The best way to replace fluorescent lighting in a commercial building is to replace the whole fitting with an LED batten, not just the tube: you remove old ballasts and wiring, get one warranty on the whole product and avoid changing the safety certification of the old fitting. Most T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes left the EU market in August 2023 and the GB market from September 2023, so replacement tubes are getting harder to find.
Why convert now
- Phase-out: most T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes are no longer placed on the EU and GB markets.
- Energy: LED fittings typically use a fraction of the power of fluorescent fittings with magnetic ballasts for the same light.
- Maintenance: no tube changes, no starters, no ballast failures.
- Instant start and switching: LED switches on at full output, so sensors can switch aisles and stores on and off without delay.
LED tubes or LED battens?
| Retrofit LED tube | Complete LED batten | |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | Tube only; old fitting stays | Whole fitting |
| Old ballast and wiring | Kept or bypassed | Removed |
| Warranty | Tube only | Whole fitting |
| Certification of the fitting | Can be affected by modification | New fitting with its own CE marking |
| Light distribution | Limited by the old fitting | Designed for LED |
| Best for | Small sites, short-term fixes | Commercial and industrial sites |
For shops, supermarkets, warehouses and car parks we recommend complete fittings. See our LED batten and linear lights and, for damp areas, LED tri-proof lights.
Matching lengths
Fluorescent fittings come in standard lengths. Measure the existing fittings and tell us the length and fixing method.
| Fluorescent length | Common T8 tube |
|---|---|
| 2 ft (600 mm) | 18 W |
| 4 ft (1200 mm) | 36 W |
| 5 ft (1500 mm) | 58 W |
| 6 ft (1800 mm) | 70 W |
Estimating the saving
- Old load: number of fittings × tubes per fitting × tube wattage, plus ballast losses. Magnetic ballasts add noticeably to the tube wattage.
- New load: number of new fittings × LED wattage.
- Saving per year: (old load − new load) in kW × operating hours per year × price per kWh.
Worked example (illustrative): 100 twin 5 ft fittings drawing about 130 W each with ballast losses, replaced by LED battens drawing 50 W each, running 4,000 hours a year at £0.25 per kWh: (13 kW − 5 kW) × 4,000 h × £0.25 = about £8,000 a year. Your figures depend on the fittings, hours and tariff. Send us your fitting list and we calculate your real saving.
Where the new light goes
- Supermarket aisles: continuous linear runs over shelving. See supermarket lighting.
- Warehouses: linear runs along racking and high bays in open areas. See warehouse lighting.
- Car parks, cold stores and plant rooms: sealed IP65 fittings. See LED tri-proof lights.
Check light levels before and after: the lux levels guide lists the minimums by space. A like-for-like swap is also a good moment to fix areas that were under- or over-lit.
Plan your conversion
Send your fitting list, lengths, mounting heights and operating hours. We return matching LED fittings, a saving estimate and a quotation within 24 hours. Orders run from 50 units to full site conversions.
Request a quote → · WhatsApp +86 189 9834 8092 · info@kelvano.co · replies within business hours (GMT+8)