While there are multiple types of LED and fluorescent tube lights, the three most common are T12, T8 and T5. The terminology comes from “T” for “tubular” and the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch, so “T8” represents a tube of 8/8ths of an inch, or 1 inch.
Do fluorescent light bulbs come in different sizes?
Fluorescent circline tubes are typically 1 and 1/8 of an inch in diameter. Their outside diameter (which is measuring the circle from one end to the other) comes in four options – 6, 8, 12, and 16 inches.
How do I know what size fluorescent tube I need?
Fluorescent tubes are measured in eighths of an inch. A T8 has a one inch (8/8 inch) diameter, a T5 has a 5/8 inch diameter, and a T12 is a 12/8 inch (1.5 inch) in diameter.
How do I know if I have 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. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.
What is the difference between T8 T10 and T12 fluorescent tubes?
Basically, T8 = 1 inch diameter, T10 = 1.25″, and T12 = 1.5″ diameter. Measure across one of the ends of the bulb you are replacing to see what yours is. In almost all cases, unless you have an extremely tight space, any size will work in any application. 4 of 4 found this helpful.
Does T8 fit in T12?
T8 tubes are simply 1 inch in diameter versus the 1.5 inch diameter of T12 tubes. In an effort to make LED tube lights compatible with the internal dimensions of most fixtures, you will find that most LED tube lights feature a T8 or 1 inch diameter. They can indeed be used in T12 fixtures.
Which is brighter T12 or T8?
The Standard T12 lamp produces 2,650 initial lumens per lamp. The standard T8 produces 2,800 initial lumens per lamp, 6% brighter. But the standard T12 lamp produces 2,300 design lumens and the T8 produces 2,660 design lumens.
What is the difference between T8 and T5?
The major physical difference between T5 and T8 light bulbs is the length and diameter of the tube itself. The T5 tends to be slightly shorter than the T8 tube, and is significantly smaller in diameter. This factor is important to consider when looking at your fixture, because the two tubes are not interchangeable.
What size is a T5 tube?
T5 Fluorescent Tubes (15mm Diameter)
What is a T8 fluorescent tube?
The largest category of tube light in widely-available use, T8 tube lights measure 26mm in diameter and are often used for lighting large, wide-open spaces. They’re normally seen in supermarkets, warehouses, garages and offices, although they’re suitable for smaller environments that need plenty of light too.
Is my ballast T8 or T12?
Replace Current Lamp
You will see either T8 or T12 stamped on one side near the end with the prongs. You also will see the lamp’s rated wattage, usually 32 watts for T8 and 40 watts for T12. Measure the diameter of the lamp. T12 lamps are larger than T8 lamps, with a 1 ½-inch diameter.
Can I replace a T12 ballast with a T8?
The easiest and lowest price option to replace a T12 is a T8 linear fluorescent. They have become the go-to option for pre-existing T12s. If you still have magnetic ballasts, switching to a T8 will require a ballast swap. Another option is to move forward with an LED retrofit.
Will a T8 ballast work with T5 bulbs?
T5 lamps need special ballasts to operate. In most cases, the T5 ballasts will not work with T12 or T8 lamps, although at least one manufacturer offers electronic ballasts that can operate either T5 or T8 lamps with appropriate wiring. T5 lamps operate at frequencies greater than 20 kilohertz.
Can I use a T12 bulb in a T10 fixture?
Registered. The bulbs will fit. T12, T10, T8 and T6 all come in the same standard lengths.
Will T12 fit in T10?
T12 and T10 lights also use the same ballast, which is essentially an inductor, so there is nothing on the fixture that you have to change to replace a T12 tube with a T10 tube. Smaller tubes will use less power for a comparable amount of light.
What does T8 or T12 mean?
A T12 lamp (on the left in the figure below) is therefore twelve-eighths of an inch, or one-and-one-half inches (3.81 cm), in diameter. A T8 lamp (on the right in the figure below) is eight-eighths of an inch, or one inch (2.54 cm), in diameter.
Are fluorescent tubes being phased out?
Legislation being brought forward this month will also include the removal of fluorescent lights from shelves from September 2023. Currently, around 2 thirds of bulbs sold in Britain are LED lights, making a considerable impact in improving the energy efficiency of the country’s buildings.
Are T8 fluorescent bulbs being discontinued?
Even some T8 lamps have been phased out. US Congress has enacted legislation to prohibit the manufacture of these and other inefficient lighting technologies, and is calling for manufacturers to meet minimum efficiency requirements and lumens per watt for new products.
What are the different sizes of fluorescent tubes?
While there are multiple types of LED and fluorescent tube lights, the three most common are T12, T8 and T5. The terminology comes from “T” for “tubular” and the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch, so “T8” represents a tube of 8/8ths of an inch, or 1 inch.
Can I replace my T12 bulbs with LED?
T8 LED tubes won’t fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they’ll fit just fine. But here’s some even better news: If you have a T12 fixture, conversion to LED is going to be even easier than with a T8 fixture. This is because T12 fixtures have non-shunted tombstones, exactly what you need for LED tubes.
