Philips T8 LED replacments, 50% yield!!

[tdkkart]

Stopped by my local Home Depot today and picked up a 10 pack of LED T8 drop-in replacements for my shop. Actually needed 18 bulbs but figured I'd try a few first. My fixtures are all the same age/brand/model, all with "instant start" electronic ballasts. According to all info on the box these bulbs should be compatible with my fixtures.

Proceeded to start installing bulbs, 1st fixture, 1 works, one doesn't. Hmmm, working bulb works in both positions, bad one is bad in both positions. Grabbed another bulb, also dead. Hmmm?? Let's try a different fixture....

2nd fixture, 2 working bulbs. OK, try one of these bulbs in the first fixture......works fine. Grabbed another new bulb, it also works in the 2nd fixture.
Yay!!!, no we're up to 2 working fixtures.

3rd fixture, 1 bulb works, the other doesn't?? Frick!!

Tried all the remaining bulbs in the last fixture, still only one works.
Grabbed one working bulb from fixture #2, works fine in #3.

So, did some more swapping around, 5 good bulbs seem to work in all the fixtures, 5 bad bulbs work in none of the fixtures.

Is this the best we can do these days??

I'm thinking all the bulbs are going back in the box and back to the store, so I can go buy others elsewhere.

 

[bedn0009]

Return the bulbs and buy the direct wire ones from the lighting thread. So easy and no more ballast problems. Thanks

 

[tdkkart]

I would have preferred direct wire, however my Lithonia fixture's connectors aren't capable of accepting 2 wires on one end of each bulb. I looked.

 

[cybrdyke]

A couple things....
There is a ballast compatibility list that Philips publishes here: http://images.philips.com/is/content/PhilipsConsumer/PDFDownloads/United%20States/ODLI20180301_001-UPD-en_US-PLt-16118CR_InstantFit_Ballast-Compatibility-Guide_2018-1.pdf Double check your lamp number against the EXACT ballast number that you have. One little variation from the part number can make a huge difference. If you want me to verify for you just message me. Not ALL T8 instant start ballasts are compatible with these lamps. The most common behavior of a non-compatible ballast is that one lamp will fire and the other wont.
Beyond that, the ballast's capacitor gets weaker as it ages. If they are old enough, there isn't enough power delivered from the ballast to the lamp to fire both lamps.
Regarding bypassing the ballast as a solution. Your sockets are most likely fine. You just need to tie the wires from one end to the supply black and the wires from the other end to the supply white. Simple stuff.
Good luck,
CD

 

[tdkkart]

A couple things....
There is a ballast compatibility list that Philips publishes here: http://images.philips.com/is/content/PhilipsConsumer/PDFDownloads/United%20States/ODLI20180301_001-UPD-en_US-PLt-16118CR_InstantFit_Ballast-Compatibility-Guide_2018-1.pdf Double check your lamp number against the EXACT ballast number that you have. One little variation from the part number can make a huge difference. If you want me to verify for you just message me. Not ALL T8 instant start ballasts are compatible with these lamps. The most common behavior of a non-compatible ballast is that one lamp will fire and the other wont.

Which would all make sense except that the good bulbs work in all positions in all fixtures, and the bad bulbs don't work in any position in any fixture.
And nowhere inside or outside the packaging does it make mention of WHICH ballasts they work with, other than "electronic instant-start ballasts".
All of the "public" info says they should work just fine in any fixture on my property.

I'm not really into test-selecting bulbs to find enough ?good? ones to light my shop.

BTW, I've emailed Phillips with the problem and have heard no explanation back from them.

 

[bob15]

Return them, cut the ballasts out and buy the single power ended Hyperikon bulbs through Amazon. I'm pushing over 50 of their bulbs (duel ended power) and had only one failure in 2-3 years. Hyperikon sent me a new t-8 bulb, new questions asked.

 

[tdkkart]

Update: Returned the Philips bulbs to Home Depot, went to Menards and bought 2 boxes of 10 Sylvania bulbs which ALL worked straight out of the box. These bulbs were $5 more for each box.

So, Philips apparently has a problem going on.

 

[Bretny]

Take all the lights out and get the amazon led fixtures. There $39 for 6. Plug and play. You can also plug them in together.

 

[Showkey]

Take all the lights out and get the amazon led fixtures. There $39 for 6. Plug and play. You can also plug them in together.

Fixtures for $6 each.......those should be some quality units, UL listed ........they must be for those that think the Sam’s or Costco fixtures are alittle too rich for their blood

 

[stariforms]

They require quick start ballasts or a ballast bypass. Really they aren't great bulbs either, and they are made in china.

I made the same mistake a couple months ago. There are better alternatives online.