By Michael Morrison on Thu 14 July 2022
Did you know that come February 2023 there is a ban on all CFLni lamps and then in August 2023 the ban will be extended to T5 and T8 Fluorescent lamps? Well, now you do!
What does the RoHS directive actually mean for you?
Well, what the fluorescent bans mean is that there will not be any more of the above lamps made to be sold onto the market, therefore unless you have them in stock or know where to get them then you won’t be able to service your customers and clients that require them. Moreover, a number of manufacturers have already started to dial back on their production of these lamps in favour of the newer LED-based offerings.
The good news?
Here at Lamp Source we have made and continue to make significant investments in securing stock of these lamps to ensure we are able to supply as many as possible when the time comes. We’re also working closely with different manufacturers to ensure we have a substantial range of LED replacements that will make it as smooth as possible for you to transition from one to the other.
So come February, we will be fit to offer you both stock of traditional products and quality alternatives for the newer LED options. But why wait? Now would be the perfect time to start educating your customers on these bans coming in and how you will be able to help them. It’s also time to start thinking about your own succession plan for these items. Bringing in some of the LED items and having them on stock allows your customers to get used to seeing them and asking all their questions now before the ban comes in.
LED replacements for Fluorescents
When it comes to swapping out the fluorescents you have on the shelf now for the newer LED products, what are your options? You’ve got 2 paths to go down - retrofits or fitting replacements. For the below, we are mainly going to focus on the T5 and T8s as most CFLs will just be retrofit only.
LED Retrofits
Keep the existing fitting and swap in an LED tube. Simple enough and nowadays a lot of the offerings on the market come with an LED starter (bypass) that makes installation easier as you usually won’t have to do any re-wiring.
LED Batten Fittings
These are LED strips inside the fitting to make it an all-in-one install-and-go option. Usually, these will be a straight replacement for the existing fitting and just need to the wires to be pushed in.
Which is better, LED Battens or LED Retrofits?
To be honest, there is no right answer here, retrofits will usually allow you to just swap the tube over with minimal work as most come with a bypass unit that fits into where the traditional starter would go, however, there are some out there that may require you to rewire the entire fitting to get them to work correctly. LED Battens, on the other hand, being an all-in-one unit will usually just plug and play with the existing wiring which means you know the work you’re getting into before you begin even if it is more work than just swapping a tube.
The other factor to consider is pricing, LED retrofits will usually be cheaper than replacing with a whole new fitting which could sometimes be 4x the price. So for those more economically minded LED retrofits would be the way forward, plus once any cost of rewiring is done, it's done and will continue to work and you can just replace the tube as you would have before. Vs if you go for an LED Batten fitting you currently have to replace the full fitting which is an increase in cost.
This raises another interesting point, replacing LED retrofit tubes is much less wasteful than replacing the entire LED Batten fitting as only the tube gets thrown out, with the battens the whole unit goes right down to the mounting kit, which is a shame and for anyone looking to subscribe to be sustainable, that’s just not gonna cut the mustard.
Conclusion
Bans are coming, quicker than we realise. Are you ready for them? Whether you go for stocking retrofits, stocking the newer LED Battens or a mixture of both the key thing is, that you need to do something if you want to keep getting that business.
As time marches on, so does technology and with it comes improvements in every aspect of what we do, so who knows what another 10 years will bring with it!