what is t8 vs t12

Full Answer

What is the difference between T5, T8 and T12's?

Making sense of lighting standards

• The T5 is five eighths of an inch, or about the size of a $.10 dime
• The T8 bulb is one inch in diameter at the size of a $.05 nickel
• The T12 is twelve eighths (1.5 inches) in diameter

What does T8 and T12 mean?

What does t8 and t12 mean? A T12 lamp (on the left in the figure below) is therefore twelve-eighths of an inch, or one-and-one-half inches (3.81 cm), in diameter. A T8 lamp (on the right in the figure below) is eight-eighths of an inch, or one inch (2.54 cm), in diameter. Click to see full answer. Also question is, can you replace a t12 with a t8?

What is the difference between T12 and T8 fluorescent bulbs?

The main difference between T8 and T12 bulbs is that T8 bulbs have a diameter of 1.5 inches, whereas T12 bulbs have a diameter of 1 inch. T8 bulbs are a better choice than T 12 bulbs. This can be easily proved. T8 bulbs have a better color rendering index as well as high efficacy.

Can you replace a T12 with a T8?

Replacing your T12 fixtures with T8 fixtures is more cost effective than changing out the ballasts, but if you invested a lot in your T12 fixtures and have developed a sentimental attachment, then you may want to invest in changing the ballasts and retaining the fixtures. Purchase a T8 ballast at a home improvement retailer.

Can you replace a T12 with a T8?

Options for replacing T12 fluorescent tubes The easiest and lowest price option to replace a T12 is a T8 linear fluorescent. They have become the go-to option for pre-existing T12s. If you still have magnetic ballasts, switching to a T8 will require a ballast swap.

Are T8 better than T12?

T8 bulbs use about 35% less electricity to produce the same amount of light as a T12. T5 bulbs use about 45% less energy than T12s. For some applications, one T5 bulb can replace two T12 bulbs, providing even greater energy savings (a process called “de-lamping.”)

How do I know if my ballast is T8 or T12?

0:082:11UNDERSTANDING fluorescent lights t5 t8 t12 electronic magnetic ballastYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLike a generation 3 if you compare them side-by-side the t5 is smaller. Here's a t8 and the t12 isMoreLike a generation 3 if you compare them side-by-side the t5 is smaller. Here's a t8 and the t12 is the older version of the t8. You can take a t8. And put it into a t12 fixture the t12 is the oldest.

Can t8 bulbs work in t12 ballast?

If you run a t8 bulb on a t12 ballast you will have premature bulb life as the t12 ballast will over "tax" the bulb. If you run it vice versa and have a t8 ballast running a t12 bulb you will have premature ballast life as the t12 bulb takes more to run and will over work the ballast.

Are t12 bulbs being discontinued?

In effect since July 2012, the legislation eliminates nearly all 4-foot T12 lamps, some 4-foot T8 lamps, most 8-foot T12 lamps, and almost all standard halogen PAR38, PAR30 and PAR20 lamps from the market. T12 technology is over 80 years old. Since that time, lamps and bulbs have been developed that just work better.

Can I use T8 LED bulbs in a T12 fixture?

Is it safe to use T-8 bulbs instead? A T8 in a T12 fixture will not light, don't try!

Are T8 bulbs being discontinued?

The Ecodesign Regulation set a schedule to eliminate integrally-ballasted compact fluorescent (CFLi) and T12 linear fluorescent (LFL) lamps in September 2021, and most T8 LFLs in September 2023.

Can I replace a T12 with LED?

Can you actually retrofit T12 to LED without changing out the ballast? Actually, yes. But before you make a decision, there are other LED solutions to consider for a high-efficiency lighting option for existing T12s. A lot has changed in just a few years in the lighting industry.

Are T8 bulbs as bright as T12?

The Standard T12 lamp produces 2,650 initial lumens per lamp. The standard T8 produces 2,800 initial lumens per lamp, 6% brighter. But the standard T12 lamp produces 2,300 design lumens and the T8 produces 2,660 design lumens.

Are T8 bulbs obsolete?

