Led Tubes : Excellent Lighting Option
Apart from greater efficiency and bulb life, LED tube lights have numerous advantages over florescent. The light is constant and does not flicker or take any period of time to "warm up". The danger of dropping and breaking a tube is eliminated, as most LED tubes have a resilient plastic housing. There is also no mercury inside the LED tube package, as there is in a traditional fluorescent. The LEDs are rated to function at a temperature range of -4 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning there will be no issues with proper start up on cold days in unprotected locations - like the residential garage where fluorescent fixtures are commonly found. The tubes are capable of operating at a wide range of voltages, from 100V up to 277V, making them quite versatile.
LED tubes are available in a variety of packages and can readily replace a T5, T8, T10, or T12 fluorescent bulb. The LED tubes are also available in a range of color temperatures ranging from 3000K (warm light) to 4100K (neutral light) to 5000k (cool light). Some tubes are available in a ballast-free configuration. This not only increases their efficiency further, but eliminates entirely the slight but ever present hum associated with fluorescent lighting. When choosing a tube, pay attention to the quality of the enclosure, as this is much more likely to affect reliability than the LEDs themselves. Metal end caps are superior to plastic, and provide additional cooling capacity by acting as heat sinks. Better units will have an internal metal heat sink as well. The plastic tube itself can be clear or frosted, and this choice is a matter of personal preference. The frosted tube very closely duplicates the look of a traditional fluorescent bulb.
In conclusion, LED tube lights offer an attractive replacement for existing fluorescent fixtures. The initial cost is higher than the traditional bulb, but over its lifetime the efficiency of the LED tube will offset this expenditure. Coupled with the many other benefits, LED tube lighting is a logical choice that will only become more common with time.