What is the brightest 4ft fluorescent bulb?
The brightest four foot T8-sized LED tube light is the Barrina LED Shop Light Fixture. This tube shines with 5000 lumens using 44 watts. It replaces a 72 watt fluorescent tube.
Are T5 lights better than T8?
T5 lamps are 40% smaller than T8 fixtures, but are capable of containing just as much and sometimes more light in a smaller area. In other words, more T8 fixtures are needed to produced the same amount of light generated by significantly fewer high output T5 bulbs.
Is T5 the same as G5?
Fluorescent G5 tube base types are a two pin fitting located at each of the tube with 5mm between the two pins. The T5 (16mm tube diameter) and T4 (12mm tube diameter) uses the G5 cap fitting.
What length is a T8 fluorescent tube?
Common tube ratings
| Tube diameter in 1⁄8 in (3.175 mm) | Nominal length | Nominal power (W) |
|---|---|---|
| T8 | 2 ft (610 mm) | 18 |
| T8 | 3 ft (914 mm) | 30 |
| T8 | 4 ft (1,219 mm) | 36 |
| T8 | 5 ft (1,524 mm) | 58 |
Can I replace fluorescent tubes with LED?
Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.
What is a T5 fluorescent tube?
A T5 is a type of fluorescent tube. It differs from a T12 and a T8 in its diameter. All T5s are 5/8ths of an inch (T8s are exactly 1inch thick and T12s are 12/8ths or 1.5 inches thick). T5s are 16mm in diameter making them the thinnest fluorescent tube out of the three.
What is the difference between T5 and T10 bulbs?
“Five-sided lighting” , Bulbs uses five-sided lighting in order to increase brightness and wider angle of brightness area. In fact, the history of T5 is same as late evolution of T10. We got to solve the problem that the illuminate breadth is not enough, resulting in multi-faceted illumination.
How do you know if it’s the bulb or ballast?
One probe of the multimeter should touch the hot wire connections, while the other touches the neutral wire connections. If the ballast is good, an analog multimeter has a needle that will sweep to the right across the measuring scale. If the ballast is bad, then the needle won’t move.
How do I know what ballast I have?
You can determine whether you have a compatible fixture in seconds. Simply turn the light on, then take a photo of the fixture using your smartphone or digital camera. If there are no dark bands on the resulting image, you have an electronic ballast that will work with direct drop-in LED tubes.
Is an F40 a T12?
A T12 is 12/8ths of an inch, or 1.5″ in diameter. A T5 is 5/8″ in diameter. All F32 and F40 lamps are essentially 4 foot long lamps (47″ if you don’t count the pins). The FR71T12 is actually a 71″ long x 1.5″ diameter lamp that can handle from 80-120w and is typically run at 100w.
Can I use T5 bulbs in a T12 fixture?
T5 lamps cannot replace T12 or T8 lamps because of differences in physical and electrical characteristics. T5 lamps come in different lengths than T8 and T12 lamps. A nominal 4-foot T5 lamp is actually shorter than an equivalent T8 lamp [1149 millimeters (45.23 inches) in total].
How do you hook up a T12 ballast?
Replacing A Ballast On A T12 Fluorescent Light Fixture – YouTube
Are all T12 ballasts the same?
And there are two types of ballasts in each family: magnetic and electronic. Magnetic ballasts are the older ballast technology. For the fluorescent family, both T12 linear fluorescents and two-pin CFLs use magnetic ballasts. For HIDs, some metal halides and HPS lamps use magnetic ballasts.
Can I put LED bulbs in my t5?
T5 LED Conversion – YouTube
How long do t5 ballasts last?
On average, an LED T5 lamp is rated to last as long as 50,000 hours. This is more than double the standard 24,000 hour life of a fluorescent tube. Installing lamps with this long of a lifespan eliminates the need for frequent replacement.
How do you wire a t5 ballast?
How to install a 2 lamp ballast ( for T5 lamps) – YouTube
What is the difference between T5 and T12 bulbs?
T5 tubes are smaller than T8 and T12 tubes, which allow them to fit into smaller spaces. They are offered in sizes of 2-5 feet in length. T5 lamps are around 40% smaller than T8 lamps and almost 60% smaller than T12 lamps.
How do you replace T12?
How to Change Long Light Bulbs | T12 Fluorescent Light Bulbs
What is a T10 tube?
T10 Fluorescent tubes. A range of T8 32mm diameter fluorescent tubes.
What does T6 mean in light bulbs?
Measuring nearly 3 inches long with a 0.75-inch diameter, this T6 bulb has a candelabra (E12) base, and it uses 25 watts and 120 volts to operate.
How do I know if my bulb is a T8?
Linear fluorescent lamps typically include a “T” in the shape abbreviation with a number following it. This “T” stands for tube and the number that follows is the diameter of the tube. That number is divided into 8 to translate into inches. So a T8 has a one inch diameter.