The Ecodesign Regulation set a schedule to eliminate integrally-ballasted compact fluorescent (CFLi) and T12 linear fluorescent (LFL) lamps in September 2021, and most T8 LFLs in September 2023.

Are T8 LED bulbs worth it?

T8 LED light bulbs allow for less energy use, greater energy savings, longer lamp life, and less maintenance. They are manufactured to make the switch both seamless, and well worth it in the long run.

How big is a T8 fluorescent lamp?

Since the measurements come in eights of an inch, the T8 has an inch of diameter while a T12 comes in 1.5 inches. The narrower your choice of a fluorescent lamp is, the more efficient its energy output will be.

What is the T8 light?

The T8 light has replaced the T12 as the new standard in fluorescent lighting, which in turn is the cheaper alternative to incandescent lamps. The number that comes with the T is used to denote the diameter of the fluorescent tube.

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To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.

Is a T8 light different from a T12 light?

You may not be able to distinguish the light output difference between a T8 and a T12 fluorescent lamp visually. Even though they are of comparable wattage, the T8 uses less power than a T12 lamp.

Will the price of T12 lamps change?

At present, there is still no noticeable change in the price of these two types of lamps but it will change as soon as the T12 is phased out by its manufacturers. This is because T12 technology is now considered to be outdated.

What is the difference between a T5 and a T12?

The "T" in T5 indicates the bulb is tubular shaped, while the "5" denotes that it is five eighths of an inch in diameter. The other common lamps are the larger T8 (eight eighths inch = 1") and T12 (twelve eights inch = 1½" tubes). The T12 is an older generation fluorescent bulb that generates light through electromagnetic induction, ...

What is a T12 bulb?

The T12 is an older generation fluorescent bulb that generates light through electromagnetic induction, which is considered less efficient method of creating light compared to that of newer electronic based circuits. Like the T5, the T8 tube creates light through advanced electronic circuits and are available in standard 2, 3, 4, and 5 foot lengths.

What is the difference between T5 and T8 fluorescent lights?

However, what sets T5 fluorescent lights apart from T8 bulbs is their dramatic reduction in size. T5 lamps are 40% smaller than T8 fixtures, but are capable of containing just as much and sometimes more light in a smaller area. In other words, more T8 fixtures are needed to produced the same amount of light generated by significantly fewer high ...

Do T5 bulbs cost more than T8 bulbs?

In other words, more T8 fixtures are needed to produced the same amount of light generated by significantly fewer high output T5 bulbs. Although the newest T5 lights generally cost more than T8 models, they are lower maintenance than other fluorescent bulbs.

How many lumens does a T12 light bulb produce?

The easiest and probably best change for you would be to move to a T8 lamp. Your current T12 (assuming it’s a daylight) produces approximately 850 lumens. If you were to move to a T8 lamp that fits in the same sockets you would bump each lamp up to 1325 lumens. You will have to change out the ballasts as well, but that isn’t difficult.

How many watts is a T12 ballast?

Good question. This is mostly true, however most people are still using magnetic ballasts. When using this ballast, the actual input wattage of a T12 – 34 watt bulb on a two lamp fixture is 72 watts. It is 86 watts on a when using a 40 watt T12 lamp. So yes, there is a significant savings when using a 34 watt bulb versus a 40 watt T12. A typical 2 lamp T8 fixture using standard 32watt lamps uses 59 input watts. This is an 18% energy savings on a 120v system. The T8 lamp will also have an extra 4,000 hours of average rated life on a 3 hour start cycle, and a couple hundred extra lumens per lamp. Plus in most states there’s a rebate from the energy company for upgrading to this technology. If that’s not enough, the T12 lamps are being outlawed in 2012 by the EPA. (Although, I’m sure you’ll still be able to find them)

How many lumens does a T12 lamp have?

Not only are you going to see a 35% reduction in energy consumption, you’ll also see a dramatic difference in light output. The Standard T12 lamp produces 2,650 initial lumens per lamp. The standard T8 produces 2,800 initial lumens per lamp, 6% brighter. But the standard T12 lamp produces 2,300 design lumens and the T8 produces 2,660 design lumens.

