T12 technology is going by the wayside. The federal government is accepting the T8 amp as the new standard......but that doesn't mean you don't have choices beyond fluorescent.
T12 2x4 vs. LED 2x4
Fluorescent T12
A standard T12 lamp has a life of 20,000 hours and a lumen output of around 2500 lumens.
The lumens per watt of T12 is roughly around 60 and a CRI of 70. Your average 2 lamp fixture will consume 90 watts, the 4 lamp version will consume roughly 160 - 170 watts depending on the ballast.
The CREE LED fixture has a MINIMUM rated life of 50,000 hours. It boasts a MINIMUM 90 lumens per watt with an option for 110.
The fixture is available in 4 light output levels but let's choose the 4000 lumen model that that produces 110 lumens per watt and only consumes a total of 36 watts and has a CRI of 90.
Comparing The Cost To Light Annually
Lets you have existing 2 lamp T12 fixtures in an office environment:
We have 100 total fixtures that run 11 hours a day at .11 cents per KWH.
Compared to fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are up to 80% more efficient. Unlike fluorescent lights, LED lights convert 95% of their energy into light and only 5% is wasted as heat; this is all while still using far less power to provide a strong and consistent output at a lower wattage.
The typical T12 four-lamp fixture uses 172 watts of power between the lamps and ballast. LED equivalents typically use only 50 watts, 71% less energy per fixture.
“It's definitely better to replace your fluorescent lamps with LEDs rather than replace them with new fluorescent lamps,” Keoleian said. “Our finding is consistent with the U.S. Department of Energy's indication that LED systems are 25% more energy-efficient than fluorescents.”
Standard ballasts consist of a core and coil assembly. On a typical fixture with two 4 foot 40 watt T-12 fluorescent lamps, the ballast consumes about 13 to 16 watts of electricity. Thus the total consumption of the two lamps plus the ballast is about 93 to 96 watts.
On average, a 10W LED light bulb used for 24 hours will cost about $0.10 to $0.20. This is significantly less than traditional incandescent bulbs, making LED bulbs a cost-effective and energy-efficient choice for both indoor and outdoor lighting.
As its primary benefit, LED lighting offers unparalleled energy efficiency. LEDs can reduce energy consumption by up to 75% compared to their fluorescent counterparts, a reduction that significantly lowers electricity bills.
The short answer: yes. This is one of the most common questions we come across. Before you jump in and make the decision to upgrade without changing out the ballast, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s.
LED lighting is more energy-efficient than fluorescent bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a 12 watt LED light puts out the same lighting as a 15 watt fluorescent light. In other words, LEDs use 20% less power. Fluorescent bulbs emit UV light.
The wattage of your old lights was 90 watts. You'll subtract it from the wattage of the new lamps, 14 watts. The resulting number is 76 watts, and this is what you are saving in wattage for each new lamp.
Since they are already very efficient, the cost effectiveness of turning CFLs off to conserve energy is a bit more complicated. A general rule-of-thumb is this: If you will be out of a room for 15 minutes or less, leave it on. If you will be out of a room for more than 15 minutes, turn it off.
However, in general, a typical fluorescent tube has an average lifespan ranging from 7,000 to 15,000 hours of use.Compare this to an LED bulb which can last anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 hours of use!
You do not need a ballast for LED lights, but instead a driver. This is called a Type C application, with a tube and driver that work together. Verde often uses this approach to replace T12 magnetic ballasts, as well as older T8 systems with aging electronic ballasts.
A standard T12 lamp has a life of 20,000 hours and a lumen output of around 2500 lumens. The lumens per watt of T12 is roughly around 60 and a CRI of 70.
T12 tubes pull 40 watts, and are frequently being replaced with lower wattage t8 tubes, which operate on 32 watts. When posing the question can a t8 light work on a t12 ballast, the short answer is no.
Because they run at much lower wattages to produce the same lumen output as their fluorescent equivalents, LEDs are far cheaper in terms of energy bills.
The average home with incandescent bulbs uses about 2,000 kWh of electricity per year. At the national average of $0.10 per kWh, these homeowners spend $215 a year on lighting. By switching to LEDs, you can save around $4,000 over 20 years (the typical lifespan of an LED).
Yes, LED lights use less power than fluorescent (and other) lights and are cheaper to run. Is LED lighting cheaper than fluorescent? LED lighting is cheaper to run than fluoro, but the bulbs are more expensive to buy.
Since they are already very efficient, the cost effectiveness of turning CFLs off to conserve energy is a bit more complicated. A general rule-of-thumb is this: If you will be out of a room for 15 minutes or less, leave it on. If you will be out of a room for more than 15 minutes, turn it off.
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