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Ballast-Compatible LED Tube Lights –
A Deceptive Alternative to Fluorescents?
Ballast-compatible LED T8s are gaining some attention as they are a seemingly easy replacement to traditional fluorescent
tube lights. The simple plug-and-play feature of a ballast-compatible LED tube light convinces consumers it is the best
alternative to fluorescent tube lights. Upon first glance, this looks appealing, but the fact of the matter is that there are
more costs and inconveniences than benefits of the Ballast-compatible LED tube lights:
• If you read the fine print, they only work with particular types of ballasts. If the current ballast turns out to be incompatible
with the LED tube light, the consumer will have to replace the ballast regardless. Some older facilities incorporate
different types of fixtures, requiring extensive labor for both checking ballasts and replacing incompatible ones.
• A ballast-compatible LED tube light will not work without a working ballast. The life of a ballast is limited. Any good LED
tube light will outlive an electronic ballast. A ballast-compatible LED tube light will require regular replacements for as
long as the tube light lasts. When the ballast fails, a new ballast will need to be purchased and installed to keep the
ballast-compatible tubes working. Multiply this by hundreds of fixtures throughout a facility, and the incurred cost
exponentially outweighs the initial cost savings.
• The design life of a ballast and a ballast-compatible tube light are different - which means maintenance will be a consistent
issue, whether it is to replace the light or the ballast. This also significantly increases costs, cutting into or even eliminating
any savings incurred by changeover to LED tube light.
• Replacing a dead ballast requires a certified electrician, increasing labor costs, along with regular maintenance costs.
A self-sufficient LED does not require an electrician, and can be replaced by the end user.
• When the ballast in a fixture dies, the entire fixture is rendered useless until the ballast is replaced. This means although
the tube lights are working, they may not be used until the ballast is replaced. A self-sufficient LED tube light does not
require a ballast, and if one tube light does go out, the others are not affected.
• A ballast constantly draws power, even when the tube lights are dead or not installed. Any energy saved while using the
ballast-compatible LED tube light is voided with the constant energy use by the ballast.
• Ballast-compatible tube lights cannot qualify for the DLC QPL.
Ultimately, ballast-compatible LED tube lights are exponentially more expensive and less efficient than self-sustaining,
single-end powered LED Tube Lights.
A true alternative, HyLite offers the single-end powered LED T8. It only takes a few minutes to install, with minimal labor
cost. Once installed, the HyLite LED T8 tube lights will only need to be replaced after 50,000 hours or so - it is as simple as
“twist-out” and “twist-in," to replace the tube.
HyLite LED T8 Tube Lights are safety-certified by ETL
and are DLC qualified for rebates. They come with a
5-year Warranty and a 50,000 hour design life.
They are available in 2-, 4-, 5-, and 8-feet lengths,
and in color temperatures of 4000K,
Neutral White (NW); 5000K Daylight (DL);
and 5700K Cool White (CW).