How much energy does a T12 light use?

A standard 4 lamp fixture, similar to what most every office in America uses, has a standard 40 watt T12 lamp on a standard magnetic ballast (which won’t be produced after June of 2010) and uses 172 watts of energy. The same fixture retrofitted with T8 lamps and a new electronic ballast uses 112 watts of energy – that’s a 35% reduction in energy usage! To retrofit an existing fixture with the new ballasts is a simple process that requires very basic wiring knowledge. Remove (2) T12 ballasts, replace with (1) T8 ballast, and replace old lamps with new ones in the same sockets.

What is initial lumens?

Initial lumens – the average lumen output of the lamp after 100 hours of operation under controlled lab conditions.

Do you use a higher end ballast for a lower wattage lamp?

I’ve tried to add spec sheet on the ballasts as links (hope it works) One thing to note; You should use a higher end ballast when using lower wattage, energy saving lamps. If you use the basic ballast you will see “snaking” in the lamp. Which is a fancy way of saying that the lamp won’t perform at its optimum level. Which, coincidentally is why you use the “Optanium” ballast from Advance.

Is the T12 lamp better than the T8?

I’ll get into why the T8 lamp is a better lamp as far as color later – but the 35% energy savings and a better lumen maintenance are 2 of the reasons why switching is better.

What is the difference between T5 T8 and T12 lights?

In short, the difference between t5, t8, and t12 lights are the sizes and energy efficiency. The smaller t5 and t8 tubes use less energy and have less mercury in them than T12 bulbs.

How do I know which fluorescent light bulb to buy?

When considering the question of how do I know which fluorescent light bulb to buy you need to figure out what you currently have. Once you have removed the bulb most will be marked with the type on the end, if there are no markings then you can measure the tube diameter to determine their type.

Why are T12 fluorescent lights still used?

Another reason why they are still used is the cheaper purchasing price compared to the others, but, they are no longer being made. Despite being an older model, the T12 fluorescent tube lights still offer a range of color temperatures at different watts.

What is the smallest fluorescent bulb?

T4 tubes are the smallest of the fluorescent bulb sizes, at only 4 eighths of an inch (0.5 in). Their size is what makes T4 lights popular for under cabinet lighting purposes and accent lighting for displays or a staircase.

What are the different types of fluorescent tubes?

What are the different types of fluorescent tubes? There are 3 types: t12 tubes, t8, and t5 tubes, and the t12 which is the oldest and being phased out and no longer manufactured. The t8 is probably the most used with the t5 being the smallest and most energy-efficient so are often used in large office buildings and warehouses for energy savings.

How many watts does a T4 light bulb use?

There is no industry standard for the length or wattage of T4 tube lights. They can range anywhere from 6 watts to 30 watts, the lower the number the lower the energy consumption, and many lengths. If you are replacing a T4, you may struggle with finding the same fluorescent light bulbs sizes. Be sure to measure the length ...

What is the color rendering index of T5 bulbs?

The CRi of T5 fluorescent bulbs generally range in the lower end of 70 -80 but there are options with more accurate color rendering up to 95.

What is the difference between a T8 and T12 bulb?

They are for different fluorescent tubes. fluorescent tubes are measured in 1/8 inch, so a T8 is 8/8 or 1 inch. A T12 is 12/8 or 1.5 inches in width. The different width bulbs require different parameters to start them, and keep them lit. The length of the bulb also makes a difference. The T8 and T12 bulbs have the same pins on the ends of the tube, which may cause many to think they are compatible with each other. They are not, although they may work, a T8 tube with a T12 ballast, the tube will have a shorter life. If you put a T12 tube in with a T8 ballast, the ballast will have a shorter li

How many watts does a T-12 ballast use?

T-8 ballasts are usually 32 watts per tube while T-12 are 40 watts…most all newer ballasts are for T-8 and are electronic, and automatically adjust for voltage from 120 up to 277. I’m talking 48 inch lamps here….

What are the two types of LED tubes?

