Does LED Tubes really have what it takes to make it worth swapping out your tried-and-true conventional fluorescent tubes and T5 fluorescent tubes? To help you decide, take a look at some of the benefits of LEDs:
LED Replacement Tubes are More Efficient:
Not only do you get more light from a LED replacement tube, they use less wattage. LED replacement tubes only use 15-16 watts as against 28 watts with T5 and 40 watts with conventional tubes making the LED more efficient.
LED Is A Directional Light Source:
The LED replacement tubes emits light at a 110 degree pattern vs the 360 degree pattern given off by standard fluorescent / T5 fluorescent tubess. In this case, only 30% of the light given off by the fluorescent is actually hitting the intended target. This means you are not using all available light because the fluorescent tube is also lighting the fixture.That's why fluorescent fixtures are brighter with reflectors.
LED Transfer Light vs. Heat:
A LED fixture uses its energy to produce light. Most lighting sources including fluorescent use heat to generate light which is why traditional incandescent, metal halide and fluorescent are losing favor with property owners.
LED Still Give Off Light At End-Of-Life :
A fluorescent tube at the end of its life is very simple to spot, because it is DEAD, nothing is left. A T5 bulb's considered end-of-life is at 60% of its light output, which equates to roughly 8000 hours. LED replacement bulbs end of life on the other hand is considered to be at 70% which is approximately 50,000 hours. In order to keep up with LED, you will have to replace the fluorescent / T5 bulbs 6.5 times
LED Replacement Tubes Have No Mercury :
One of the most important differences lies in the fact that there is no Mercury or Glass Content with LED lighting. In the State of Washington alone, over 10 Million lamps are disposed of in landfills each year. Those 10 Million lamps hold roughly 400 lbs of toxic Mercury waste that gets deposited each year. Washington State estimates that only 2 out of 10 bulbs are effectively recycled.
LED Does Not Give Off UV :
LED replacement bulbs does not emit any light in the non-visible light spectrum (UV). UV/IR light causes colors to fade in fabrics, signage, while also being the leading cause for eye strain and eye fatigue. Conventional Fluorescent / T5 tubes emit UV/IR light.
LED Makes Air Conditioning More Efficient :
LED fixtures contribute little to none in regards to heat gain in a room or air conditioned space. The LED generate less heat. Less heat means that the Air Conditioning system does not have to work as hard. This is vitally important if you are doing a new build or upgrade as you may be able to utilize smaller A/C systems.
LED Provides 70% More Light :
The beam angle of the LED replacement tube is 110 degrees. This means that all of the light generated by the LED tube is focused in the 110 degree area. The fluorescent / T5 tube on the other has a beam angle of 360 degrees. That means the majority of the light generated by the these tubes is going out the sides and top of bulb, which does not benefit the intended target.
The efficiency, long life, and functionalities of LEDs make them worthy of potentially replacing standard / T5 fluorescent tubes. Of course, every situation is different, so analyze your setup and decide.
