Illuminate Differently: Easy Fluorescent to LED Replacement
ILLUMINATE DIFFERENTLY: EASY FLUORESCENT TO LED REPLACEMENT
Going from fluorescent to LED doesn't always require major work. The old fluorescent buzzing in the basement, the tube flickering above the workbench, the office's suspended ceiling where one lens in three has yellowed: depending on what's on your ceiling, the simplest solution may be to change only the tube, to replace the fixture or to take the opportunity to light the space differently. LEDCO helps you choose the right approach, room by room, without oversizing the project.
Fluorescent to LED: three paths depending on what's on your ceiling
These fixtures are still found in many homes, stores and offices across Quebec, and they are not all replaced the same way. Before ordering, place each room in one of these three cases:
- The fixture is in good condition: keep it and replace the fluorescent tube with an LED tube.
- The fixture is worn out: rusted, yellowed or with a humming ballast, it makes way for a new LED fixture of the same format.
- The room is changing: a basement under renovation or a kitchen being redone can move to entirely different lighting.
Keep the fixture and change the tube: the ballast decides
If the fluorescent fixture is in good condition, the simplest option is often to install T8 LED tubes. The real question is the built-in ballast, the small box hidden in the fixture that powered the fluorescent tube. Some LED tubes work with the ballast in place: you remove the old tube and insert the new one.
Others are wired to bypass the ballast, which requires modifying the fixture's wiring, a job for an electrician. In return, you eliminate a part that sooner or later gives out. Before buying, note the length of your tubes and the condition of the ballast: our team will tell you which tube suits your fixture.
2X4 LED panel in place of the suspended-ceiling troffer
In an office, a classroom or a store with a suspended ceiling, old 2 x 4 fluorescent troffers are replaced with a 2X4 LED panel (36W-40W-45W) that fits the same opening in the grid. The ceiling isn't touched, the neighbouring tiles stay in place, and the result is an even, glowing surface, with no tubes visible behind a yellowed lens. The three wattages let you adjust the light level to suit the room.
Corridors and square grids: 1X4 and 2X2 LED panels
Not every suspended ceiling is 2 x 4. The 1X4 LED panel (25W-30W-36W) replaces the narrow fluorescent fixtures found in corridors and small offices, and the 2X2 LED panel (30W-36W-40W) suits square grids and old U-tube fixtures. By keeping the original format, you avoid recutting tiles, and the work can be done room by room, without closing the offices. The full range is in our LED panel lights.
The chain-hung garage shop light: make way for an integrated LED fixture
In the garage, the basement or the workshop, the fluorescent shop light hanging from two chains is still everywhere. Replacing it with a shop light from our integrated LED fixtures settles the matter for good: the LED source is part of the fixture, no more tube or ballast to replace. These shop lights come in several lengths, and vapour-tight versions suit unheated garages and damp spaces. Under a very high ceiling, an LED high bay is more appropriate than a row of shop lights.
Renovated basement or kitchen: replace the box with downlights
Replacing a fluorescent doesn't mean reproducing the same lighting. The large box in the middle of the ceiling can give way to a few well-spaced downlights. The DLX 4" round 8W LED recessed light, its square and 3" versions, the DLF 4" round slim 9W or the DLT 4" trimless 12W provide better-distributed light and a cleaner ceiling. Mounting frames make installation in drywall easier; see all our LED ceiling downlights.
PIR sensor and wireless switch: make the most of the work
When you change the fixtures, it's the right time to rethink how they are switched on. In a storage room or a commercial washroom, the ceiling PIR Bluetooth sensor 120-347V turns the light on when someone enters and off when the room empties. Where a switch is missing, the battery-powered 4-button wireless wall switch goes up without running any wire through the wall. Versions with 0-10V dimming are also available; we check their compatibility with you.
Technical tips for switching from fluorescent to LED
Turn the power off at the breaker. Before opening a fixture or touching the wiring, the wall switch is not enough.
Note the length of the tubes. It is the first thing to tell us, along with the number of tubes per fixture.
A humming ballast signals the end. If the ballast hums or the fixture is rusted, go straight to a new fixture.
Keep the grid format. A panel the same size as the troffer avoids recutting tiles.
Fluorescent tubes contain mercury: don't throw them in the garbage. To switch from fluorescent to LED in several rooms or an entire building, take an inventory of your fixtures — format, number of tubes, ceiling type — and contact our team: we will propose the simplest solution for each room.
Fluorescent Replacement FAQ
How do I change a fluorescent tube on the ceiling?
Turn the power off at the breaker, remove the lens, then rotate the tube to free it from its sockets. If the LED tube you chose works with the ballast in place, simply insert it instead of the old one. If it has to bypass the ballast, the fixture's wiring changes: have an electrician do that work.
Can I put LED tubes in a fluorescent light fixture?
Yes, if the fixture is in good condition and the tube suits its ballast, or if the wiring is modified to bypass it. Give us the length of the tubes and a photo of the ballast label, and we will tell you which LED tube to use.
Is my old fluorescent fixture worth keeping?
Not if it is rusted, its lens has yellowed or the ballast hums. In that case, it is better to go straight to an integrated LED fixture or a panel of the same format. If it is sound and clean, an LED tube is enough.
What should I do with old fluorescent tubes?
They contain mercury: don't throw them in the garbage. Take them to an ecocentre or a recognized collection point.
Do I have to change everything at once?
No. By keeping the format of each fixture, the conversion can be done room by room, without closing the offices or redoing the ceiling. You can start with the most used rooms, then continue as your budget allows.
