Do they make a 4 Ft. LED I can use?

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davedottcom

davedottcom

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Do they make a 4ft LED bulb rated for use in a totally enclosed outdoor (Weather Tight) fluorescent fixture?
 
Well...it says "enclosed" but it doesn't say "totally enclosed". The fixtures I'm trying to convert are definitely totally enclosed. Hmmm...
 
JFletcher said:
Here's some LED replacements for enclosed tho I dont see any 4':

https://www.earthled.com/collection...-fully-enclosed-fixture-rated-led-light-bulbs

Here's some 4' LED bulbs for enclosed fixtures:

http://www.greenelectricalsupply.com/led-lights-bulbs-t5-t8-t12-fluorescent-led-tube-lights.aspx
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I saw the same EarthLed site you sent, I didn't see any 4Ft ones either.
I don't see where the GreenElectricalSupply ones say they are listed for "Totally Enclosed" fixtures. Do you see that somewhere?
 
jumper said:
From what I can tell:

Enclosed is a basic weather resistant fixture with some airflow for heat to escape.

Totally enclosed is a gasketed/sealed weather proof fixture with little or no airflow.
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That's pretty much what I was thinking, which makes them 2 very different things.
 
FWIW, a replacement tube that connects to existing ballast might dissipate less heat in the LED tube assembly itself than an LED tube designed to bypass the ballast. The latter might have to dissipate more heat from the tube assembly itself because of losses in the drivers.
OTOH a very efficient LED driver might not add much to the heat generated by losses in the LEDs themselves.
 
GoldDigger said:
FWIW, a replacement tube that connects to existing ballast might dissipate less heat in the LED tube assembly itself than an LED tube designed to bypass the ballast. The latter might have to dissipate more heat from the tube assembly itself because of losses in the drivers.
OTOH a very efficient LED driver might not add much to the heat generated by losses in the LEDs themselves.
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I wouldn't even consider keeping the ballasts in use, they are 20 years old (Magnetic).
 
davedottcom said:
I wouldn't even consider keeping the ballasts in use, they are 20 years old (Magnetic).
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A valid concern. Probably not worth the hassle to install new ballasts and then use a drop-in type LED tube.
One note: magnetic ballasts, while they last, are far less likely to produce interference causing RF emissions than the purely electronic replacements.
 
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GoldDigger said:
A valid concern. Probably not worth the hassle to install new ballasts and then use a drop-in type LED tube. +
One note: magnetic ballasts, while they last, are far less likely to produce interference causing RF emissions than the purely electronic replacements.
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No, definitely not installing any ballasts! The fixtures are located in a parking garage...I was thinking about just not putting the covers back on but they would be too easy to steal then.

I'm not familiar with RF interference. Well, I take that back... I used to have to shut off my Hall Light (LED Bulb) in order to receive certain TV stations! (Digital Antenna) I simply changed brands of bulbs and it never happened again! :eek:)
 
I just ran some outdoor lighting and used new water tight T8 flourescent fixtures and paired those with LED bulbs that work off the existing ballast (non magnetic). Liked
them so much I renovated one of my bathrooms with LEDs, but used direct wire bulbs. I got the fixtures from McMaster Carr PN 1616K22.

 
Aleman said:
I just ran some outdoor lighting and used new water tight T8 flourescent fixtures and paired those with LED bulbs that work off the existing ballast (non magnetic). Liked
them so much I renovated one of my bathrooms with LEDs, but used direct wire bulbs. I got the fixtures from McMaster Carr PN 1616K22.

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Thanks but I looked at the specs for this fixture and it only lists Fluorescent bulbs, no mention of LEDs.
 
davedottcom said:
Thanks but I looked at the specs for this fixture and it only lists Fluorescent bulbs, no mention of LEDs.
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You buy the fixture and install LED bulbs in it. They make LED tubes 2 ways, one is to direct wire to the line voltage and bypass the ballast entirely. The others just run off the
ballast provided it's not an old magnetic type. So I bought fixtures and installed LED tubes in them. The kind that work on the ballast. For my bathroom, I needed new sockets
anyhow, so I bought direct wire tubes that came with new sockets. The direct wire tubes come with a sticker warning that the fixture now takes line voltage tubes. Bright as hell
and hopefully last a long time.
 
Aleman said:
You buy the fixture and install LED bulbs in it. They make LED tubes 2 ways, one is to direct wire to the line voltage and bypass the ballast entirely. The others just run off the
ballast provided it's not an old magnetic type. So I bought fixtures and installed LED tubes in them. The kind that work on the ballast. For my bathroom, I needed new sockets
anyhow, so I bought direct wire tubes that came with new sockets. The direct wire tubes come with a sticker warning that the fixture now takes line voltage tubes. Bright as hell
and hopefully last a long time.
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Are the LED bulbs listed for use in a "Totally Enclosed Fixture"?
 
Aleman said:
Not sure but I don't see why not. They were billed as T8 replacements. Only issue that could cause a problem would be heat.
The bulbs I installed at my house, the direct wires, came from Home Depot and I looked and they are spec'd for sealed enclosures.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/TOGGLED-...near-LED-Tube-Light-Bulb-E416-50310/300617201
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Yes, Heat is exactly what I would be worried about...well, Heat leading to a fire to be more specific. There is also the concern that the heat build-up will reduce the life of the LED, possibly so much that it would make it pointless to use them in the first place.

Yes, I see those bulbs are listed for "sealed enclosures"...Very cool! That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
 
davedottcom said:
Yes, Heat is exactly what I would be worried about...well, Heat leading to a fire to be more specific. There is also the concern that the heat build-up will reduce the life of the LED, possibly so much that it would make it pointless to use them in the first place.

Yes, I see those bulbs are listed for "sealed enclosures"...Very cool! That is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!
Click to expand...

Wait a second, it says "sealed enclosures" not "Totally Enclosed". But I think that is the same thing!?
 
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