In article ,
Dave N writes:
Has anyone here had experience with using LED replacements for fluorescent tubes? They're becoming affordable (1200mm T8 tubes from about £20) and I was thinking of using LED tubes in a standard dual batten lampholder with polycarbonate diffuser fitted, with the ballast circuit bypassed.

Seen lots at exhibitions, and some shop fitouts with them.

What's the light quality from them like? In particular, I notice the light output seems to be directional, which will no doubt affect the light quality, but does this matter in reality?

All the ones I've seen are directional, but in most cases, the light
output from fluorescent fittings is directional anyway, and significant
light is lost from the far side of the tube, even when reflectors are
used. This gets around that to a significant degree.

They tend to be available only in the higher colour temperatures (colder
bluer whites), because LED efficiency is significantly higher there.
(Same is true for fluorescent lamps, but the difference is much smaller.)
This means they will only look right at higher lighting levels.
The highest efficiency ones have rows of point source LEDs visible which
you might find uncomfortable. However, most include a diffuser, which
loses some efficiency.

Colour rendering - I haven't looked specifically at the LED tubes, but
LEDs in general are close to the cheaper fluorescent tubes, but that
only works if you get the lumen level high enough to match the colour
temperature, and that will mean higher light output may be required
than your fluorescents might have produced.

TIA,
David.

--
Andrew Gabriel
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