Converting fluorescent lamps to LED. Choosing T8 G13 LED lamps

As my practice shows, many people do not know that when using raster lamps there is no need to buy new ones in order to install LED lighting. The simplest and most effective way is to upgrade with T8 LED lamps of 600 mm and 1200 mm.

Such ceiling lights are common in offices, shops, and office spaces. As a rule, they are mounted in Armstrong suspended ceilings. But in addition to built-in ones, there are also overhead models. They are now outdated and too thick. They were replaced by new diode ones with a thickness of only 1 cm, convenient to install using an overhead type of installation.
  • 1. Types of T8 lamps
  • 2. Benefits of replacing with LED
  • 3. Types according to connection diagram
  • 4. T5 lamps
  • 5. Simple modernization of the lamp
  • 6. Cost of modernization
  • 7. Replacement video
  • 8. Example prices

Types of T8 lamps

T8 lamps, also marked G13, are also called T8 LED tubes. Externally, this is also a tube made of matte or transparent polycarbonate, but the filling consists of LEDs. The dimensions fully correspond to luminescent ones, standard sizes are 600 mm, 900 mm, 1200 mm.

Structurally, they are of two types:

  • the driver is installed inside the tube under the LED diodes, accordingly, it is powered by a voltage of 220V;
  • An external driver is used, like from an LED strip, powered by a voltage of 12V.

Built-in drivers for 220 volt models

According to their design, flasks are divided into 3 types:

  1. transparent, 0% loss;
  2. translucent, satin, loss 10%;
  3. matte, not transparent, light loss on average 20%.

The flask is made of acrylic plastic or polycarbonate, which gives good mechanical strength.

Standard sizes:

  • 300mm. for desktop;
  • 600mm. for Armstrong ceiling lamps;
  • 900mm.;
  • 1200mm.

The luminous flux increases in proportion to the length, the length has increased 2 times, it shines 2 times brighter.

The color temperature has the same characteristics as LED lamps:

  1. warm white light;
  2. neutral white, daytime;
  3. cold, bluish compared to warm.

Of these options, the best one is neutral daylight, the eyes perceive it best, a white sheet of paper will be really white and will not turn yellow as if it were warm.

Benefits of replacing with LED

Let's calculate how profitable it is to install new diodes instead of fluorescent ones. We take into account that they are placed on an Armstrong suspended ceiling and shine in all directions. Due to the limited dimensions of the body itself, the body of the tube obscures its reflected light. The calculation was made by an electrician, he has more extensive experience in this.

Let's carry out a simple calculation for gas-discharge systems, which will involve:

  • Efficiency of all luminescent from 70%
  • shading coefficient of light flux when reflected from a mirror reflector, 0.6-0.7;
  • light source efficiency 50-60 Lm/W;
  • service life no more than 18,000 hours.

For diodes, these values ​​will be respectively:

  • 90% efficiency depends on the power supply;
  • 0.9 because it only shines down;
  • 100-120 Lm/W for the middle price category;
  • up to 50,000 hours, after this period the brightness will decrease to 70% of the original.

Using the above coefficients, you can make your own calculations. A diode light source is 2 times more efficient and economical only in terms of electrical parameters. If we take into account the service life, then in the end the superiority of new technologies will be 4 times.

At low temperatures, the efficiency of gas-discharge sources decreases, while that of diode sources increases. This factor should be taken into account when making calculations.

Which T8 lamps to choose?

A large number of readers ask which lamps to choose and where is the best place to buy. If you are interested in high-quality and proven T8 LED lamps, I recommend buying Philips. They provide European quality; the requirements for lamps in Europe are much stricter. Philips does not inflate the specifications, as domestic brands do.

I checked many stores looking for the best value for money. The best was the discount store Sibertek.ru Online store of chandeliers and lighting fixtures The first discounter in Russia, wholesale prices at retail.

Types according to connection diagram

Installation and connections of T8 LED tubes

Let’s determine in advance that the ballast is a ballast, the same as the ignition unit for xenon. Electronic ballasts are an electronic version that performs the starting function.

According to the connection diagram, they are divided into 3 types:

  1. regular connection instead of standard luminescent ones, as a rule they are only compatible with old electromagnetic ballast and cannot be installed with electronic ones;
  2. The ballast is removed and the tube is connected directly to 220V;
  3. The ballast is dismantled, the new ice bulbs are powered by an additional 12V power supply.

