Here at LEDMYPlace we strive to offer a variety of T8 tubes ranging from different compositions, to different abilities in terms of wiring, to specialized tubes, like our 8FT High Output style. Since all of our T8 LED tubes replace T12s, finding a suitable tube for your installation is just a quick search away.

But, with all of these similar-sounding choices, how do you know which one will you need? We’re here to help! This article covers terminology, general information, and frequently asked questions about installations and tube capabilities.

There are some important general terms to know before we move forward:

• T8: refers to tubes 1in in diameter (and they replace T12s- 1.5in in diameter)

• Lumens: SI unit equal to amount of light emitted per second in total from a light source

• Color Temperature known as “Kelvin”: unit of measure to define different color shades

• Wattage: a measure of electrical power; higher wattage usually equals more Lumens

• There are 3 tube types for regular 2-pin 4FT tubes; Plug N Play, Direct Wiring(Single-Ended), or Hybrid (Ballast Compatible.)

• Shatterproof: housing made of polycarbonate plastic and aluminum

• Ballast: box of wires inside of traditional non-LED fixture that regulates current flowing through/to lamps and provides adequate starting-voltage for the lamp to turn on

• Double-Ended Power = Hot on one end of tube, Neutral on other, 1 shunted tombstone at each end

• Single Ended Power = Hot and Neutral wires on one side only with 1 non-shunted tombstone on the wired end only.
•  Non-Shunted Tombstone: socket with 2 separate points of contact for current to flow

LED Tubes We Offer:

2FT:

• Ballast Compatible Tube; 8W 5000K Clear
• Integrated Tube; 10W 6500K Clear

4FT 18W:

• 18W Single Ended Power Tube; 4000K Frosted, 5000K Clear, 5000K Frosted
• 18W Glass Single Ended Power Tube; 4000K Clear, 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear, 4000K Frosted, 5000K Frosted, 6500K Frosted
• 18W Glass Hybrid Tube; 4000K Clear, 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear, 4000K Frosted, 5000K Frosted, 6500K Frosted
• 18W Glass Plug N Play Tube; 4000K Clear, 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear

4FT 20W:

• 20W Shatterproof Ballast Compatible Tube; 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear, 4000K Frosted, 5000K Frosted

4FT 22W:

• 22W Shatterproof Single Ended Power Tube; 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear

5FT:

• 5FT 32W 5000K Clear Cooler Tube

6FT:

• 6FT 40W 5000K Clear Cooler Tube

8FT:

• 60W Integrated Tube; 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear, 5000K Frosted
• 40W Single Pin Tube; 6500K Clear, 4000K Frosted, 5000K Frosted
• 48W Single Pin Tube; 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear
• 48W R17 (High Output) Tube; 5000K Clear, 6500K Clear

But what do these names mean?

Single-Ended Power: known as Type B wiring. Ballast is bypassed, or cut out, in the existing fixture. Hot wire and Neutral wire both get wired to one side of the tube, and a non-shunted tombstone is used on the wired side for the currents to flow separately.

We have 2 varieties of the Single-Ended tube, in terms of different material composition. Our Glass Single-Ended tubes and our Shatterproof Single-Ended tubes are the exact same, but one is Glass while the other is polycarbonate plastic and aluminum housing. The biggest difference is that Glass tubes must be purchased in quantities of 15 or 30, while the others have no quantity minimum.

Ballast Compatible/Hybrid: known as Type A+B Wiring These tubes are certainly our most popular option. This is because they have 3 capabilities;

1. They can be wired as double-ended power WITH the ballast still intact if they are compatible with the ballasts on our Compatibility Sheet, with shunted tombstone at each end.
2. They can be wired as single-ended power without the ballast with a non-shunted tombstone at the wired end.
3. Or, they can be wired as double-ended power without the ballast with a shunted tombstone at each end.

We offer these in 2 different options; Glass Hybrids or Shatterproof. The Shatterproof are encased in polycarbonate plastic and aluminum housing. Once again, the Glass options must be purchased in quantities of 15 or 30, while the others have no minimum limit. These are most recommended if you’re unsure of what kind of installation you have or if you want flexibility for future installations of the tubes somewhere else. If you wish to keep your ballast intact and would like to use this style tube, please contact us for the Ballast Compatibility Sheet to make sure your current ballast is on the list. If a ballast doesn’t exactly match our list, our tube will not function in the fixture.

These are commonly wired as double-ended power wiring, where hot is wired on one side with neutral wired on the other side, fitted with a shunted tombstone on each end.

Plug N Play: known as Type-A Wiring. This type of tube is only made in glass style. Works only with a ballast as double-ended power with a shunted tombstone on each end. The existing fixture’s ballast must be included on our Ballast Compatibility Sheet or the tube would otherwise not function. This tube only comes in 15 and 30 packs. A straight-forward, minimal effort installation. Recommended if the ballast is new or newer and won’t require replacement soon.

Integrated: style of tubes where a fixture is not and cannot be used, as the tubes mount directly on any flat surface. Most styles include a 12-inch connecting cable, 12-inch pigtail for hard-wiring, and a set of mounting clips/screws. These offer much higher lumen and wattage options than most other tubes. Can be linked together (total number depends on wattage) to form a line or spaced out using 3ft/6ft/10ft connecting cable and/or a 6ft power cord which we have for sale (for most wattages!). These tubes are IP44 rated which gives them protection against dust particles greater than 1mm in width and water/moisture from any direction.

Single Pin: known as FA8 base: style of tube with 1 small rounded, protruding pin on each end. Replaces traditional double-end wired T8 or T12 tubes. Ballast must be bypassed before installation. Gets wired as a Double-Ended Power tube (Hot on one side, Neutral on the other) with an LED Single-Pin compatible tombstone on each end.

R17 (High Output): Our R17s replace traditional High Output, or HO, tubes. The ends are an oval shaped cover over the pins. Installation also requires bypassing the ballast and wiring as Double-Ended Power. The base is rotatable 90 degrees for any necessary adjustments. Each tube needs a High Output compatible tombstone on opposite ends.

Cooler Tubes: tubes for the inside of walk in coolers, display coolers, etc. Available in 4FT, 5FT, and 6FT style. Each tube comes with one Y-shaped cable for connecting and hard-wiring.