Are T12 bulbs energy efficient?

The typical T12 four-lamp fixture uses 172 watts of power between the lamps and ballast. LED equivalents typically use only 50 watts, 71% less energy per fixture. [3] Not only are they brighter per watt, they also last longer than even the preferred florescent bulbs.

How much energy does a T12 lamp use?

A standard T12 lamp has a life of 20,000 hours and a lumen output of around 2500 lumens. The lumens per watt of T12 is roughly around 60 and a CRI of 70. Your average 2 lamp fixture will consume 90 watts, the 4 lamp version will consume roughly 160 – 170 watts depending on the ballast.

Are T8 bulbs more efficient than T12?

You can see that the T12 lamp loses 14% of its light output over the first 40% of its life, whereas the T8 only loses 5% of its light output. Combine that over 4 lamps and you have a loss of 1,400 lumens per fixture as compared to 560 lumens lost on a T8 fixture.

Can I replace my T12 bulbs with LED?

Can you actually retrofit T12 to LED without changing out the ballast? Actually, yes. But before you make a decision, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s. A lot has changed in just a few years in the lighting industry.

Is it cheaper to leave fluorescent lights on all the time?

It takes more energy to start a fluorescent that it does to run it, so leave the lights on all the time to save money on your electric bill. When you turn on a fluorescent light bulb (correctly called a “lamp”), there is a very brief jump in current when the ballast charges the cathodes and causes the lamp to start.

How much more efficient are LED lights than fluorescent?

80%
Compared to fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are up to 80% more efficient. Unlike fluorescent lights, LED lights convert 95% of their energy into light and only 5% is wasted as heat; this is all while still using far less power to provide a strong and consistent output at a lower wattage.

Can I replace T12 with T8 LED?

T12 vs T8 Fluorescent Tubes T12 tubes are 1.5″ in diameter while T8s are just one inch. All other things—socket sizes, lengths, distance between pins—are the same. T8 LED tubes won’t fall out if you try to install them in a T12 fixture—they’ll fit just fine.