these bulbs....

FYI...I recently bought a flashlight that uses Cree Leds....It has three of them installed. The light is blinding. I also bought a headlamp with a single Cree Led....It puts off twice as much light as another headlamp I have with 7 bulb style leds...Don't give up on this just yet!

http://www.cree.com/products/xlamp.asp
 
2Biz said:
After doing some research, I found this "Payback Calculator" for the Cree Leds comparing to T8 Fixtures and bulbs....Pretty neat....

http://crseries.creeledlighting.com/#payback
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That calculator is funny. Monthly lamping cost $23 for flourescents. Compared to $0 for the LED.

I will personally guarantee you that 11.4 years worth of CREE LED's cost more than 11.4 years worth of the T5's I am using. Even at 3.7 years of life each, that would be 3 x $3.50 for my bulbs. How much are CREE LED's? I know they are expensive and each fixture uses many of them.

They also compared the CREE's to the least efficient flourescents out there. My T5HO's put out 92.6 lumens per watt. The Cree's put out 90-110 lumens per watt.

If the comparison was not obviously incorrect, it would be interesting to compare. I am not trying to defend my choice. I am just trying to share one of the best decisions I have made with others.
 
If I had put in T5 fixtures, I probably wouldn't be looking any further. They are extremely efficient over the metal halides. My situation is a bit different, though. I converted my Hubbels to CFL's. When my CFL's start burning out, then I will do the comparison (T5HO's included).

There are statements made in this thread that evaluate light output with old Led technology. I haven't seen a thread with the new Cree's, so I thought I would bring it to the table. Makes for great reference.

I'm confused about your statement of 90-110 lumens per watt on the Cree leds. This link is where I got the 231 Lumens per watt....Are you confusing SMD Leds' with the Cree's? Led's are improving by leaps and bounds...

http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1304945651119
 
Etowah
2Biz said:
If I had put in T5 fixtures, I probably wouldn't be looking any further. They are extremely efficient over the metal halides. My situation is a bit different, though. I converted my Hubbels to CFL's. When my CFL's start burning out, then I will do the comparison (T5HO's included).

There are statements made in this thread that evaluate light output with old Led technology. I haven't seen a thread with the new Cree's, so I thought I would bring it to the table. Makes for great reference.

I'm confused about your statement of 90-110 lumens per watt on the Cree leds. This link is where I got the 231 Lumens per watt....Are you confusing SMD Leds' with the Cree's? Led's are improving by leaps and bounds...

http://www.cree.com/press/press_detail.asp?i=1304945651119
Click to expand...

No, I was looking at the website you referred to for comparing the lights with flourescents. On the performance page it says 90-110 lpw.

http://crseries.creeledlighting.com/#performance

LED's are typically also very directional. I am sure the day will come when LED's surpass flourescents in terms of cost and efficiency, however that is tomorrow, not today.
 
Our electrician loves the new T-5 and T-8 fixtures. He said the ballasts last about 2 – 3 years before they start going bad. He very seldom ever had to replace a T-12 ballast. Now he replaces a couple of the T-5 and T-8 ballast’s weekly. We buy him ballasts by the case. One of the ARCO stations here just converted over the LED lighting, lots of bright light, plenty of light to gas up.
 
Kevin James said:
Our electrician loves the new T-5 and T-8 fixtures. He said the ballasts last about 2 – 3 years before they start going bad. He very seldom ever had to replace a T-12 ballast. Now he replaces a couple of the T-5 and T-8 ballast’s weekly. We buy him ballasts by the case. One of the ARCO stations here just converted over the LED lighting, lots of bright light, plenty of light to gas up.
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Wow, mine may do that too. BTW, who pays an electrician to replace ballasts? If I paid an electrician or plumber every time I had something electrical or water related, I would be BROKE! It is the car wash business.
 
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