In fact, the model with a built-in driver is a full-fledged lighting device that only requires a 220V socket and a wire. Therefore, they can be equipped with electrical wires with a special plug and switch.

All connection options with built-in driver

Wiring connections depend on the model, please check before purchasing:

  • connection on the left side;
  • from the right;
  • at both sides.

T5 lamps

Difference between T5 (above) and T8. Set of wires for separate connection

..

T5 lamps are a variation of T8. They are widely used in retail counters, especially with refrigerators. A long light source is suitable for the aquarium; sometimes LED strips or rulers are installed, but they are not splash-proof. In addition, the fish may try to tear off the LED, mistaking it for food.

Simple modernization of the lamp

In addition to the standard types of installation of G13 T8 diode lamps, I also have my own designs that you can repeat with your own hands. My method is 2-3 times cheaper, but a little more complicated. Based on the use of LED strips and 12V power supplies. The appearance will be different, but no worse. Do you often look at the ceiling indoors? In addition, they are covered with bars to prevent blinding.

The body of the raster lamp has a reflector installed on the base, which we use.

  1. remove fluorescent tubes;
  2. remove the ballast filling;
  3. We glue an SMD 5050 LED strip with a density of 60 LEDs per meter onto the reflector;
  4. glue 8 pieces of 50 cm each;
  5. we combine food;
  6. install and connect the power supply.

The rated brightness of the standard is 3600 Lumens, taking into account losses the result is about 650 Lumens from one tube. 1 meter on SMD 5050 LED diodes gives about 700 Lumens. In order not to glue 8 pieces of 50 cm each, you can use double-width tape, you will get 4 pieces.

Such modernization increases maintainability and significantly reduces its cost. Even if the LED diode fails, only a segment of 3 LEDs will go out.

For one rework, one will need 4 meters, 700 Lumens per 1m. it will be 2800 lm, a little less, but not significantly. You can also use a more powerful option, for example ice rulers on SMD 5630 and 5730. You will only need 150cm of them, 3 pcs. 50cm each.

Upgrade cost

Let's calculate what benefits we will get from independent modernization.

Let's calculate the rework.

  • tape price 135 rub./m.;
  • 4m. cost 540 rubles. This is enough to replace 4 tubes;
  • with the usual method it will cost from 1200 rubles, with a minimum price of one 300 rubles.

In order not to install 1 unit for each, we will install 1 power supply for 4-6 lamps.

Let's calculate for an office 6 fluorescent pieces.

  • my method: 540 * 6 = 3240 rub., plus 1000 rub. to the power supply;
  • regular: 8400 rub.;
  • total: mine from 4240 rubles, regular from 8400 rubles.

The gluing procedure is very simple:

  1. wipe the installation site;
  2. carefully glue;
  3. put connectors on the ends or solder wires;
  4. put all the pros and cons together.

Anyone who has ever held a soldering iron or changed a T8 G13 lamp can handle this. And for those who are really bad with this, amateur radio stores sell ready-made kits with ready-made step-by-step instructions for replacing them with diode strips.

Replacement video

A foreign colleague will tell you and show you how to properly replace them with diode ones. Everything is shown in great detail and will be clear without words or translation.

Example prices

Beware of Chinese products without a listed manufacturer. The Chinese are lying about everything regarding LEDs. They use their favorite method: they install a weak crystal in a standard LED diode housing, the power of which is 3-5 times less than the branded one. And the characteristics are written on the product, as if branded LEDs were installed.

But on the domestic market there are inexpensive and good models with an affordable price starting from 290 rubles. for 1 piece

But the best way is to sell the installed old raster ceiling lights and replace them with modern LED panels. Their thickness is 1-3cm. and the cost for small wholesale purchases is from 1000 rubles. for the 3600 lm model. with Japanese quality diodes.

Hello, dear readers and admirers of the site Radio circuits! Today I want to tell you about a small redesign of my table lamp. Once upon a time, the fluorescent lamp I bought worked happily ever after, but its turn has come and will go to another world. The lamp began to turn on poorly and began to flicker barely noticeably, which was very annoying. The flicker was most noticeable in lateral (peripheral) vision.

And then I got a piece of LED strip on an aluminum base for free. When trying it on, it turned out that the length fits like a native one. It was decided to carry out modernization.

I removed all the resistors from the strip and soldered additional LEDs instead to improve the light output of the lamp. I cut the strip itself into three parts and connected them in series using the same LEDs. Next, I fixed it all on the radiator, for which I used a piece of aluminum furniture rail (from sliding compartment doors), using thermal paste and superglue. The radiator itself was secured in the case with hot-melt adhesive.

