T8 LED Tube and LED Tube REPLACEMENTS
2 FT. T8
3 FT. T8
4 FT. T8
8 FT. T8
HIGH OUTPUT T8
HIGH OUTPUT T12
T5 RPL. 2-3-4 FT.
U-BEND T8
There are 4 types of options when choosing T8 replacements. 
If you need more help making the right selection please call our team and we will be glad to assist you.
1.) Direct Wire or Ballast Bypass LED Tubes
Also known as “Type-B”, the most commonly installed is the direct wire or ballast bypass option. Rather than building expensive circuitry within for the ballast to function, this option enables the ballast to be bypassed entirely by the user. At installation, it will run directly off of the line voltage, therefore “bypassing” the ballast.Interacting with the line voltage (which in commercial applications can be up to 277V) does cause potential safety hazards. Therefore, standards have been introduced by safety organizations like UL to ensure that the product can be safely installed. This results in a majority of single-end (SEP) powered instead of double end (DEP) powered tubes. Single-end powered simply means the power is wired through one end of the tube. Oppositely, double end powered means power is wired through the tube on both ends.Non-Shunted Rapid Start Tombstones
 This introduces a unique requirement. It is required that the socket is a “Non-Shunted Rapid Start” or T12 type. You are fortunate if you already have a T12 fixture. This means you already have all of the necessary hardware. The input side sockets on T8 fixtures must be changed over to “Non-Shunted Rapid Start” T12 sockets because there is a circular conductor in T8 sockets that disallows them to separate the line or the circuit’s neutral sides properly. Although the wiring is fairly simple and only takes a few minutes per fixture to perform, we recommend this task only be performed by a qualified electrician.For commercial properties, this is required. Although the installation requirements for ballast bypass tubes are more complex, there are greater advantages. Their unit costs are lower compared to all other options. This is a very important consideration with large projects.
2.) Electronic Ballast Compatible Tubes
Also known as “Type-A” or “Plug-n-Play”. Electronic Ballast Compatible Tubes are a fairly new option. As is suggested by the name, they are intended to work with electronic ballast installations. So, they will not function without ballasts or with magnetic ballasts. According to industry data, this combination accounts for more than 1.2 billion tube lights, because they continue to become more and more popular. Similar to universal tube technology, installation is easy.You just need to pull the old tube out and replace it with the LED tube. Due to the huge assortment of electronic ballasts that are available in the marketplace, many manufacturers have conducted compatibility testing and a complete listing has been developed of compatible ballasts that their own LED tubes work with. The disadvantages of this options are the higher upfront cost per unit, in addition to the continuous worry that the LED tube won’t illuminate if the ballast fails. Organizations and individuals need to weigh the potential drawbacks against the lack of downtime and ease of installation..
3.) Hybrid (Electronic Ballast Compatible + Ballast Bypass)
Also referred to as “Type A+B”. There are some sellers who recognize the opportunity to provide LED tube lights that will work with both ballast and non-ballast installations. This has resulted in a new category being introduced, which is the “hybrid” tube light. They work with both T8 electronic ballasts and can be wired directly. With this tube install, there is flexibility when a ballast fails or when a facility has both T12 and T8 that require both types of wiring. This would be considered in most cases to be a “one-size-fits-all” approach and proves to be quite handy.As the technology is continually developed we are seeing flocks of new customers and maintenance supervisors buy the hybrid tube for every day installs and make it their go-to choice for tube lighting. The advantage of being able to bypass a failed ballast is a huge benefit for installers and mitigates the need for tube replacement.
4.) Universal (T12 Magnetic or T8 Electronic) Ballast Compatible LED Tubes
These LED tubes are the newest, easiest to install and most expensive. They work with any kind of existing technology – whether it is T12 (Magnetic Ballast) or T8 (Electronic Ballast). To install them all you need to do is take the old fluorescent tube out and install the LED tube in its place. They are a very good option for smaller facilities or homeowners whose main goal is no downtime during installation and complete power reduction.The main drawback to these options is their higher up-front costs per unit. They are one of the highest of all the options. Also, since the ballast is in place still there are maintenance concerns as well. That is particularly critical with T12 magnetic applications when it is no longer possible to procure new ballasts..

T8 LED TUBE LIGHTS