How do you upgrade fluorescent light fixtures?

What can I replace my fluorescent light with?

Replacement choices include pendant lighting, flush-mount ceiling fixtures, track lighting, monorail lighting, potrack lighting and more. You can even skip the ceiling-mounted light and instead install a couple of wall sconces.

How can I make my fluorescent light fixture look better?

Today, the most common way to hide the harsh glow of fluorescent light is with plastic covers for fluorescent light fixtures. Almost every fixture has them. Typical plastic covers for fluorescent light fixtures come in a few styles. The most common are prismatic and frosted light fixture covers.

How do you upgrade fluorescent lights?

Can I replace my old 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.

How To Convert T8 Fluorescent Lights to LED ● Explained in Simple Terms

Will LED lights work in fluorescent fixtures?

You have fluorescent tube lights in your home or business already, and you're wondering if you can pop LED tubes in these fixtures or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news! You can use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!

Do I need to remove the ballast to use an LED bulb?

An LED light does not require a ballast because it uses a component called a “driver” to regulate the power going into the bulb.

How much does it cost to change fluorescent lights to LED?

Fluorescent to LED Conversion Kits

On average, an electrician charges $50-$100 an hour. Once the value of the electrician is added to the value of the LED conversion kit and LED bulb, the cost can be a bit high with an all-around amount of about $160-$506.

Can I replace a T12 fluorescent light tube with an LED tube?

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.

How do you soften a fluorescent light in a ceiling?

Gel media used as florescent light filters should last indefinitely. You can also create a rice paper fluorescent light cover to help soften the light from the fluorescent lamps. The rice paper lets light pass throughly easily, but it reduces the glare and the harsheness that often comes from fluorescent lights.

How do you reduce glare from overhead fluorescent lights?

Can you make your own fluorescent light covers?

Rice Paper DIY

Make your own Asian-influenced fluorescent light cover with this self-adhesive rice paper film. The rice paper serves as a DIY lampshade of sorts! Simply attach the paper around the fixture with double-sided tape or mounting putty, using one large sheet of rice paper per fixture.

Are LED lights brighter than fluorescent?

The LED tube lights are noticeably brighter than fluorescent tubes and you don't get exposed to any kind of harmful rays such as UV/IV rays as well that can damage your eyes and can result in skin allergies as well.

Can you mix LED and fluorescent tubes?

LED and fluorescent lights on the same circuit? Some things were never meant to work together. If you intend to upgrade some lights to LED, ensure that there are no old technology lights remaining on the same circuit. LED drivers contain electronics that may be upset by old technology transformers on the same circuit.

Will LED lights work with a ballast?

No LED bulbs require a ballast, although some are engineered to work with an existing ballast. You will find ballast-compatible or "plug-and-play" LEDs that are designed to replace linear fluorescents, compact fluorescents, or HIDs. Incandescent and halogen lamps do not require a ballast.

Are LED tubes better than fluorescent?

New LEDs can last 50,000 to 100,000 hours or more. The typical lifespan for a fluorescent bulb, by comparison, is 10-25% as long at best (roughly 10,000 hours). LEDs are extremely energy efficient relative to every other commercially available lighting technology.

Are fluorescent lights being phased out?

The government has announced plans today (Wednesday 9 June) to end the sale of halogen light bulbs from this September, as part of the UK's wider efforts to tackle climate change. Legislation being brought forward this month will also include the removal of fluorescent lights from shelves from September 2023.

Is changing a ballast easy?

You can get a new ballast at a hardware store or home center and install it in about 10 minutes. However, buying a ballast can be expensive, so consider pricing a brand-new fixture for comparison.

Can you replace 8 foot fluorescent bulb with LED?

Option 1: Retrofitting Your 8ft Fluorescent Shop Lights with LED. So, you want to keep your existing shop lights and just switch them over to 8ft LED bulbs. No problem: this is a simple wiring job that takes about five minutes per fixture, once you get the hang of it.

How do you bypass a ballast to install LED tubes?

How do I know if a ballast is compatible?

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.

What is a shunted socket?

When you hear the word "shunted," think "joined" or "connected". Shunted sockets feature internally connected electrical contacts. This provides a single track for the electrical current to travel from the ballast, through the tombstone, or socket, and to the lamp's pins.

How do I know if my ballast 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. T8 tubes are 1-inch in diameter and T12 tubes are 1 1/2 -inch.