Power supply circuit for LED

All that remains is to make the driver. Without hesitation, I decided to take a power supply unit (PSU) from an ordinary energy-saving device, of which I had accumulated a decent bunch. Some modifications need to be made to the power supply so that LEDs can be connected to it. A lot has been written about this on the Internet, so I won’t go into too much detail and will only give the diagrams that came up first on Google. It is necessary to throw out the circuit circled by a dotted line and close the remaining terminals together.

Then everything is as usual: we wind an additional winding on the transformer, solder a diode bridge made of “fast” diodes and a capacitor there. The result is a very compact and fairly powerful power supply (about the same power as indicated on the lamp from which the power supply was removed) from practically nothing.

As a result, it was possible to revive the patient and make him shine with renewed vigor. The only discovered disadvantage of this modification is that due to the use of a new power supply unit, the mass of which is much less than the old inductor, the stability has not deteriorated much, with large bends of the lamp holder. But on the other hand, the lamp is now not afraid of falls, since now there is simply nothing there to break, and plus, it has become more environmentally friendly, since it does not contain a mercury-containing lamp.

There was a time when we admired the efficiency of fluorescent lamps. But today they are gradually giving way to new generation light sources - LEDs, which have even higher efficiency. From our article you will learn how to connect LED lamps instead of fluorescent ones and what the user benefits by making such a replacement.

LEDs are often designated in a foreign manner - by the abbreviation LED (Light Emitting Diode). Accordingly, light sources based on them can be called LED lamps.

Like a regular diode, an LED consists of two semiconductors with different types of conductivity. But in this case, special materials were used that provide luminosity in the p-n junction zone. Compared to fluorescent lamps, such light sources benefit in many ways:

  1. At the same luminosity, they consume 2–3 times less electricity.
  2. They have a colossal service life - about 50 thousand hours (manufacturers provide a warranty for 2 - 3 years).
  3. They emit light more similar to natural light.
  4. They do not contain toxic substances and therefore do not require special disposal measures (fluorescent lamps are filled with toxic mercury vapor).
  5. They reach maximum luminosity immediately after switching on.
  6. Easily withstands significant voltage fluctuations, as well as vibration and shock.

An LED lamp is made as follows: a set of LEDs is soldered to a getinax board, which looks like a long strip, after which the entire structure is placed in a transparent plastic tube.

LEDs operate on direct current, however, an LED lamp can be connected to a regular AC network without any additional devices: it is equipped with its own current converter (called a driver), which is fixed on the board along with the LEDs.

Additionally, lamps of this type can be equipped with circuits that provide flicker protection and the ability to connect via a dimmer (allows you to smoothly change brightness).

How to replace linear fluorescent lamps in lamps with LEDs?

LED lamps are equipped with the same connecting elements as all others. There are models with sockets, like those of incandescent lamps - large E27 and small E14; and there are options with sockets such as GU5.3, G4, GU10 and the most popular G13 - like fluorescent lamps. This means that today you can unscrew an outdated light source from any socket and select an LED analogue for it.

But if an incandescent lamp can be simply replaced, then some types of fluorescent lamps must first be prepared.

Different types of light bulbs

We are talking about lamps designed to work with low-voltage fluorescent lamps (powered by 12 V DC). They are equipped with voltage converters - a ballast choke (outdated version) or electronic ballast (improved version).

This “filling” will need to be dismantled, since LED lamps, as already mentioned, have their own driver. You will also have to slightly change the wiring.

Replacement instructions

First of all, you need to select LED lamps with the same luminosity as the fluorescent lamps you are replacing - this is if the brightness of the lamp needs to be left at the same level.

We draw the reader's attention to the fact that lamps should be compared by luminosity (measured in lumens), and not by power consumption (measured in watts).

What types of LED lamps are there?

The technologies used by different manufacturers differ, and therefore the number of lumens (lm) produced by the lamp for each watt (W) varies slightly.

If the lamp packaging does not indicate the luminosity, but instead only says something like “corresponds to a 36 W fluorescent lamp,” you should be suspicious of such products: the manufacturer is clearly trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the buyer.

