LED Replacement Lamps

Screw-in CFL lamps, or incandescent lamps, can easily be replaced with screw-in LED lamps. LED screw-in lamps cost only a few dollars, and come in a variety of light outputs (lumens) and color temperatures to meet most needs.  Most LED screw-in lamps are dimmable, but you may need to change wall-mounted dimmers, as some older models are not compatible with LEDs.

LED tubes (Tubular LEDs or “TLEDs”) are available to replace T12, T8, and T5 fluorescent tubes. Pin-base LED lamps are readily available to replace pin-base CFL lamps. As with screw-in lamps, they are available in a range of lumen outputs and color temperatures.

Fluorescent fixtures use ballasts to provide the correct voltage and current for the lamps. Some TLEDs, and pin-base LED lamps, are “ballast–compatible” with newer electronic ballasts, so the retrofit can be as simple as just swapping lamps. However, if you are having this done professionally, most installers will bypass the ballast so that the LED lamps operate on line voltage. This assures there are no compatibility issues, such as flickering, and removes that ballast as a point of failure to eliminate maintenance down the road. One consideration is that many TLEDs are not dimmable, so options for adding lighting controls may be limited.

LED Fixture Retrofit Kits

For many fixtures, including 2×2 or 2×4 “troffers,” recessed downlights, and some strip fixtures, LED retrofit kits are available. These kits replace the “guts” of the fixture but retain the original housing and will often look like a brand-new fixture. Also, LED retrofit kits are generally dimmable and compatible with newer lighting control systems. Many are available with built-in sensors on each fixture for maximum flexibility and energy savings.

The cost of a retrofit kit will be more than a lamp retrofit, but less than a new fixture. Installation is generally pretty simple and can be accomplished without getting into the ceiling above the fixtures. Labor cost is often similar to the cost of a lamp replacement when a ballast is bypassed.

In older buildings, as long as wiring met the local electrical code at the time of installation, the building owner is generally not obligated to make changes to update existing wiring when changes are made to the electrical code. However, if any changes are made to the wiring, such as installing a new fixture, then the wiring to that fixture must be brought up to the current code. Depending on the state of the existing wiring, this can add significant expense. Since retrofit kits leave the original housing and junction boxes in place, they don’t require changes to the existing wiring and avoid this potential expense.

New LED Fixtures

For pretty much every existing fixture, there is a new LED fixture available as a replacement. If existing fixtures are in poor condition, then new fixtures may be a requirement. New LED fixtures can significantly enhance the appearance of a building. New LED fixtures will have been designed specifically for the LED modules, so you can be confident that they will provide the proper light distribution.  Practically all new LED fixtures are dimmable and compatible with newer lighting control systems. Most are available with built-in sensors on each fixture for maximum flexibility and energy savings, and many offer adjustable color temperature and wattage.