True, but it's not a fair rating since the beam patterns are so different. The fluorescent beam is spread over 360 degrees while the LED is over 180. In a shop light with a white "reflector", you're not getting most of that upper half of the light, so the 3000 lumen fluorescent puts less light on the workbench than the 2100 lumen drop-in LED. In a fixture with an aluminized parabolic reflector, the fluorescent still wins, but that's a different beast. Also, as you said - when new. Fluorescent light output drops rapidly (CRI even faster). LED maintains close to full brightness for much longer.
At the same time fluorescent has light coming out in all directions and does have reflected light coming down where LED tubes are more unidirectional. Altho newer ones are a lot better then the older ones are.
What he said is correct^^^
good plan, in my opinion.
The actual tech in program start electronic ballasts is pretty cool. So were the results -- 20K hour tube life even on frequent starts, very high ballast factors possible, instant starting down to 0F or lower, and high efficiency. Can do better with LED these days, but for 20 years ago, it was impressive.
I replaced the tubes in the lights in my garage with direct wire led replacements, from a good supplier. Manufacturer claimed they were equivalent to what I was replacing. Measured output of the LEDs directly below was about 85% the foot candles, falling off to more like 75% at the edge of coverage. these were good commercial fixtures with good reflectors, good GE ballasts, but rather aged tubes. Many people might have considered it the same, I didn't. I would have lived with it, but the color rendering was ****, so I put the tubes and ballasts back. I got some nice commercial led panels for a good price, so the fluorescents are gone. need to get around to running wire so I can dim them.
Again, you won't believe the difference.We had 3 and 4 fluorescent 40 watt tube fixtures with several of these in the rooms and offices in our church. I replaced them with 2each 18watt led tubes ballast bi pass at less than $5 per tube. Led tubes were made by Parmida available at Amazon. They come in either frosted or clear with a 5 year warranty. Easy diy instructions for wiring.
What brand?
Junk those dinosaurs and pick up a package of these....you won't believe the difference. They come in whatever number you need for your space. The 12 pack is $80, for God's sake.
A major reason I prefer retrofitting existing fixtures to ballast bypass LED is that it's quite difficult to replace a discontinued fixture & then you end up with a hodge podge of fixtures. With fluorescent a lot of fixtures were manufactured for many years it was easy to match, now they are off shored & of dubious quality & product supply lifespan, if a retrofitted fluorescent fails, replace the LED tubes & your done.
the short version; buy ballast by pass bulbs, re wire the fixture according to type of bulb you bought, may need to swap out the tombstones if yours are shunted . trash the ballasts
what does the ballast have to do with it? I think he wants to be rid of them.
If it's instant start, the fixure will most likely have shunted sockets. If it's rapid start or programmed rapid start, then the fixture will most likely have non-shunted sockets.
Thanks. That's an instant start ballast. Cut the wires close to the ballast, leaving long leads from the sockets. Take the two leads from the sockets on one end and connect them to the white wire feeding the fixture. Take the two leads from the sockets on the other end and connect them to the black wire feeding the fixture. Done. Easy peasy.