The approximate correspondence of lamps of different types is shown in the table:

If the lamps have been purchased, you can begin work on converting the lamp:

  1. Turn off the power supply using the switch. If the device has not been used for a long time, first turn it on and mark in some way, for example, using a marker, the still usable lamps. If you lose sight of this point, then you will have to additionally tinker with checking them.
  2. We check with a phase indicator whether the lamp is really disconnected from the power supply. This must be done: the switch could have been mistakenly installed in the gap of the neutral wire, and not the phase wire, and in this case the device will be energized all the time, both on and off. If the test shows the presence of voltage, the lamp must be de-energized using a circuit breaker installed in the distribution board.
  3. Next, the wires connected to the lamp are disconnected and their bare ends are wrapped with electrical tape. This also applies to the ground wire, if there is one (usually has yellow-green insulation). Please note that this wire is not attached to the terminal block, like the other two, but to the lamp body in a place that has been cleared of paint (usually pressed with a screw). After disconnecting it, unlike others, it is left without insulation.
  4. Now, if in addition to the lamp being dismantled there are others, you can turn on the light to make it convenient to work.

Unscrew the screws or clamps holding the device and remove it from the ceiling.

The brightness of the lamp is adjusted using a dimmer. – types and methods of connection.

Methods for installing LED strips with your own hands are described.

You can make a fancy lamp from an LED strip. You will find a guide to making a lamp with your own hands.

Removing unnecessary elements from the lamp

Having placed the lamp in a convenient place, we proceed to its modernization:

  1. We remove the fluorescent lamps. To do this, it is enough to turn each of them in any direction a quarter turn, taking it from the base itself.
  2. We disconnect the wires from the throttle (looks like a transformer) and starters (cylindrical elements inside the pads), after which these parts and pads are dismantled.
  3. The method for removing the starter cartridge depends on its type. In old-style lamps, such sockets were fixed using narrow metal strips or screws. Subsequently, they began to be equipped with latches. Everything is clear with the screw and the bar, but to open the latch you need to know a secret: so that the tabs can be removed from the holes, the latch cylinder must be squeezed with tweezers.

Remember that you should handle fluorescent lamps with extreme caution: if the bulb is damaged, toxic mercury fumes will be released into the air.

The way the wires are attached is also different. In older versions, they are held in the socket by screws that need to be unscrewed. Newer ones, like all modern switches and sockets, use spring-loaded clamps that automatically secure the wires inserted into them. To remove the wire from such a clamp, it must be pulled while simultaneously rotating left and right a quarter turn.

If you do not intend to use the cartridge in the future, you can cut the wires.

Electrical diagram for connecting LED lamps instead of fluorescent lamps

Fluorescent lamps are connected according to a special electrical circuit, according to which a pair of wires are connected to the socket. Such difficulties are due to the operating principle of this light source: At the moment of switching on, electron clouds are created at the ends of the lamp using filaments, without which it would not be possible to ignite mercury vapor with low-voltage voltage.

Replacing fluorescent lamps with LED lamps - diagram

The connection diagram for LED lamps, on the contrary, is extremely simple: an alternating voltage of 220 V is simply supplied to the opposite pins of the base.

Accordingly, only one wire should be connected to the cartridge. In this case, there is no difference which of the cartridges is connected to the phase wire and which is connected to the neutral wire.

Energy-saving light bulbs are extremely popular today. There are different types of such lamps. Such devices are described in the article.

The operating principle of LED lamps is described. Tips on choosing light bulbs are also given.

Electric socket for linear lamps

Since the new scheme provides for connecting only one wire to each cartridge, you can proceed as follows: install a terminal block and connect the wires coming from the cartridges to it.

With this solution, you will not have to dismantle the cartridges. Of the two wires coming out of the socket, you need to leave the longest one.

The short one, with which the cartridge was previously connected to the starter, needs to be cut off and wrapped with electrical tape.

If the lamp being upgraded is multi-lamp, then the wires from all adjacent sockets must be connected to one terminal of the block. Wires from cartridges installed on the opposite side are connected to the second terminal.

If you want to reconnect not somehow, but at a professional level (that is, neatly and beautifully), install a Vago-type terminal block. You can connect both wires coming from the socket to it, which, firstly, increases the reliability of the connection, and secondly, eliminates the need to insulate the wires.

If the Vago terminal block is not available, the cartridges will need to be removed.

Like starter cartridges, they can be secured with screws, metal strips (outdated models), or latches that can be pressed with tweezers.

We proceed in the same way with the second group of cartridges located opposite.

Now you can screw the lamp into place, not forgetting to connect it to the network, and install LED lamps in it.

