T5 versus LED TL

T5 versus LED TL

Replace your old fluorescent lighting with T5 or LED?

In this article I tell you:

- Everything about T5 and LED TL
- The most important differences
- Whether it is better to replace your traditional T8 lighting with T5 or LED.

Note: When this article is about LED fluorescent lighting,
I am talking about LED fluorescent lighting.

If you prefer to make a comparison based on your own information, it is advisable to do this based on the following variables:

- Lifetime (expected number of burning hours)
- Savings in wattage compared to traditional T8
- Purchase price + costs for installation
- Light output
- Suitable for Energy Investment allowance?

T5 lighting

Innovation is constantly taking place within the lighting world. First, there was the T12, then the T8 and since a few years also the T5.T5 you can recognize by 16mm diameter. T8 is the most common tube and can be recognized by its 26 mm diameter.

Luminaires
For T5 it is necessary to purchase new luminaires, and as you understand, the price of luminaires requires a considerable investment. Are you currently using T5 lighting? Then you cannot simply place another fluorescent tube in these fixtures. For an LED fluorescent tube you generally need other fixtures if you replace T5 for LED. Do you replace T8 with LED TL? Then you do not need any other fixtures.

Lifespan
With regard to the lifespan, you can think of T5 lighting at around 24,000 burning hours. T5 lighting is generally fairly inexpensive to purchase with a few euros per tube. For a T5 fixture, count on a few tens of euros to one hundred euros each, of course depending on the size and precise variant.

LED fluorescent lighting

LED fluorescent lighting is generally slightly more economical than T5 lighting. Think of 30% extra energy savings.

Light output
In terms of light output, the number of lumens cannot be compared with T5, because T5 provides complete all-around light and LED 160 or 270gr. Due to the 360 ​​light beam from T5, lumens are always lost (which radiate upwards). Led TL shines directly to the workplace, which means that fewer lumens are needed overall. Looking at the number of lux, you have the same or even more light output than with T5.

Lifespan
Led TL has 30,000-50,000 expected number of burning hours and is therefore very beneficial. Especially in places that are difficult to reach - where replacing your lighting is expensive - LED fluorescent lighting is, therefore, a solution. An LED fluorescent tube costs between € 7.95 and € 29.95.

Suitable for Energy Investment Allowance?

The Energy Investment Allowance (2016) means that companies can deduct an additional 58% of the investment amount from the taxable profit. Since 2016, the replacement of T8 by T5 is no longer eligible. The replacement of traditional T8 with LED T8 TL lighting, on the other hand, is. As a result, an even greater saving can be achieved with LED TL.

Main differences between T5 and LED TL

● Led TL lasts twice as long as T5;
● Led TL is more economical than T5 lighting;
● Led TL fits in old-fashioned fixtures. For T5 you need to purchase special T5 fixtures;
● Led TL has a higher light output;
● Led TL costs more to purchase per tube, but because T5 does not fit into existing fixtures,
you also need to purchase a T5 fixture. Overall, T5 is more expensive than LED.

Advice

Replace T8 TL with LED or T5?

By LED. For all traditional TL T8 lighting, it is wise to switch to LED TL lighting. You save no less than 60% on your lighting costs, the lifespan is 2-4 times longer and you can keep your current fixtures.

With T5 the lifespan is almost as long as with an LED TL, but the energy savings are less and you have to purchase new fixtures.

Replace T5 fluorescent lighting with LED?

Yes, provided that the T5 LED is TL. Replacing traditional T5 with LED T8 is possible, but the payback time is longer because you make a smaller step in saving and you need a different fixture for T8. Find out what the costs are for LED T8 + a T8 fixture in combination with energy saving and service life.

Traditional T5 is reasonably efficient in itself, but if you want to save even more and keep your current fixtures, you can switch to LED T5. The choice of LED T5 is not large, but it does exist. Pay close attention to the purchase price, lifespan and savings so that it remains interesting for you. (LED T5 in its range)