LED T5 Replacements - Anyone using them?

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Would love to see what you are talking about. Can you show us some plant growth under the said lamps please.
I just put the monster mom into the flower tent but the new ones that are underneath it now, will be large in no time. I'll take some from tomorrow and then in a week or so.
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
As the title suggests, anyone using the drop in T5 replacement led's?
Results?
Brand recommendations?
There are replacements bulbs especially made for growlights with up to 140lm/w efficiency but I don't remember the company. But I now they have made T8/T5 fixtures earlier.

These are 4k/128lm/w.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PCTXMI/ref=psdc_2314207011_t2_B01N525KMC

Philips has the MASTER LEDtube HF series with up to 155lm/w, 3100lm out of 20w but this is a 1500mm bulb. But they are also available in 2 or 4ft length.
http://www.lighting.philips.de/prof/led-lampen-und-roehren/led-roehren/master-ledtube-t8-instantfit-evg/929001284402_EU/product

Maybe you can find them locally. They also have CRI90+ bulbs, btw.
 

PhatNuggz

Well-Known Member
As the title suggests, anyone using the drop in T5 replacement led's?
Results?
Brand recommendations?
I got mine from Transcend Lighting, but they were bought out, now Thrive.

They work great. What I liked about them is they were available in NW and WW, which let me use more of each during various light/flowering stages of the plants

The 30W T5 LED replacement bulb delivers the same light output as a 54W fluorescent

http://www.thriveagritech.com/products/t5/

Lights are gathering dust. I need to replace my fixture but switched to Amare Technology leds. I also have a BML SPYDR 600 that was a color spectrum collaboration with Nick back in 2014: a mix of CW/NW/WW 450, and 630. The design was excellent ut the execution left a lot to be desired. Amare advanced it with their Bar series

 

OneHitDone

Well-Known Member
I got mine from Transcend Lighting, but they were bought out, now Thrive.

They work great. What I liked about them is they were available in NW and WW, which let me use more of each during various light/flowering stages of the plants

The 30W T5 LED replacement bulb delivers the same light output as a 54W fluorescent

http://www.thriveagritech.com/products/t5/

Lights are gathering dust. I need to replace my fixture but switched to Amare Technology leds. I also have a BML SPYDR 600 that was a color spectrum collaboration with Nick back in 2014: a mix of CW/NW/WW 450, and 630. The design was excellent ut the execution left a lot to be desired. Amare advanced it with their Bar series
I believe the Thrive product is legit but the price is just stupid - Around $70ea for T5 replacement tubes?
I can see why the real led revolution remains to be in the DIY community and not off the shelf fixtures :peace:
 

OneHitDone

Well-Known Member
I als
And their not bypassing the fluoro eballast(s), so idk how they came up with that efficiency #? Must be disney magic
I always wondered WTF you would want to leave the ballast in the fluorescent fixture.
Even if it's not super inefficient to do it that way your ballast probably has some age on it by the time your thinking of doing any converting o_O
 

PhatNuggz

Well-Known Member
I believe the Thrive product is legit but the price is just stupid - Around $70ea for T5 replacement tubes?
I can see why the real led revolution remains to be in the DIY community and not off the shelf fixtures :peace:
Fortunately, I got mine for free. Otherwise the math made no sense to me. BUT I was using 8 of them. For someone with a small narrow closet with a 2 bulb fixture it's not too bad as they will last 4-5 years of constant growing

OneHit, I did several grows with them. They worked great.
 

1212ham

Well-Known Member
I als
I always wondered WTF you would want to leave the ballast in the fluorescent fixture.
Even if it's not super inefficient to do it that way your ballast probably has some age on it by the time your thinking of doing any converting o_O
The only reason I've heard of is so there isn't AC mains power on the sockets. I was surprised to see that many T5 and T8 LEDs have about the same efficiency running through a ballast. BTW, there are hybrids that can run with or without ballast.

I think T5 and T8 LED is going to be huge market for years, until florescent fixtures fade away. Prices will continue to drop and efficacy will increase. Maybe T5 and T8 LED will be around for many years, and the fixtures will simply have no ballast or LED drivers instead? Where is it all going?

FWIW, some sites I looked at recently.
https://onbulbled.com/collections/led-t8-dual-replacement-for-fluorescent-t8-or-t12-replacement-works-with-or-without-ballast
https://ballastshop.com/keystone-smartdrive-shatterproof-t5he-led-lamp/
https://ballastshop.com/hyperikon-18w-led-4ft-retrofit-tubes-frosted/
https://ballastshop.com/hylite-hl-t8-4cn-18w-50k-led-f32t8-replacement-tubes/
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/191686/IRT-10036B.html
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
The only reason I've heard of is so there isn't AC mains power on the sockets. I was surprised to see that many T5 and T8 LEDs have about the same efficiency running through a ballast. BTW, there are hybrids that can run with or without ballast.

I think T5 and T8 LED is going to be huge market for years, until florescent fixtures fade away. Prices will continue to drop and efficacy will increase. Maybe T5 and T8 LED will be around for many years, and the fixtures will simply have no ballast or LED drivers instead? Where is it all going?

FWIW, some sites I looked at recently.
https://onbulbled.com/collections/led-t8-dual-replacement-for-fluorescent-t8-or-t12-replacement-works-with-or-without-ballast
https://ballastshop.com/keystone-smartdrive-shatterproof-t5he-led-lamp/
https://ballastshop.com/hyperikon-18w-led-4ft-retrofit-tubes-frosted/
https://ballastshop.com/hylite-hl-t8-4cn-18w-50k-led-f32t8-replacement-tubes/
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/191686/IRT-10036B.html
I agree, but flouros will nvr go away. Their to cheap to make. And they make them in bulk all at once. I put in a flouro line one time about 6 years ago they actually fill n cap like 300 bulbs at once. In the machine line.
 

Perception

Well-Known Member
I was hoping to find a t5 LED that outperformed my t5 flourescents (4 footers). But seems like everyone is making the t5 LEDs to match the light output of existing t5 Flouros. I get it - lower costs and heat.

But I want to see a 4ft 54w t5 LED! That would be sick!
 

drx6x

Member
I also used these for a bit until I figured out they were actually only pulling like 9 watts so they run cloning now lol.
when i tried cloning under them the fried . They are vegging at the rate I want. Only thing i can test is lux and at canopy height for my different shelves its at 25k-30k. so as a replacement for t5s it seems to work in my setup.
 
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