T12 primarily run off a magnetic ballasts and t8 bulbs operate on electronic ballasts.
What is the length of a t8 bulb.
The t12 is an older generation fluorescent bulb that generates light through electromagnetic induction which is considered less efficient method of creating light compared to that of newer electronic based circuits.
That led to the development of different kinds of ballasts to accommodate this newer type of 1 inch diameter tube.
So you may find t8 t5 and t12 bulbs.
T8 bulbs are available as either linear fluorescent or led tubes.
It is important to evaluate the application and determine the cost benefit of t5 over t8 light bulbs.
More energy efficient fluorescent t8 lamps can have a rated lifespan of up to 84 000 hours.
T8 fluorescent tubes are commonly rated for 20 000 life hours but range from 7 500 hours to 46 000 hours for standard t8 tubes.
If t8 and t12 are using the same bi pin base g13 most commonly then you can use the bulbs interchangeably.
The real length of the lamp is a fraction of an inch shorter.
T12 and t8 lamps also differ on the ballast that they are operated with most of the time.
What types of led tube lights do you need.
T5 is tubular bulbs whose diameter is 5 8 0 625 inch.
While the bases of these bulbs are correct for the socket the overall length of these bulbs is slightly too long to fit into the recessed bulb space.
T4 tubes are the smallest of the fluorescent bulb sizes at only 4 eighths of an inch 0 5 in.
It describes shape of the bulb.
The nominal lengths of t12 and t8 lamps are not measured on the lamp but the fixture.
There are three types of t8 led tube.
The other common lamps are the larger t8 eight eighths inch 1 and t12 twelve eights inch 1 tubes.
T8 will have one inch diameter the t5 will have a 5 8 diameter and a t12 will have 12 8 inch or 1 5 inch diameter.
A regular 4 foot t8 light costs on average 4 00 while a regular t5 light costs about 7 00 on average.
Their size is what makes t4 lights popular for under cabinet lighting purposes and accent lighting for displays or a staircase.
8 is value of diameter.
It means 8 8 inch.
The nominal length of a t5 lamp however is almost 2 inches longer than the real end to end length of the bulb.
There is no industry standard for the length or wattage of t4 tube lights.
Lamps are typically identified by a code such as fxxty where f is for fluorescent the first number xx indicates either the power in watts or length in inches the t indicates that the shape of the bulb is tubular and the last number y is the diameter in eighths of an inch sometimes in millimeters rounded up to the nearest millimeter.
It is the distance between the inner faces of the lamp holder sockets.
The width is correct t8 tubular eight eights of an inch or 1 wide but it appears the overall length is not standardized between brands.
They are all tubular bulbs.