Video on the topic

Often, when renovating premises, wall-ceiling lamps with fluorescent lamps that are completely normal in appearance but do not work are thrown away. The owner often says: “Throw away all the old stuff, because we’ll buy new ones - LED!” The person is simply not in the know and doesn’t know that all they need to do is modernize the circuit a little, install T8 LED lamps with a G-13 socket and calmly use them without buying new lamps, which, together with the discarded ones, will cost much more.


See the main points for choosing any LED lamps.

Design features.

First you need to understand what such lamps are.
In appearance, they completely replicate the shape of conventional fluorescent lamps, which have been used for years in most public and administrative buildings. Naturally, they, like other LED lamps, have inside, and the shape of the body (tube) is determined by the scope of application, in this case - a direct replacement of outdated fluorescent lamps.

The housing of the T8 LED lamp comes in two types:

  1. Solid matte or transparent polycarbonate tube Ø 26 mm;
  2. The back half of the tube is made of and serves as a radiator, the front half is a polycarbonate diffuser.

Diffusers for the T8 LED lamp are available in both transparent and matte. It should be noted here that, according to personal feelings, low-mounted raster lamps with T8 LED lamps with a transparent reflector are a little blinding, and I personally would install such lamps in closed lamps. On the other hand, a matte diffuser “eats” part of the light flux and this must be taken into account when purchasing.

An LED strip is used as a light emitter.

Important! Some lamps have a rotating base with a ratcheting mechanism, apparently to better orient the direction of the light flux, and when installing a T8 LED lamp, you will need to ensure the correct location of the lamp contacts in the socket. IMHO a well-thought-out thing, convenient.


The length of the tubes of T8 LED lamps with G-13 base corresponds to standard sizes: 600, 900, 1200, 1500 mm.
The most popular are LED lamps with a length of 600 and 1200 mm, as they are a replacement for fluorescent lamps with a power of 18-20 W and 36-40 W used in the most common lamps.

The luminous flux of T8 LED lamps is slightly lower than that of fluorescent lamps, but for the latter this indicator drops during their service life, which practically cannot be said about LED lamps. For example, the well-known company Osram states that with a service life of 30,000 hours, the decline in luminous flux will be 0.7.

Advantages.

As always, the service life of LED lamps is stated by manufacturers to be 30,000 hours or more, but it all depends on the manufacturers of drivers and LEDs.
In general, replacing fluorescent lamps with T8 LED lamps has a number of positive aspects:

  • Safe and quick replacement of fluorescent lamps with LED lamps.
  • No maintenance is required other than periodic wiping to remove dust or dirt.
  • Energy savings of up to 65% compared to fluorescent lamps on standard ballasts;
  • Long declared service life up to 50,000 hours (usually 30,000 hours);
  • No flicker. Can be used in preschool institutions;
  • High color rendering index Ra>80%. Important for photo and video shooting;
  • Mercury free and RoHS compliant;
  • Like all LED lamps, there is a wide operating voltage range of 110-240V / 50-60Hz.

Flaws.

Practically no, but some premium lamp models are a bit expensive.
In pursuit of cheapness, you can end up with a low-quality product.

Connection.

The first step when upgrading is to turn off the power supply to the lamp, and ideally remove it altogether.
The second important point is to familiarize yourself with the instructions and connection diagram, which is either inside the package or drawn on it.

  • Connection without upgrading the lamp. Some T8 LED lamps are designed for connection with electromagnetic ballasts (only the starter is unscrewed), and working with electronic ballasts is most often not allowed, but there are already some.
  • Others are connected directly to the 220 V network. In this case, both the ballast and the starter are excluded from the lamp circuit, and 220 V is simply supplied to the lamps. Here you may need additional wires or somehow splice the old ones (depending on the situation).

Here is a typical wiring diagram for T8 LED lamps in a luminaire. The number of lamps does not matter much.

And in the end, as always, I found a short video on the Internet, which quite simply and clearly, in a very amateurish way, shows the device and connection of a T8 LED lamp.

At one time, fluorescent lamps were considered a real breakthrough - they could be seen in schools, hospitals, kindergartens, other institutions, and even in some apartments. But recently the attitude towards them has become ambiguous. On the one hand, they are characterized by low electrical energy consumption, long service life and high luminous efficiency. But all these positive qualities pale in comparison to their main drawback - fluorescent lamps contain a bulb filled with mercury.

With the invention of LED lamps, there was no longer any need to expose oneself to mortal danger, especially since such lamps are much superior to fluorescent lamps in their characteristics.

