#NYLEDSTOCK# HOW TO BUY T8 and T12 LED Fluorescent Replacem

#NYLEDSTOCK#  How Do I Choose the Right LED Fluorescent Tube Replacement Option For Me? #NYLEDSTOCK# 

The first and most important step in choosing which product is right for you is to decide on the installation method you would like to use. The installation method will largely vary on what type of existing fixture technology you have-- either T8 or T12.

To figure out what you currently have installed, it is best to remove a bulb from the fixture and read the markings on the end. This will reveal a lot about your current fluorescent tube and usually indicate if the bulb is T8 or T12.

If no markings are available, the size in diameter of the tube is the easiest way to determine the type you have installed.

#NYLEDSTOCK#  What are LED Fluorescent Replacement Tubes? #NYLEDSTOCK# 

The consumer demand for quality LED replacement products fueled recent industry changes, beginning with the introduction of proper safety and light output standards. Much of this development was due to building and facility managers looking for a way to replace problematic fluorescent tubes with a long-life solution. An additional impetus for development was also the phase out of T12 ballast technology, which led many to look for a solution that would allow for the re-use of existing fixtures without costly conversions to different technologies.LED fluorescent replacement tubes allow for replacing linear fluorescent tubes, (commonly referred to as T8/T10/T12), with LED technology. The first products came to market around 2007; however, early generation LED fluorescent replacement tubes not only lacked adequate light output, safety certifications were often non-existent. The lack of quality found in these early replacement solutions unfortunately gave initial buyers a bad impression of LED fluorescent replacement technology. 

Today, LED fluorescent replacement tubes are truly able to offer a one-for-one replacement, and have recently reached price levels that offer payback periods well under 12 months. As a result, commercial and residential customers alike have become very interested in the technology, but many are often discouraged by the sheer number of options both in products and installation methods.

#NYLEDSTOCK#   Ballast Bypass or Direct Wire LED Fluorescent Replacement Tubes #NYLEDSTOCK# 

The oldest but also least expensive and most widely installed option is the ballast bypass or direct wire LED fluorescent replacement tube. Instead of building expensive circuitry inside to enable the function with a ballast, this option instead allows the user to bypass the ballast entirely and run directly off of the line voltage at the installation.

Due to potential safety hazards of interacting with line voltage, (which can be as high as 277V in commercial applications), safety testing organizations such as UL have introduced standards to ensure that this product can be installed safely. The result is that most products in this category have to be installed with the line voltage input into one side of the tube.