What LED tube should I purchase to replace my older 6 foot fluorescent tube?

What you will need to consider when you are looking to replace your 6ft fluorescent tube with a LED version is the length, diameter, fitting type and the level of brightness.  It will almost always be a case that a 6-foot fluorescent tube can be replaced with a 6-foot (this may be referred to 1800mm by some manufacturers) LED tube.  This will usually be a T8 tube (this number refers to the diameter of the tube) as T8 is the most common modern replacement size for 6ft tubes.

The diameter of your 6ft fluorescent tube will likely be advised by it being a T8 or T12 type.  A T8 tube is 1 inch/26mm in diameter and a T12 tube is 1.5 inches/38mm in diameter.  For the majority of LED replacements purchased for 6ft tubes today T8 is chosen because they are a slimmer model and are more widely available. Even if the fitting you currently have uses a T12 fluorescent tube it can be replaced with a T8 LED as it uses the same G13 bi-pin configuration.

Below is a guide of the wattage for 6ft tubes and their LED equivalents in terms of wattage.  Please be advised that there may be some slight variances on wattage depending on the manufacturer of the LED tube.  If there is any uncertainty as to what wattage you will need to purchase to match the brightness that hasn’t been made clear below you can go by the amount of lumens listed for each light.  As long as these are close or similar the LED light should be as bright as your previous fluorescent one.

Despite this difference in wattage, LED tubes are still able to produce the same amount of brightness as their fluorescent counterparts.  This means that replacing your fluorescent tube with a LED will offer major energy savings and lead to your lights having a longer lifespan. 

Another important factor to consider is whether or not the LED tube will be compatible with ballast that is in the fitting or if it will need the wiring to be bypassed.  Some LED tubes will be described as “plug and play” or “retrofit” meaning that they will work with the existing electronic ballast.  Other types may require the ballast or starter to be removed and the fitting to be rewired for direct mains power.  This should be made clear in the manufacturer's instructions for the light.  If you have any doubts in how to set up your replacement tube we would highly recommend that you consult an electrician. 

It is also worth considering which colour temperature you need.  As a general rule Cool White 4000K is recommended for offices, kitchens and other indoor spaces.  If you need something that is brighter for industrial use or perhaps graphic design we would recommend Daylight 6500K.  If you are looking for a colour to complement an indoor environment such as a living room we would recommend choosing 3000K (Warm White).

If you are looking to replace a whole fluorescent batten fitting you may want to consider purchasing a 6-foot integrated LED batten instead of just replacing the tube. This can provide better efficiency and simpler installation, especially for the long term.

You can follow the below step by step guide as a general set of rules for replacing a 6ft LED tube:

1. Check the length - this should be listed as 6ft or 1800mm
2. Make sure it has the same diameter, this is easily done by checking the “T” number which will be T8 or T12.
3. Check that the pins are the same.  This will be described as a “G13 bi-pin”.
4. Check it has the same level of brightness.  This is best done by checking that it has the same or a similar amount of lumens.
5. Make sure that the new tube can connect to your previous control gear or check if it needs to be rewired.