Product Feature – Type B Direct Wire
Traditionally, lighting design within commercial spaces relied on linear fluorescent lights for affordable illumination. But over the last decade, more designers have turned to its linear counterpart, the T8 LED. T8 LEDs are mercury free, dimmable, and energy efficient, and while a great product, EarthTronics is going beyond the normal LED. Introducing the new, high-performance T8 double-end direct-wire LED Type B. With a double-end application and quick, low-cost installation, the Type B Direct Wire eliminates the ballast from the circuit, making it even easier to save energy and money with EarthTronics.
What’s a ballast?
Fluorescent lighting needs a high voltage burst to get started and then something to regulate the power that enters the tube. The ballast does just that, and while all fluorescent tubes need ballasts to work, LEDs don’t. LEDs use a driver, an electrical device that regulates the power of an LED or string of LEDs.
What does Type B LED mean?
Within a retrofit scenario, a Type B LED tube is meant for direct wire installation. It has an internal driver and bypasses or removes the fluorescent ballast, wiring the sockets directly to the line voltage. Since no power is wasted in the ballast, Type B LEDs are more efficient providing great dollar savings and require less long-term maintenance.
How about double ended?
There are single-end direct wire Type B tubes and double-end direct wire Type B tubes. With single-end, one socket end has the line voltage and the other end holds the lamp in place. To use single-end wired tubes, an un-shunted lamp holder is required to convert the load to one lamp pin and the neutral to the other.
The new, double-end tube design provides a quick, fully UL-listed way to retrofit existing fixtures inexpensively. For simple installation, cut the existing fluorescent ballast from the circuit and direct wire the line voltage load to one end of the tube and the neutral to the other. No changing of lamp holder is necessary. Since there isn’t a need to replace the shunted sockets, retrofitting is simple!
The EarthTronics T8 double-end direct-wire LED Type B
Available in 14.5, 15 and 16.5 watt, our T8 double-end direct-wire Type B LED is engineered for high lumen maintenance with an over 50,000 hour rated life. This DLC-listed, 120/277V EarthBulb is available in 3500K, 4000K, and 5000K with a CRI greater than 82. Its 300-degree beam angle provides wide light distribution with 2200 lumens easily replacing fluorescent linear lamps.
When replacing 32-watt fluorescent T8 lamps, these innovative Earthbulbs can save 18 to 22 watts per lamp, resulting in 60 to 70 percent savings, depending on the type of ballast removed from the circuit. That’s huge!
We are incredibly excited about this new product development. Recently released during LightFair 2017, our T8 double-end direct wire Type B LED is a game changer and will help move the industry towards even greater energy savings and environmentally friendly practices.
Learn more about our line of LED Earthbulbs or contact us today to start a conversation.