Fluorescent Tube Sizes Guide
| Tube Light Type | Size Index | Diameter in Inches | Diameter in Millimeters |
| T4 | 4/8 | 0.5 | 12.7 |
| T5 | 5/8 | 0.625 | 15.8 |
| T8 | 8/8 | 1 | 25.4 |
| T12 | 12/8 | 1.5 | 38.1 |
What is the difference between T12 and T8 fluorescent bulbs?
The main difference between T8 and T12 bulbs is that T8 bulbs have a diameter of 1.5 inches, whereas T12 bulbs have a diameter of 1 inch. T8 bulbs are a better choice than T 12 bulbs. This can be easily proved. T8 bulbs have a better color rendering index as well as high efficacy.
What is the standard length of a fluorescent tube?
They are available in lengths of 18, 24, 30, 36, 39, 40, 48, and 55 inches. The T8 fluorescent fixtures are the most common type. Its tube can be between 14 inches and 6 feet long. T12 tubes are the most common in the aquarium hobby.
How to easily replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes?
LED Tubes – The Ultimate Guide to Replacing Fluorescent Tubes
- Tube Color Temperature. ...
- Understanding Tube Sizes. ...
- LED Fluorescent Replacement Tubes. ...
- LED Fluorescent Replacement Tube Options. ...
- Universal (T12 Magnetic or T8 Electronic) Ballast Compatible LED Tubes. ...
- We Are LED Fluorescent Replacement Tube Experts. ...
- Selecting the Right Replacement. ...
What are the different sizes of fluorescent bulbs?
- Diameter is 1.5 inches
- Length is 48 inches
- Energy to emit 2,500 lumens is 40 watts
- Durability is 10,000 hours
- CRI is 62
What size is a T8 fluorescent tube?
1-inch diameterT8s are 1-inch diameter fluorescent tubes, and they are the most prevalent of all fluorescent tubes.
Which is bigger T8 or T12?
T12 vs T8 Fluorescent Tubes The main difference between T8 and T12 tubes is the tube's diameter. T12 tubes are 1.5" in diameter while T8s are just one inch.
How wide is T8?
T8 bulbs are 8 eighths of an inch, or one inch in diameter. Other common sizes are T12 bulbs which are twelve eighths of an inch or 1.5 inches diameter, and the T5 lamps which are five eighths of an inch, or .
What are the standard sizes of fluorescent tubes?
While there are multiple types of LED and fluorescent tube lights, the three most common are T12, T8 and T5. The terminology comes from “T” for “tubular” and the diameter of the bulb in eighths of an inch, so “T8” represents a tube of 8/8ths of an inch, or 1 inch.
Can I use a T8 LED tube in a T8 fluorescent fixture?
Type A - LED tube has an Integrated Driver for use on Existing Fluorescent Ballast. Type A LED tubes need an existing T8 electronic ballast to operate. If you have T8 electronic ballasts this makes installation very easy. All you need to do is remove the existing T8 fluorescent lamp and install a new T8 LED Type A lamp ...
Are T8 bulbs being discontinued?
Even some T8 lamps have been phased out. US Congress has enacted legislation to prohibit the manufacture of these and other inefficient lighting technologies, and is calling for manufacturers to meet minimum efficiency requirements and lumens per watt for new products.
How do you measure a T8 bulb?
0:002:03How To Measure Fluorescent Tubes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFluorescent tubes come in variety of size diameters t45 t a t9 t10.MoreFluorescent tubes come in variety of size diameters t45 t a t9 t10.
Are all T8 fluorescent bulbs the same?
Like T12 lamps, T8 lamps are available in a variety of color temperatures, including warm (3000 K), neutral (3500 K), cool (4100 K), and very cool (5000 K). Manufacturers recently adopted a new nomenclature system for lamps that use rare- earth phosphor technology.
Can I use a T12 bulb in a T8 fixture?
In terms of physical compatibility, both T8 and T12 lamps use the same G13 bi-pin base, so as long as they are the same length (e.g. 4-ft), a T8 lamp will physically fit inside a T12 fixture.
How do I know what size fluorescent light I have?
In order to identify which size you need, the easiest way to tell is to read the label near the base of the tube. If this information is no longer legible, you can measure the bulb's diameter.
Can I replace fluorescent tubes with LED?
Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.
Can I put LED bulbs in fluorescent fixture?
You have fluorescent tube lights in your home or business already, and you're wondering if you can pop LED tubes in these fixtures or if you'll need to change out the fixtures for something designed for LED. Good news! You can use LED tubes in your existing fixtures!
