What is a Tube Light?
Tube light is a type of fluorescent lamp that uses low-pressure mercury-vapor gas discharge technology to produce light when electricity passes through it. These lamps use a ballast to control the voltage and start the discharge.
These lamps are available in shunted (ballast bypass) and non-shunted configurations. These options are ideal for users looking to upgrade an existing fixture from fluorescent to LED without the need to remove the tombstone and change its electrical polarity.
Features
Unlike traditional light bulbs, tube lights are self-contained light engines with LED diodes and control gear. They are available in a variety of shapes, lengths and diameters. They are also available in various color temperature ranges. There are four different types of tube lights on the market today – Direct Wire (also known as ballast bypass or Type B), Electronic Ballast Compatible, Hybrid and the more advanced Smart Tube. The Smart Tube uses integrated circuitry that recognizes excessive heat and automatically shuts the lamp off.
The benefits of LED tubes include a long lifespan, energy efficiency and the lack of hazardous mercury. They also produce a quality of light led light bulbs that closely resembles natural sunlight. Moreover, the cost of purchasing and maintaining these lights is much lower than their fluorescent counterparts.
Enclosures
Tube lights use a tubular design to contain light-producing gases. This allows them to produce a brighter, more efficient light than other types of bulbs. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit different lighting applications.
They are also available in different wattage levels, depending on the needs of your business or space. For example, if you need to save on energy costs, you can choose a lower-wattage LED bulb that will provide the same amount of light.
In addition to offering various sizes and lengths, manufacturers of tube lights can customize their products by adding logos or other branding elements. This customization can help businesses stand out in the marketplace and create a unique brand identity. In addition, many companies can offer custom colors to match their clients’ branding requirements.
Gas-filled tube
The operation of gas-filled tubes involves electrons interacting with noble-gas atoms in the bulb. This ionisation causes the plate current to rise dramatically, even with a low anode-cathode voltage. This is mainly because the electrons are able to neutralise more than the space charge in the tube.
The resulting high plate current allows the tube to operate with much lower running voltages than vacuum tubes. This makes them ideal for use in low-frequency applications. Specialised historic examples include Nixie tubes (used to display numerals) and Decatron tubes, which are used to count pulses or divide a signal.
Various structures can be observed in the glow region, depending on gas pressure, tube length and operating current. These phenomena include the Crookes dark space and Faraday dark space, both of which are affected by the tube diameter.
Lumens
LED tube lights are a popular choice for commercial and industrial settings. They consume less energy than fluorescent lights, resulting in savings on electricity bills. They also have a longer lifespan, which reduces maintenance costs and downtime.
They emit a brighter, more natural light than conventional bulbs and can help you see colors clearly. These bulbs are available in a range of color temperatures and brightnesses, allowing you to create the right ambiance for your space.
Many people choose to replace their fluorescent lights with LEDs in order to save money and future-proof their business. Some types of LED tubes are designed to fit existing fixtures without requiring any modifications. Others, such as Type C LED tubes, require the removal of the existing ballast and some wiring changes.
CRI
When buying a tube light, make sure it has a high CRI. This will ensure that colors and hues look as they would under natural daylight. This tube light is particularly important for graphic arts applications where color consistency is crucial.
A tube light’s CRI is based on the ratio of eight reference colors to perfect white. This is measured with a spectrometer and the data is then averaged to determine a tube light’s CRI.
When current flows through a tube light, it causes electrons to migrate across the electrodes. These electrons collide with the atoms of mercury, producing ultraviolet radiation that is converted to visible light by a phosphor coating inside the tube. This process is known as gas discharge. The resulting white light is then visible to the human eye.
Drivers
Tube lights are a popular lighting solution for commercial and industrial spaces. Their versatility, high lumen output, and energy efficiency make them a great choice for many lighting applications.
Drivers for LED tube lights are crucial for regulating power and ensuring optimal performance. Understanding these components can help you choose the right one for your lighting application.
Hybrid tubes are designed to work with both magnetic ballasts and newer electronic ballasts. This makes them the most convenient option for replacing fluorescent fixtures, such as troffers and shop lights. The hybrid version also offers a wider range of features than other types of LED tube lights. These include 0-10V dimming and IoT connectivity. They also feature integrated circuitry that recognizes excess heat and shuts off the tube lights automatically.
Electronic ballast compatible
Electronic ballasts are more advanced than magnetic ballasts, and they control the current running through fluorescent lamps with greater accuracy. They also use less power and are less prone to certain types of damage.
Before attempting to remove the old ballast, make sure that all power is cut off to the fixture using a circuit breaker or a switch. Then, carefully disconnect the wires from the old ballast and the power source. If possible, use a non-contact voltage tester to ensure that there is no electricity in the wires before touching them.
Plug-and-play LED tube lights bypass the existing fluorescent ballast, and they are a great way to save energy. These tubes are compatible with double-ended power and shunted or non-shunted tombstones. They may not work in fixtures that have a magnetic ballast.
