Convert T8 Fluorescent Fixture to LED
Original Fixture Modifying Covers Back Bath Front Bath
06/20/20: Page Origin.

Converting dual T8 fluorescent fixtures to LEDs
We spent several years converting all our incandescent lights to fluorescent, to save energy.   Also less heat = less Air Conditioning.   When an older light burned out, I would replace it with a high effeciency tube and electronic ballast.   Fluorescent lights were wonderful if you got the new high effeciency tubes and electronic ballasts and 4000K or higher color (bright white or daylight).   But, they are hard to dispose of when they die and thats about 8,000 hours maximum, plus the tubes have mercury inside.   The replacement tubes are getting pricey ($9.00 for a 13watt tube).
The old fluorescent tube fixtures used either T8-15W or T5-13W tubes which put out 920 lumens for 15watts and 850 lumens for 13 watts, respectively.  


So in early 2020 (during COVID-19 pandemic) one of our under cabinet fluorescent tubes died not wanting to make unnecesssary trips to Lowes and thinking about the price of a replacement flourescent tube ($8-$9 ea) I searched Amazon.   As usual, Amazon shows you anything remotely similar, I saw lots of LED bars and LED under cabinet fixtures in addition to flourescents.   So I started thinking about LED fixtures and found "LELEJU LED Under Cabinet Lights, 2ft, 1100lm, 6000K, 10W".   These new light bars put out 1100 lumens at 6000K (daylight) for 10Watts of power, last about 3 times longer, and cost about $6.75 each.   I replace all the under cabinet fixtures in the kitchen.   After I saw the new 22" LED bars I got this idea, I could replace the T8 tubes in the dual T8 fixtures with two of these LED tubes.   I originally put two of these dual T8 fixtures on the kitchen ceiling so I attacked them.   I took the diffuser, tubes, and cover off of one, then removed the ballast and T8 receptacles from inside, leaving only the metal case with house wiring sticking out.   I drilled holes, in the covers, for screws to hold the LED clips and another larger hole in the center to pass the power line through.   Mounted the two clips and tubes, connected the power feed to one end of the first then linked the other end to the second tube with the supplied link cable.   The instructions say you can link up to 8 bars, I only linked 2 in the dual T8 fixture.   I cut off the switch and plug from the power cord, stripped and tinned both wires (make it easier to twist to the 14AWG house wiring) and I'm ready to install.      

We liked the results so much I ordered more 22" tubes and replaced the flourescents in both bathrooms (same fixture as the kitchen).   We had two more dual T8 fixtures, one in the hall and another in the master walk-in closet, they got the treatment next.    

Type Efficiency CostLife
Incandescent 16 Lumens/watt $1 (60Watt Bulb)1200 Hrs
Flourescent 50-100 Lumens/watt $28000Hrs
LED 100-200 Lumens/watt $8 or less25000Hrs
T8 Conversion

One of the T8 fixtures before mods, they look exactly like this after mods.  



Original fixture with diffuser off.   You can see the T8-15W tubes, each dissipates 15W so the total power used is 30Watts.   These are the pricy tubes.



Modifying Covers

One of the T8 fixtures after removing it's cover and ballast.   You can see, I capped off the house wiring, even though the power is off, just for safety sake.   For more info (pics) on modifying the fixture itself, please see the Fixture Mods.



Two dual T8 fixture covers.  



Marked screw holes for LED clips.  



Center punched for drilling.  



All holes drilled.   Note the large hole in the center for the power feed.



Closer look at the screw holes for the LED clips.  



Power feed holes with rubber grommets.  



Closer look at a rubber grommet.   These keep the metal cover from chafing (and finally shorting) the power wire.



Clips screwed on, ready to assemble.   You can see the LED tubes on each side, their info calls them tubes but they're only plastic covers.



One of the power cords with3 prong receptacle, switch, and plug.  



Closer look at the 3 prong plug and the receptacle on the end of the LED bar.   The LED bars don't need ground, the third wire passes throug the bar but doesn't connect to anything.   I left the house ground connected to the original T8 fixture housing.



Power wires cut, stripped and tinned and the jumpers.   These tubes came with all kinds of connection wiring, plugs, and sockets.



They even came with these blank plugs to cover the unused receptacles.  



The power inlet into a pair of LED tubes, note the unused receptacle is plugged.   The other ends of both bars are linked together with a supplied link cable.



Both covers power inlet ends.  



Tinned power wires.   The wires in the power cable are tiny, tinning made them easy to twist around the 14AWG house wiring.



The jumper ends of the two covers.   I added the spot ties to keep the jumper wires down, neatly.



Fixture with modified cover installed and connected.  



Front Bath

Power on, it works.  



Finished with diffusers and all.    



As you can see everything is well lit.   Betty is very happy, her bathroom light is bright and white.   Her bathroom has 4400 lumens of light at 6000 Kelvin (bright white).



Back Bath

Back bath T8 fixture with diffuser removed.  



This little flat metal hootus is one of the two latches for the T8 cover (one at each end) shown in it's latched postion.   Twist a quarter turn and it releases.



T8 fixture with cover removed, you can see the electronic ballast and the end sockets for the flourescent tubes.  



A jumble of high voltage wiring.   Its hard to see but note, the two tabs on the left end of the ballast are captured under slots in the fixture.



Right end of the ballast, a single screw holds it on.   Disconnect power, unclip the flourescent receptacles, remove the screw, pull the ballast right and every thing comes out.



Ballast with it's receptacles removed from the fixture.  



T8 flourescent receptacles.   Note the little plastic tab on the side

(red circles)
, you depress this, rock the receptacle to this side, pushing down, then depress the tab on the opposite side and the receptacle pushed down and out.



T8 fixture with modified cover installed, power feed on the left, jumper on the right.  



Close look at the jumper end and how the wires are close to the fixture's end.   You may have to push these to get the diffuser on, its a good fit.



Power end, I hook the diffuser over this end first.  



Let there be light.