What is the difference between T5 T8 and T12 lights?
In short, the difference between T5, T8, and T12 lights are the sizes and energy efficiency. The smaller T5 and T8 tubes use less energy and have l...
How do I know which fluorescent light bulb to buy?
When considering the question of how do I know which fluorescent light bulb to buy you need to figure out what you currently have. Once you have re...
What are the different types of fluorescent tubes?
What are the different types of fluorescent tubes? There are 3 types: T12 tubes, T8, and T5 tubes, and the T12 which is the oldest and being phased...
How long do fluorescent tubes last?
How long do fluorescent tubes last, well that depends a lot on its wattage, design, and application, But, expect between 7,000 and 15,000 hours. Bu...
What is the difference between T4 and T5 fluorescent bulbs?
Fluorescent lighting is economical to run and uses long-lasting tubes to provide bright and effective general lighting. T4 fluorescent tubes are ideal for home and commercial use for kitchen worktops, in cabinets, under stairs, as a pelmet lamp, or to create a well-lit workstation for DIY, craft, or commercial use. T5 bulbs are great for large space such as schools, supermarkets, offices, and underground railways. T8 bulbs can be used in schools, garages, offices, conference rooms, retail stores, and most other environments.
What is a T5 bulb?
T5 bulbs are great for large space such as schools, supermarkets, offices, and underground railways. T8 bulbs can be used in schools, garages, offices, conference rooms, retail stores, and most other environments.
What does the T mean on a lamp?
The "T" in lamp terminology represents the shape of the lamp tubular. The number following the "T" usually represents the diameter of the lamp in eighths of an inch (1 inch equals 2.5 centimetres).
How to measure bulb length?
How To Measure A Bulb. Length: Ensure you measure either pin to pin or cap to cap. Diameter: Measure the length of a straight line going from one side of the tube to the other. Colour Temperature: usually marked with a K rating on your bulb - you won't need this information now.
What is the size of a T8 bulb?
T8 bulbs are 8 eighths of an inch, or one inch in diameter. Other common sizes are T12 bulbs which are twelve eighths of an inch or 1.5 inches diameter, ...
How many watts does a T8 bulb use?
For fluorescent bulbs, the number after F tells you how many Watts; a F17T8 is a 17 Watt fluorescent T8 lamp. A common T8 bulb is the F32T8 which uses 32 Watts of power.
What is the best ballast for a T8 tube?
The best ballast for your T8 tubes will most likely be based on design and start method. Fluorescent ballasts have four main types of starting methods: preheat start, rapid start, instant start, and programmed start. The latter two are the newest and most popular start methods.
What is ballast spec sheet?
Ballast spec sheets typically list which bulbs and wattages they are compatible with. If possible, match the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) code of the lamp to that of the ballast. However, ballasts are often compatible with more than one type of lamp, and vice versa.
Why remove ballast from fluorescent lights?
Removing the ballast also removes a point of failure, keeping the lights on longer. Hybrid tubes can be used in both plug-and-play or direct wire installations, allowing you to replace the fluorescent tubes quickly up-front, then direct wire the tubes as the ballasts fail over time.
What happens if you replace a fluorescent ballast?
A failing ballast can cause your lights to dim, buzz, change color, or flicker rapidly.
How big is a T5 bulb?
T8 tubes are 1 inch in diameter and T5 bulbs have a 5/8 inch diameter . Unlike T8 and T12 bulbs, the two are not interchangeable as T5 bulbs require special T5 ballasts and fixtures with sockets for the smaller pin spacing on the base ends of the bulbs; a G5 base versus the larger, G13 base of T8 and T12 bulbs.
How long does a T8 fluorescent light last?
Its tube is 8 inches long and the fixture is called an F8T8. Light output is 75-82 lumens per watt (LPW) and the life span is about 15,000 hours. Don’t worry too much about the lamp’s life span, because it’s very unlikely that you will actually use it for that long.
What are the different sizes of fluorescent tubes?
Tubes used for general lighting are called tubular fluorescent lamps and come in four sizes: 2‘, 4‘, 8‘, and 12‘. Smaller wattage tubes are often called mini-tubes, mini-strips, or compact fluorescents (CFLs). Larger wattage tubes are called high output (HO) fluorescents. Some people refer to them as ‘triphosphor’ bulbs.
What is the T5 T8 form?
Each one of these bulbs is also referred to as a form, so the shortened technical name of the bulb is T5 T8 T12 form. These three terms refer to the bulb length, so the light tube lengths are: T5: 1-inch diameter, medium length. T8: 2-inch diameter, extra-long length.
