# Any experience with led t8?



## The Lightman (Jan 9, 2010)

My county energy efficiency expert has several varieties in his office. He hates them. Not enough light output yet, maybe one day.


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## Ima Hack (Aug 31, 2009)

The Lightman said:


> My county energy efficiency expert has several varieties in his office. He hates them. Not enough light output yet, maybe one day.


I haven't heard of any success stories with these yet, nothing is living up to it's claim.


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## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

They make some here. I guess they are going after govt retrofit work.


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## Skipp (May 23, 2010)

Installed a few in a city hall office. They wanted to test a few on one office before committing to re-fitting the whole building. First off the light output was horrible. Then all 8 burned out less than 2 months later. At $90 each the city was glad they did not (lamp the whole building) listen to that employee pushing these LED lamps.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

There's a lot of gimmicky stuff out in LED, so it seems. When I see them from a major player, then I'll start to think some of these odd incarnations are starting to make sense.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

ohmslaw said:


> ...I know you bypass the ballast and wire them with line voltage....


 I've heard that a couple times with these things and it makes me wonder: Do you have to install a special tombstone?

What happens when the next guy puts a regular T8 fluorescent in directly across the mains?

-John


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Big John said:


> I've heard that a couple times with these things and it makes me wonder: Do you have to install a special tombstone?
> 
> What happens when the next guy puts a regular T8 fluorescent in directly across the mains?
> 
> -John


We did a ton of them in Newton and no you don't change the tombstones.

I have no idea what happens when a normal lamp is put in.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

BBQ said:


> We did a ton of them in Newton and no you don't change the tombstones.
> 
> I have no idea what happens when a normal lamp is put in.


Would you run out and try it, then report back. Millions of electricians are relying on you to provide this essential information.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Would you run out and try it, then report back. Millions of electricians are relying on you to provide this essential information.


:no: :no:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

BBQ said:


> :no: :no:


Listen, I asked nicely the first time. Don't make me tell you. I don't think you realize how important this is to the entire electrical community at large. You're really a disappointment to us all. Do the right thing. That's all I'm asking. I expect a full report of your results in a few hours.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

I had no idea the fate of the civilized world hung in the balance.

I will get right on it, you need to forget about going to Goody's or the Cracker Barrel and wait by your phone for me to call with the results of my tests.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

BBQ said:


> I had no idea the fate of the civilized world hung in the balance.
> 
> I will get right on it, you need to forget about going to Goody's or the Cracker Barrel and wait by your phone for me to call with the results of my tests.


Ten-four. Now you're coming around to my way of thinking. I knew you wouldn't let us down.


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Actually there is a couple great T-8 leds, and a bunch of crap out there.

The ones that show the greatest promise, are the LED's that are not self ballasted. There is a driver, that looks like a small T-8 ballast, that gets installed in place of the ballast. The LED bulbs have heat sinks on them.

There is one we saw the other day, that is frosted like the T-8. In fact, once in the fixture, you would never know looking at it, that it was an LED. 

The T-8 leds that go in, by bypassing the ballast line voltage, realy suck on both light distribution and life.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

A friend and I are trying this later today. I will post the results for you guys. Maybe a video if I can find my camera. And how would I wire this? Hot on one end of the bulb and neutral on the other? Or one on each pin?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I realize nobody cares but it does void the UL of the fluorescent fixture. LED's have come a long way but they have a long way yet to go, IMO.

Also there are different types of LED. There are low power LED's and high power leds. Apparently, in some case, the low power led's can fall to 50% of their initial brightness within a few thousand hours.

Here is an article from Halco lighting on LED's.


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

Well, I did it, and had no result, we had hot on one end of the bulb, and neutral on the other end, nothing happened.....


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JoeKP said:


> Well, I did it, and had no result, we had hot on one end of the bulb, and neutral on the other end, nothing happened.....


Are you SURE nothing happened? Did you check the status of the space-time continuum?


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MDShunk said:


> Are you SURE nothing happened? Did you check the status of the space-time continuum?


I felt a ripple from here.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

BBQ said:


> I felt a ripple from here.


I felt something too... but that could be the taco bell i had earlier.


~Matt


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