LED tubes and their usage across different spaces

LED tubes were the first conventional lighting innovation in the early 2000s which emerged as a gateway for every other LED light fixture present today. These tubes were initially built to retrofit fluorescent light tubes. Fluorescent light tubes are particularly available in T5, T8 and T12 designs and the first LED tube was designed for G5 and G13 bulb bases. Several years down, all retrofit options were introduced which revolutionised the lighting industry after certain regulations were implemented.

What are LED tubes?

These light tubes function on diodes and are much more efficient than traditional fluorescent fixtures which consume a lot of energy and produce low-quality light which also has a direct effect on health.

Initially introduced as retrofit kits these lights are now readily available as an individual unit. But when it comes to retrofit designs there are three main designs which are readily available:

Ul type A

These are ballast compatible LED tubes which function on existing fluorescent ballast. This kind of tube does not require any rewiring and is super convenient. Although one main drawback of these lights is that if the ballast fails or is incompatible with LED then it becomes an entirely different task which is also quite costly.

UL type B

UL type B or double ended LED tubes are much better option than UL type A. These tubes do not operate on fluorescent ballasts and they require connection to the mains supply in order to operate. They can be both single ended or double ended and the driver is integrated into the LED itself.

In most single ended tubes the pins present on one end are just for support while the pins present on the other end are live and neutral pins.

The installation requires assistance as it is a bit technical.

UL type C

UL type C tubes are quite advanced than both UL type A and UL Type B as they have their own LED driver. The LED driver is quite powerful and it can power up to 40 tubes in a row.

It is highly convenient and more sustainable than other options. It also comes with dimmable features.

It is essential to learn about their substantial features and choose the best fit for your project.

Usage of LED tubes:

The usage of LED tubes is conventional and due to the safety features they can be used in a lot of spaces without causing any discomfort.

For homes:

In homes, they can be used in any room for accent lighting as well as to add an extra layer of lighting to the general lighting layout. Available in many different colour temperatures they blend in quite effectively and are easy to install on walls or ceilings in kitchens, bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways or garages.

For offices:

Offices are commercial spaces and require a convenient lighting setup which is easy on the eyes and enhances productivity while also reducing electricity costs and creating manageable lighting layout. Most office spaces have switched to LED light fixtures as they cut down the cooling costs, the light is uniform, bright and glare free which does not reflect off screens.

For schools:

Schools require a lot of general lighting fixtures and LED tubes are highly convenient in these spaces because of the amount of benefits they bring. They enhance focus and do not create any buzzing sounds which are quite distracting and are known to cause migraines. It improves the overall health of students and teachers.

For stores:

In stores, LED tubes are highly convenient and have many practical uses other than just general lighting. These tubes can be installed in shelves, or over them especially in refrigerators. They are safe and eco friendly and do not contain any toxic chemicals like mercury or produce UV rays.

Conclusion:

LED tube lights revolutionised the lighting industry in many ways they essentially paved the path for newer and refined lighting technologies and are still very much in use all over the world. People are actively switching to LED lamps as they are more conscious of the drawbacks fluorescent fixtures come with. Using LED reduces carbon footprint and is quite safer in the long run. It is also energy efficient as it runs on low wattage and produces brighter light. The colour rendering index of LEDs is manageable and can be above or below 80 to suit any environment while optimising the overall appearance of the place as the texture is quite defined. Moreover they are available in different colour temperatures for any application which is customised on Kelvin scale ranging from 2500K to 6000K which produces warm yellow to cool white light.

LED tubes are a sustainable choice of light fixtures and despite their higher upfront costs they reduce overall expenditure on maintaining light fixtures and frequent changes.