LED tubes are an energy-efficient substitute for fluorescent tubes. They additionally offer better color rendering, require much less upkeep, and burn out much less often with a lifetime of up to 30,000 hours.
You should not get too stuck in a wattage equivalent if you are planning to migrate from fluorescent tubes to LED tubes. Rather, look at the lumens and height of your light fixture.
Replace Fluorescent Tubes with LED Tubes under the VEU Program
The Victorian Government's VEU rebate program on energy efficiency upgrades is helping Victorian businesses go green and save thousands on their power bills. Small and big businesses in Victoria can reduce their energy consumption on lighting by up to 60% simply by swapping fluorescent tubes with LED tubes under the rebate program.
Ecofin offers LED replacement to eligible businesses under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program to help minimize energy usage, power bills, maintenance costs, and greenhouse gas emissions.
How to check if your business is eligible for LED tube upgrade?
You can contact an Accredited Provider (AP) approved under the VEU program or their representatives to get the upgrade done. To qualify for an LED upgrade, there may be a minimum qualification criterion of old tubes to be replaced.
How a fluorescent to LED tube lighting upgrade can help your business?
LED lighting upgrades can help your business in many ways like:
- It will reduce energy bills resulting from electricity consumption on lighting.
- Reduce maintenance and labor costs on old light replacements.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Drawbacks of fluorescent tubes
Fluorescent lights consumers are faced with a range of issues. While the initial cost of a fluorescent tube is relatively low, problems related to operation and maintenance occur over time. Fluorescent lighting is designed to operate for a limited time. Each time a fluorescent light is turned on, the lifespan of the tube gets shortened.
The more often fluorescent tubes are turned on and off, the shorter their lifespan is. Fluorescent lamps are also sensitive to temperature changes, and their performance depreciates in colder temperatures.
Energy cost
LEDs have a higher energy efficiency when compared with fluorescent tubes. The efficiency is achieved as 95% of the consumed energy is converted into light by the LED lights and less than 5% is lost as heat. This contrasts dramatically with fluorescent tubes, which turn most energy into heat and can turn only 60% of the energy into light.
Maintenance cost
Maintenance costs for fluorescent lights depend heavily on the operation time of the lamps and fixtures. In colder working environments or where lamps are turned on and off frequently, the total life hours of fluorescent tubes get slashed significantly.
Whenever a fluorescent light is turned on, the electrode coil and cathode shield get degraded and the lamp's working life is shortened.
The lifespan of a standard fluorescent tube lies between 7,000 to 15,000 hours (LED tubes last up to 30,000 hours). Shorter lifespan of fluorescent lights stipulates frequent replacements and thereby increasing maintenance and replacement costs.
Lighting performance
The performance of a fluorescent light deteriorates dramatically over time. The performance is affected by ambient temperature and the turning on/off cycle. Lighting performance of fluorescent tubes decreases explicitly either in a cold or hot environment.
Can fluorescent tubes be replaced with LED tubes?
Yes! Fluorescent tubes can be easily replaced with LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to connect, since no additional wires or connectors are required.
As long as the LED lamp is compatible with the fluorescent transformer/ballast, the fluorescent will be removed and replaced with the LED tube. If the ballast is incompatible with the LED tube, it can be bypassed by rewiring the existing fixture with new sockets.
Advantages of LED tubes over fluorescent tubes
Energy savings
Switching over to LED tubes is an easy way to reduce energy costs. The efficiency of LED tubes is higher than fluorescent tubes, as 95% of the energy consumed is converted into light and less than 5% is lost as heat. This contrasts with fluorescent tube lights, which turn most energy into heat and only 60% of energy into light.
Maintenance cost reduction
Besides the drastic reduction in energy costs, lower maintenance costs give LED tubes an edge over fluorescent tubes. Longer lifespan of LED tubes reduces not just maintenance costs, but replacement costs as well.
Lighting performance
LED tubes outperform conventional fluorescent tube lights when it comes to lighting performance. LED tubes distribute light evenly over a surface, whereas light from fluorescent lamps is spread in all directions or 360 degrees. This results in excess light in some areas, particularly in an office environment.
Get the replacement
We will do a free on-site assessment to check the number and type of old lights, and your energy requirements. Installation is done by A-grade electricians.
Old tubes, or any other equipment that is removed or replaced, is recycled in an appropriate manner. This is to make sure that old, inefficient equipment is not being used anywhere else.
Access the discounted lighting offer now by filling in your business details below and talk to our lighting expert today.