The LED tubes are, functionally, two types: retrofit (directly replacing the fluorescent tubes) and “by-pass” as I use to name them.

What is a bypass tube?

The “by-pass” tubes have to be installed following the instructions attached to the tube. These specify the removing the old ballast, the ways of doing the new circuit and the attaching of the label which specifies that the fixture has a new certification. This type of tubes has the necessary electronic (let's name it ballast) inside of the tube.

What to do if your lamp doesn't work?

If the lamp still does not work, try changing the starter switch (if you have a magnetic ballast). If that still does not work then all that is left is the ballast.

What is the yellow wire on a light bulb?

The two yellow wires are the common connection you would normally have the yellow connect to one end of a bulb and other end will be connected to either a bule or a red wire. it is basically one half of the source power circuit, yellow on one end and either blue or red to the other end.

Does a ballast know if a fluorescent tube is LED?

So, the ballast doesn't “know” if there is a fluorescent or a LED tube. All the mimicry is inside of the tube and made with some electronics.

What is the diameter of a T12 lamp?

when you see a number such as the 12 in T12, that refers to the diameter of the lamp in terms of 1/8ths of an inch. So, as Ranger stated, a T12 would be 12/8 inch diameter which equals 1 1/2 inch. A T8 would be 1 inch and a T5 5/8 inch diameter.

How does a programmed start work?

Just like the older magnetic ballasts with T12s. It starts by applying a low voltage across the cathodes at the ends of the tubes. After a second or so, it applies the high voltage across the tubes . When the arc is established, the ballast switches to constant-current, just like the instant-start.

Why are T8s called cold cathodes?

The reason being, the T8s are a 'cold cathode' design. High voltage and high frequency are used to start the arc inside the tube.

How many wires does an instant start use?

The instant-start (by far the most common around here) has one wire to each end of each tube. It uses shunted tombstones

What are the two types of T8 ballasts?

There are two types of T8 ballasts that I know of; instant-start and programmed-start. They wire differently, and use different tombstones.

How many wires are needed to connect to a tombstone?

the wiring diagram on the ballast will indicate of one or two wires are required to connect to the tombstone.

How many lamps are there in a kitchen?

You have a four lamp, light fixture, surface or recess.

How big is a T8 tube?

The T8, T10 and T12 tubes are mainly difference in the diameter of the tube. The main difference is in size…the T8 is one inch in diameter and everything else is divisible by that number: T5 = 5/8 inch, T6 = 6/8 inch, T8 = 1 inch, T10 = 1.25 inches (10/8), T12 = 1.5 inches in diameter (12/8).

What base do T10 tubes come in?

Usually the old T10 and T12 tubes, are comes in 8ft with Fa8 or R17d base, instead of G13 bi-pin base.

What type of tube is T12?

One more point need to emphasize. The T12 old tubes, the T12 sockets of the "Non-Shunted Rapid Start" type, which require the tubes to be single-end power feed type . There are single-end power feed and dual-end power feed tube, most of the LED T8 tube are default to be dual-end power feed type.

Can you use a T8 LED tube to replace a T10?

So it's quite convenient to use a T8 LED Tube to replace the old T10 and T12 tubes.

Do LED lights have a magnetic ballast?

but, in general, the older the fixture, the more likely it is to have a magnetic ballast. You can purchase the ballast-compatible LED Tubes if do not want to make any change in your old tube fixtures.

Can you use a T8 to replace a T12?

So when you use the T8 to replace the T12, please double-check about the power feed types of your old tubes.

What Is AT8 Bulb

What Is AT12 Bulb

Main Differences Between T8 and T12

• Brightness And Compatibility
  You may not be suitable to distinguish the light output difference between a T8 and a T12 fluorescent lamp visually. Indeed though they’re of similar wattage, the T8 uses lower power than a T12 lamp. There are also no fresh expenses that you’ll incur if you’re going to switch to T8…
• Cost
  At present, there’s still no conspicuous change in the price of these two types of lights but it’ll change as soon as the T12 is phased out by its manufacturers. This is because T12 technology is now considered to be outdated.

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