LED T8 replacement lamps "just say no."

FYI – Another posting from Jim Brodrick, head of the Dept. of Energy’s Solid State Lighting program, regarding the performance concerns for LED T8 (4’ florescent) replacement lamps.

 Some of the best take away quotes:

 “…in this country alone there are tens of millions of recessed… 4' fluorescent T8 lamps in use… and a ton of LED products being touted as energy-saving "drop-in" equivalents… those LED products are a far cry from matching the performance of fluorescent T8s, it all adds up to a surefire recipe for consumer disappointment.”

 “when it comes to general ambient lighting for offices and other commercial spaces, LED T8s have not proven competitive with linear fluorescent lamps. This is not a vague impression “sensed” from the marketplace; it’s a DOE finding based on careful analysis and testing results from DOE’s CALiPER program…testing have shown that LED T8s produce far less light than the fluorescents they’re intended to replace, out of proportion to the energy savings.”

 “the average initial bare-lamp light output of the LED replacement products was only about one-third of the average for the fluorescent lamps tested – with the best-performing LED T8 producing only half of the light output of a typical 4' fluorescent. Not exactly what I'd call a stellar performance.

 “Solid-state lighting technology is improving all the time, but for now, when it comes to LED replacement T8s, the best policy is to "just say no."

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