But when we first think about replacing obsolete fluorescent lamps, we are faced with the question: how to do this with the least material costs, because the cost of LED lamps is quite high, and a complete replacement will cost us a tidy sum. It is much easier to replace only the lamps, especially since it is quite simple to do if you know some of the features. So, let's consider in order how to connect an LED lamp instead of a fluorescent lamp yourself.

Introduction

The manufacturer of LED lamps has long simplified our lives by releasing T8 lamps suitable for the G13 base. All that remains is to slightly remake the old lamp. To do this, it is necessary to remove all unnecessary components from the connection diagram.

Let's see how to connect an LED lamp instead of a fluorescent lamp in the diagram of a standard raster lamp with four fluorescent tubes, which is most often found - with a ballast and a starter.

Fluorescent lamp connection diagram

LDS lamps have additional equipment that is necessary for their operation. LED lamps do not require these additions: everything necessary for their normal functioning is already built into the housing. Therefore, before connecting an LED lamp instead of a fluorescent one, it is necessary to dismantle everything unnecessary and power the lamp contacts directly.

Both categories of lamps are connected according to the same circuit: the green conductor is connected to the neutral wire, and the red conductor is connected to the phase. Below, the diagram shows how to correctly connect an LED lamp instead of a fluorescent one.

LED lamp connection diagram

This is quite easy to do - you need to connect a phase to one side of the lamp, and a zero to the other.

There is no need to observe polarity, since the power comes from alternating current. The wire itself can be connected to any of the contact pins, because each pair of contacts on one side of the LED lamp is closed to each other.

Remaking a raster fluorescent lamp

Before that, you need to cut off all the wires coming from the G13 sockets. After this, it is enough to connect the cable on one side to the phase terminals, and on the other to the zero terminals.

Types of LED lamps

On sale it is very rare to find LED lamps made in Ukraine with contact pins phase And zero are on one side. Before connecting such lamps, you must first check the connection sides indicated on the lamp. The installation process itself will be the same as in the case of lamps with double-sided contacts.

How to properly connect crystal-based LED lamps

Such lamps require additional equipment to connect chips:

  • Dimmer;
  • stabilizing transformer 12 V or 24 V.

Any of these stabilizing devices can be assembled independently. But for this you need to have certain knowledge and enough time.

Typically, additional stabilizing devices are required to connect LEDs, LED elements and LED strips. LED lamps usually have built-in stabilizers.

In this article we will not consider methods for assembling stabilizing devices for connection, since it is quite difficult to learn this on your own. If you do not have any knowledge of electrical engineering, then be sure to study the packaging before purchasing - it usually indicates whether additional equipment is required for connection, and what kind of equipment it is.

Illuminated switches

Such switches are very convenient to use, but are often not compatible with modern lamps. They are best suited for incandescent lamps. Their disadvantage is that they can sometimes flash in the dark, which is not very convenient, especially in the bedroom.

This happens due to the fact that the design of such lamps includes a rectifier that converts alternating voltage into direct voltage. To smooth out ripples, a capacitor is built into the rectifier, which tends to accumulate charge during operation of the lamp.

Therefore, when an LED bulb is connected to a backlit switch, it dims and sometimes flickers even when unplugged. There are several ways to fix this:

  • remove the backlight from the switch;
  • check that the wiring is installed correctly;
  • connect an incandescent lamp in parallel so that the current does not pass through the rectifier, but through the filament;
  • a shunt resistor to prevent the capacitor from accumulating charge;
  • use an LED lamp specifically designed for an illuminated switch, but keep in mind that such lamps take quite a long time to light up and are more expensive.

Let's sum it up

As you can see, before connecting an LED lamp instead of a fluorescent one, you do not need to completely change the lamps or have much knowledge. You can do this quite easily yourself at minimal cost, carefully following the instructions.

After these simple modifications, you will have modern, low-energy luminaires that have a long service life and, most importantly, are safe.

Important!

We should not forget that fluorescent lamps cannot simply be thrown away, as they contain mercury. Be sure to dispose of them properly. Almost all major cities have companies involved in the disposal of hazardous waste, many of them will be ready to accept lamps absolutely free of charge.

  • There are no white LEDs. They are obtained by spraying blue with a special substance - phosphor.
  • Blue LEDs reduce the body's production of melatonin, the lack of which does not allow a person to fully relax.
  • The blue color of LEDs negatively affects some food products, such as milk, changing its taste even through opaque packaging.
  • LED pulsation reduces the population of animals and birds in the city.