Fluorescent to led conversion kits.

Deregos.

Screwfix used to do kits for converting fluorescent tube lighting over to led. The kits came with new led tubes and yokes that you'd swap out with the old transformers and a pack would do a number of lights. I can't find them anywhere now. I want to upgrade 14, 4ft, old fluorescent tube lights in my workshop.

Any ideas where I might find kits like this now?

kirk.

I wouldn't bother

Replace them with led battens

10-10-20

I think those kits were retired for what Kirk mentioned as that ballast pass-through yoke was a silly workaround.

kirk.

The last time I researched them there was about 3 different ways of upgrading fluorescents

Most of it's nonsense anyhow

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120905412#Comment_120905412

I naively thought it was the way to go, that those kits would be cheaper and more friendly to the environment than dumping all of the whole, old fluorescent units.

Are these the type you'd recommend and would I get 14 of them cheaper anywhere else?

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/sylvania-single-4ft-led-batten-16w-1920lm-220-240v/7324x#product_additional_details_container

kirk.

Depends on the color you want and the lumens ,what are you replacing

The ones in the link are cool white color, 1920 lumens

Deregos.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120906903#Comment_120906903

Hi Kirk, on a slightly different matter, I got some led battens and am currently swapping them out, but I'm getting a very faint positive reaction when I touch the phase tester off the earth wire . . Is this something to worry about?

The neutral is ok, and so is the live.

kirk.

You mean it's lit slightly on the earth wire

That won't normally happen if the earthing is in order

Limited what you can do with a phase tester

10-10-20

Phase tester says that there is a potential difference between you and the earth wire. A common cause can be that the earth is not continuous and is floating and has picked up induced current off the live, so we're probably looking at a fault in the earth circuit. A flying lead test from a known good earth point is normally done to validate that finding.

McHardcore

The conversion kits are straightforward enough to replicate yourself if you feel your competent enough.

The fluorescent tubes required a starter and a ballast transformer.

The replacement LED bulbs don’t require any of that, they are 220v and wired directly to the input terminal

You can bypass the ballast and starter by connecting the two wires from the tube connector to the input terminal.

Ive done it to a couple as I too hate to see so much waste.

kirk.

Induced I was thinking , or else maybe the earth is functional at the LED ballasts and there's small earth leakage , no path or high resistance path

Deregos.

Well they're working anyway, fairly easy to fit once I got the first one figured. Not mad about those new push-in connector blocks though.

I'll get an electrician in to check the earth circuit for faults.

kirk.

I would

It's possible you didn't connect the earth continuously on the lights by mistake

Hard to say with only a pahse tester

billy_beckham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120925257#Comment_120925257

Hi, just wondering how you did the conversion? From the youtube videos I've seen you need a special end fitting, "tombstone", they call them. It gets L & N to one end of the tube, the fitting at the other end is just to hold it mechanically.

billy_beckham

So I bought a couple of these in the local wholesalers, the ones with replacement starters...2 questions

1) is the replacement starter just a short?

2) if I bypass the ballast will it still work?

Thanks..

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121233706#Comment_121233706

Put up a pic of the instructions

There was a few different wiring setups if i recall

billy_beckham

There's no instructions really...just replace tube and "starter"

20231013_212000.jpg

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121233706#Comment_121233706

Replacement starter will be a link anyhow , doesn't look like ballast bypassed in instructions

I can't remember any of the details on those

McHardcore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121227916#Comment_121227916

In my experience, all the components are there already in the old holder, you don't need any special end fitting.

Have a look at the wiring diagrams here: https://woodworkjunkie.com/fluorescent-to-led-light-fixture-conversion-2-steps-with-pictures-and-video

In summary, strip out the old ballast and the starter. Then just wire up the Live & Neutral to one of the two old fluorescent tubes holder.

The replacement LED tube only requires L&N at one end (as opposed to the old fluorescent tube that required L&N at both ends). So if you stick in the new LED after the conversion and it doesnt light up, switch its direction and try again.

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121249380#Comment_121249380

It won't only "not light up" if you connect it the wrong way round - it will cause a short circuit. The other end is a solid metallic link which will short phase and neutral if you put it in the wrong direction. They should usually come with stickers for "LIVE END ONLY" or something similar.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259725#Comment_121259725

Billy's instructions above are for conventional ballast and there's no rewiring . I assume he checked fitting before buying

The other method for electronic ballast is madness if there's that risk of short-circuit

Is that risk only present using the wrong led lamp or is it present always ?

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259809#Comment_121259809

Pretty much any LED replacement lamp where the controlgear is stripped out will have one end of the tube to connect to the mains and the other end will be a solid metal link which keeps it seated at the other holder.

kirk.

Billy's tube above is for conventional ballast and needs a link one end to supply LN to other end of lamp as there's no rewiring on instructions

Surely the electronic ballast upgrade where the internals are being removed will use a different led lamp with no bridge at one end ?

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259908#Comment_121259908

The ones I've seen tend to be the same lamp for connecting either way. Obviously stripping out the ballast etc. is more energy efficient as it would just create unnecessary losses.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259946#Comment_121259946

Ya np I'm only just catching up here

Just so i'm clear a bridged end doesn't serve any electrical function where you strip out all the internals

If so there would be 2 types of lamp manufactured I'd be fairly certain

kirk.

Looks to me anyway now like Mchardcore was posting some very dangerous instructions there for poor billy😁😁😁😁

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259946#Comment_121259946

Billy could have been put off electrical workfor life there if U didn't spot that in time (hopefully)😁

kirk.

The whole thing sounds like a bodge for diy replacement

If there's covers on the old fittings you're losing 20% or something there versus new fittings probably

Dunno how much you're losing here if the ballast is left in situ , of course the manufacturers will only mention lamp wattage not total fitting wattage

Then you've the short circuit hazard risteard pointed out if you mess up

McHardcore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121259725#Comment_121259725

This wasn't the case with the Osram LED tubes that ive used, they are open circuit on the non-AC end. However, I understand now that there can be ones out there with a link on this end.

In that case, if your LED baton lights come with a sticker that says "LIVE END ONLY" or something similar, then this end should be connected to Live.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265547#Comment_121265547

That'll be it 😁 apologies for the earlier postings

It's some amount of nonsense anyhow the upgrades