Cree to Launch a More Compatible LED T8 Lamp

As is well known, fluorescent tube lights are soon to be a thing of the past, with new LED T8 lamps taking their place.  The new technology is brighter, more energy efficient, produces fewer greenhouse gases, and has lower maintenance costs with a longer lifespan.

A lighting retrofit is an excellent and cost-efficient way to convert a facility's outdated lighting with current efficiency lighting standards, however occasionally installers run into the issue of the new LED T8's being incompatible with current ballasts. Most competing LEDs are compatible with commonly used rapid-start ballasts, (approximately 85 percent of all sockets.) Every once in a while, an installer will run into an incompatible socket, but not until they physically open and check the ballast cover. This can lead to delays and additional unexpected expenses.

Cree has designed a patent-pending LED T8 tube light, (to be unveiled next week,) that is reputed to be compatible with nearly all of the existing ballasts in use. Their new T8 technology should work when others do not.

Although more compatible than most, Cree can not say their new tube lights are 100 percent compatible, as they will not work in rare older magnetic ballasts.  Still, increased compatibility that can minimize any unexpected delays when completing a lighting retrofit is a very good thing.

Additionally, in the release from NewsObserver.com, (David Ranii,) Cree's representative discusses the increase in quality of color in the new LED T8s as compared to fluorescents.  Cree's LEDs are rated at a 90 on the CRI, (a 100 point scale that determines how colors are observed,) in contrast to a typical rating of between 70 and 80 for fluorescent tubes.

Source: NewsObserver.com, author David Ranii