How many watts does a T12 tube have?
These tubes are produced by three major manufacturers in the U.S. These manufacturers produce similar quality tubes but in slightly different thicknesses. Thus, they range in wattage from 13W to 20W. The T12 tube’s slim size creates an attractive style but you must use care in how you use them in your aquarium.
What is a T4 fluorescent light?
T4 Fluorescent Lights. The T4 fluorescent tube is also known as a “mini-tubular.”. As the name suggest, mini-tubulars are indeed smaller than regular (34") tubes and are ideal for low-light plant species. By comparison, the T5 fluorescent tube is usually 2.5 to 3 times larger than a T4 fluorescent tube.
How long is a T12 aquarium tube?
T12: Right between the two, 1.5-inches in diameter, extra-long length. T5 and T8 are the most commonly used tubes in today’s aquarium market. Both tubes are very similar in length and performance. They do differ, however, in the light spectrum that they produce.
Which is better, T4 or T5?
By comparison, the T5 fluorescent tube is usually 2.5 to 3 times larger than a T4 fluorescent tube. The T5 tube is the recommended tube for aquarium plants. It has a much higher luminescence per watt of power consumption than the T4. More luminescence results in more efficient photosynthesis and better coloration.
What is a T8 tube?
T8 Fluorescent Tubes. These fluorescent tubes are used for a wide range of domestic and commercial purposes, primarily because of the high levels of light emission. Such tubes have outstanding colour rendering capabilities and offer excellent levels of energy efficiency.
How long do T5 fluorescent tubes last?
They are an excellent cost-saving option, particularly given their expected lifespan of up to 30,000 hours.
What is the temperature of fluorescent light?
Common varieties of colour temperature include: 1 2700k – categorised as an extra warm white, this colour temperature is typically featured in fluorescent tubes designed for domestic use 2 3000k – also classified as a warm white, fluorescent tubes featuring this level of colour temperature share lighting properties with halogen lamps 3 3500k – coming under the category of bulk standard white, this colour temperature is considered suitable for a wide variety of commercial purposes 4 4000k – this variety of cool white is typically applied to office buildings. It is also considered suitable for formal home offices 5 5400-6500k – light generated at this temperature takes on a distinctive bright appearance. It may help in alleviating the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder
What are the different types of fluorescent tubes?
As previously mentioned, fluorescent tubes range from the modern T2 to the old style T12. The slim-line T2 tubes feature a W4.3 fitting and a 4.3 mm wide push fitting. T4 tubes are best suited to under-cabinet lighting and have a G5 fitting with 5mm separating the two pins. Standard T8 tubes have a G13 fitting, with 13mm separating the pins. The T12 tubes came complete with the same G13 cap as the T8 tube, meaning that older T12 tubes can be replaced with T8 tubes.
How many lumens does a 20 watt bulb have?
However, the majority of fluorescent bulbs generate between 45 and 100 lumens per watt. A 20-watt tube may then be expected to generate between 90 and 100 lume ns.
Why are fluorescent tubes used?
Additional reasons for the use of fluorescent tubes include: High levels of light distribution and even diffusion. Relatively low running costs. Production of various colours, including white, red, and blue.
How to determine the length of a fluorescent tube?
As previously stated, you can establish the length of a fluorescent tube by measuring the total distance between the two end pins. The lengths of these tubes are commonly indicated by the wattage. The smallest fluorescent tube is the T2 and it has a length of between 250mm and 760mm.
How long do T5 fluorescent tubes last?
They’re a cost effective way of lighting large spaces because they can last up to 30,000 hours and have low mercury content, ensuring that they have a minimal environmental impact.
What is the CRI of a T5 fluorescent lamp?
Another advantage that T5 fluorescent tubes offer is that they produce high levels of colour rendering and efficacy. The correlated colour temperature (CCT) and colour rendering index (CRI) of the lamps is determined by the phosphors used in the manufacturing process. The CRI of the T5 lamps can be specified from 70 to the mid-90s.
What is a T5 ballast?
T5 fluorescent lights use ballasts – the device that limits the amount of current passing through the tube to stop it from overloading. Additionally, these ballasts enable T5 fluorescent lights to work at frequencies above 20kHz, giving you features such as instant start, rapid start and programmed start. Another advantage that T5 fluorescent tubes ...
Is fluorescent light better than incandescent?
They’ll also light up your environment better than standard fittings with incandescent light bulbs.Fluorescent lighting is more flexible than most people think, with variations to suit most needs.
