Longevity of fluorescent tubes

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, APOLLO said:

In my model railway garage I have two twin tube 8 ft fluorescent light fixtures. Getting life expired and I find 8 ft tubes impossible to find now, I intend to replace these with LED battens in the spring. 

 

Any suggestions ? - I'm looking for a warm light - what colour temperature / deg kelvin should I look out for ? I don't want the harsh blueish light.

 

I have received a Screwfix flyer and they have advertised Twin 6 ft 60 watt LED battens, 6000 lumens, £36.49 each Would three of these be a suitable replacement  ?

 

I also have eight five foot fluorescents in the loft. Interesting to read that tubes for these will become unavailable after 2023. I might just buy some spare tubes before that date.

 

Brit15

 

 

So far I have found Screwfix far from competitive with LED lighting prices, especially considering how good they are for things like electric drills.

The V-Tac ones I linked to are more efficient as well as being half the price. Both the LAP & V-TAC are cool white which is a colour temperature around 6000K

For warmer tones you need around 3000K light.

 

V-Tac do a 3000K one but presently the max is only a 4ft 4800 lumen and unfortunately not in the cheaper twin packs but still less per lumen than LAP (Screwfix):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/V-TAC-Fittings-Integrated-1200x74x24mm-Lighting/dp/B07DTW7X4S?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

 

EDIT

BTW the market is constantly changing and what is available in the spring could be better again.

As I posted above, 12 months made a lot of difference between my two purchases, where the later ones were cheaper and more lumens per watt.

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by melmerby

[SamThomas]

1 hour ago, APOLLO said:

In my model railway garage I have two twin tube 8 ft fluorescent light fixtures. Getting life expired and I find 8 ft tubes impossible to find now, I intend to replace these with LED battens in the spring.

Are they 85, 100 or 125watt ?

 

Forget the likes of Screwup - find a local electrical wholesaler (most will sell to the public) & tell them what you have now & you want a similar light output and the sort of colour you want.

[melmerby]

1 minute ago, SamThomas said:

Are they 85, 100 or 125watt ?

 

Forget the likes of Screwup - find a local electrical wholesaler (most will sell to the public) & tell them what you have now & you want a similar light output and the sort of colour you want.

 

A place like City Electrical Factors are usually OK for bits but they are a lot more for LED battens than the V-Tac store and personally think it's unlikely an electrical wholesaler will beat them.

[AndyID]

7 hours ago, KingEdwardII said:

Agree 100%. We've just replaced the last of the fluorescent tubes in our house.

 

The change to daylight white LEDs in the garage was most impressive. 

 

We also bought some round LED ceiling panels that have a switch on the back enabling changing between different colour temperatures - useful in allowing us to decide on which works best for the particular room involved.

 

Yours,  Mike.

 

I like the fact that they don't care how cold it is 

[melmerby]

1 minute ago, AndyID said:

 

I like the fact that they don't care how cold it is 

The electronic HF ballast fluorescents don't do too bad in the cold, the ones in the unheated, draughty shed light OK whilst at a frosty temperature.

LF ones aren't so good & magnetic ballasts are pretty rubbish apart from the SRS type (slightly better)

[SamThomas]

9 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

A place like City Electrical Factors are usually OK for bits but they are a lot more for LED battens than the V-Tac store and personally think it's unlikely an electrical wholesaler will beat them.

Some wholesalers (not mentioning any names) always start with the basic trade prices & then come down !

 

Personally, I've always found a local wholesaler who will beat the on-line suppliers price, delivery & quality wise.

[melmerby]

8 hours ago, SamThomas said:

Some wholesalers (not mentioning any names) always start with the basic trade prices & then come down !

 

Personally, I've always found a local wholesaler who will beat the on-line suppliers price, delivery & quality wise.

Thanks for letting us know who.

They will need to go some to beat £18:50 inc VAT for a 50W 6000lm batten with a 5 year warranty

CEF certainly can't and there aren't that many others left as they have closed.

[SamThomas]

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

 there aren't that many others left as they have closed.

 

In my area we are quite lucky with quite a few independants who can be quite gressive with their pricing.