Buyers Guide to LED Tubes

Your ultimate guide to LED fluorescent tube replacements for commercial, industrial, and large-scale lighting projects.

Why Retire Fluorescents Now?

Fluorescent tubes waste watts, hum, flicker, and burn out quickly. Modern LED tubes provide higher lumens for lower costs, slashing up to 60 percent from your energy bill. They also stay bright for 50,000 hours or more—often providing a decade of night-and-day operation while eliminating ballast failures and the need for frequent re-lamping.

Case in Point: A Shop Owner’s Unexpected Savings

Michael Connolly ran into a common problem: His shop’s fluorescent tubes burned out regularly, and because they were mounted on 14-foot ceilings, each replacement required scaffolding. The hassle and time spent on frequent maintenance finally pushed him to switch.

"The thought of eliminating voltage-hungry ballasts and converting to LEDs made this a no-brainer for me."

He replaced 24 old fluorescent tubes (left) with high-lumen LED replacements (right)—and the difference was immediate. Not only did the 50,000-hour lifespan of LED tubes eliminate constant re-lamping, but the brightness was so dramatically improved that Michael no longer needed to switch on his shop’s costly metal halide lights. The LED tubes alone lit the space fully.

His simple retrofit resulted in:

• Brighter, clearer task lighting
• Dramatically reduced maintenance
• Elimination of redundant high-wattage fixtures
• Unexpected energy savings beyond the tubes themselves

Key takeaway: LED tubes don’t just replace fluorescents—they outperform them, often in ways that lead to savings you didn’t even plan for.

What Are LED Tube Lights?

LED tube lights are high-efficiency replacements for traditional fluorescent tubes. Designed to fit into existing fluorescent fixtures, LED tubes provide bright, reliable lighting while cutting energy use by 40–60% or more. They eliminate flicker, startup delays, and buzzing while lasting 3–5 times longer than fluorescents.

You’ll find LED tube lights used across:

• Offices and classrooms
• Warehouses and industrial facilities
• Convenience stores and display coolers
• Garages, salons, and fitness centers
• Sign lighting, food service, and more

Whether you're upgrading a single space or converting an entire building, LED tubes are one of the most cost-effective lighting upgrades you can make.

Types of LED Tube Lights

The most important decision when shopping for LED tubes is choosing the right type for your fixture and application. There are three main categories: Type A, Type B, and Type A+B. Here is how each type breaks down:

Type A (Plug-and-Play) LED Tubes

These work with most electronic fluorescent ballasts—no rewiring needed. Installation is as easy as replacing a traditional tube.

Type B (Ballast Bypass or Direct Wire) LED Tubes

Type B tubes bypass the ballast and connect directly to line voltage. Some are double-ended power, others are single-ended (requiring specific lamp holders).

Type A+B (Hybrid) LED Tubes

These work with compatible ballasts or can be wired directly. You can plug them in now and rewire later if a ballast fails (or if you want to eliminate that pesky ballast energy draw in the future).

Quick Tube Type Comparison Table

How to Convert Fluorescent Tubes to LED

Converting to LED depends on the type of tube you're installing.

For Type A Tubes (Plug-and-Play):

1. Turn off power
2. Remove old fluorescent tube
3. Pop in the new LED tube
4. Turn on power and test the light

For Type B Tubes (Ballast Bypass):

1. Turn off power
2. Remove ballast from fixture
3. Connect line voltage directly to lamp holders (single- or double-ended as specified—see below)
4. Install the new LED tube
5. Turn power on and test

Double-Ended Power Tubes connect hot to one end and neutral to the other.

Single-Ended Power Tubes require non-shunted lamp holders with hot and neutral on one side.

⚠️ Important ⚠️ Always follow included installation instructions and consult a licensed electrician.

Size & Base Type Guide

LED tube lights come in many sizes and socket types to match legacy fluorescent formats:

2ft or 4ft Fixtures

Use T8 LED tubes with G13 bi-pin bases. Available in Type A, B, and hybrid options.

8ft T8 or T12 Fixtures

Use Type B LED tubes with either:

FA8 (single-pin) ends for standard sockets

R17D (recessed double contact) ends for high-output setups

T5 HO Fixtures (4ft)

Use T5 LED tubes with G5 mini bi-pin bases. Typically Type B.

U-Bend T8 or T12 Fixtures

Use T8 U-bend LED tubes with G13 ends, designed for compact fixtures.

Cooler & Freezer Display Cases

Use LED tubes designed for moisture-resistant performance, consistent brightness in cold temperatures, and connectable for continuous rows of light.

Illuminated Signs (2ft–10ft)

Choose double-sided LED sign tubes with R17D bases, designed for vertical or horizontal sign lighting with a wide range of sizes.

Tube Brightness & Energy Efficiency

Forget the Watts, Look at Lumens.

Fluorescent lighting relies on wattage to give a rough sense of brightness. But wattage only measures energy consumption. With LED tubes, efficiency varies, so you need to look at lumens (lm) and lumens per watt (lm/W).

• A 32W fluorescent tube might produce 2,800 lumens, while an 18W LED tube can produce just as much—or more—using nearly half the energy.
• Additionally, LED tubes direct more light downward (versus upward, into the fixture), adding illumination right where it is needed. Thanks to less wasted light, for example, a 2,000-lumen LED tube can outperform a 3,200-lumen fluorescent.
• Most LED tubes have luminous efficacy ratings between 105–160 lm/W. Fluorescent tubes average around 58 lm/W.

Tip: Always check the lm/W rating. The higher the number, the more efficient the tube.

Color Temperature Cheat Sheet

The CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) determines how “warm” or “cool” a light looks. Here's a quick guide to help choose the right tone for your space:

Certifications That Matter

Look for these certifications to ensure safety, performance, and rebate eligibility:

A UL or ETL listing means the product has passed rigorous safety testing for the U.S.A.

 

A DLC (Design Lights Consortium) listing is required for many energy rebate programs. DLC Premium product models indicate top-tier efficiency.

Rebates & Energy Savings

LED tube lights are often eligible for utility rebates that can offset the upfront cost of an efficient lighting upgrade. At ELEDLights, we can help you:

• Identify rebate-eligible products
• Provide quotes with rebate amounts estimated
• Help complete rebate paperwork required by utility companies
• Apply instant rebates right at checkout (available in select areas)
• Submit post-purchase rebate requests

Rebates are often based on DLC certification, wattage or lumen output, and can vary by ZIP code. Ask us about rebate availability at your project location—we’re ready to get you all the incentives the project qualifies for.

LED Tube Installation & Compatibility

Installing LED tubes is generally simple, but here are some questions we often get and some things to keep in mind:

⁉️ Do LED tubes work in T12 fixtures?

Yes, many T8 LED tubes fit T12 fixtures with the same G13 base. Be sure to check ballast compatibility or use Type B direct-wire tube lights.

⁉️ Can I use LED tubes without removing the ballast?

Yes, if you're using Type A tubes (Or hybrid Type A + B) and the ballast is compatible. Otherwise, you’ll need a Type B tube, and to do a direct-wire installation.

⁉️ Do I need to change the lamp holders?

Only for single-ended power Type B tubes. You’ll need non-shunted lamp holders (available as accessories on product pages).

⁉️ How hard is installation?

A ballast bypass rewire typically takes about 5–10 minutes per fixture. Plug-and-play tubes can be installed in under 1 minute.

Quantity Discounts & Support for Tube Lighting Projects

Planning a large retrofit or lighting upgrade? We offer comprehensive services that other e-commerce lighting companies don’t. Ask our in-house team about:

• Lighting layouts
• Design assistance
• Photometric analyses
• Energy audits
• Installation assistance
• Payback & ROI calculations
• Instant or post-purchase rebate processing
• Quantity order discounts & custom quoting
• Spec lighting procurement
• And more!

From facility managers to business owners to contractors, we are prepared to be your comprehensive lighting partner and provide the best solution for your goals and budget.

Start Your Fluorescent-to-LED Upgrade

Whether you need ten tubes for a single office or hundreds for a nationwide rollout, our team is ready to help. On-staff lighting engineers provide quality control and custom lighting assistance, and a dedicated support team is ready to provide lighting layouts, quantity discounts, rebate assistance, and payback analyses that show dollars saved per year – real help without fluff.

In the end, every hour a fluorescent tube buzzes overhead is an hour you pay for wasted power. Switch to LEDs for lower energy costs and less maintenance needed. Swap now, save for good!

Need Help Selecting the Right Tube?

Call us at 215-355-7200, email lights@eledlights.com, submit a lighting services request, or request a quote directly from any product page.

Rely on ELEDLights to make your upgrade fast, easy, and affordable.