Many have come to the conclusion in 2019 that it is time to replace their fluorescent tube lighting with LED lighting. There are quite a few options to choose from, but the most common has been to replace their linear fluorescent lighting with Type B LED T8 tubes. Type B LED tubes operate directly on the line voltage, bypassing the fluorescent ballast. In addition to the energy savings from fluorescent this cuts down significantly on maintenance costs compared to other LED options (Type A LED T8 lighting requires continued use of a compatible fluorescent ballast).

Often times fluorescent fixtures have emergency lighting capability with an emergency battery backup ballast that turns on a portion of the lighting during a power failure. The issue with converting to Type B LED lighting is they operate on direct line voltage so you can’t have a battery backup control these tubes. That can be a major issue if it is overlooked as you need to have emergency lighting by code. How then is the best method for converting these fluorescent lights to LED while maintaining the emergency aspect?

Option 1 – GOOD – Find a Type A LED Tube that works on the emergency fluorescent ballast

Another option is to figure out the emergency ballast part number being used in the emergency fixtures and check with the manufacturer to see if their Type A LED tube will work on that ballast. Type A LED tubes run on fluorescent ballasts and some will run in conjunction with an emergency ballast.

Pros – Easy install if compatible. Allows you to re-use existing fluorescent emergency ballast.

Cons – Small likelihood of compatibility with existing emergency ballast for any Type A LED T8.

Option 2 – BETTER – Install an LED Emergency Module that works in conjunction with Type B Tubes

This means removing the existing fluorescent lamps and emergency ballast, and then installing Type B LED tubes like you had planned. In conjunction with these Type B LED tubes you can then install an LED Emergency Module like the Keystone KT-EMRG-LED-5-500-K1  (5W 500 lumen) or the Keystone KT-EMRG-LED-12-1200-K1 (12W 1200 lumen). These will NOT power your Type B LED T8 tubes but rather when the power goes out, this LED module will light for a minimum of 90 minutes.

Pros – Likely the most cost effective method of converting linear fluorescent fixtures to LED with Emergency functionality.

Cons – Still have to go through the process of retrofitting the existing fixture and then adding the Emergency module, so a bit of work on install.

Option 3 – BEST – Install a new LED Fixture with built-in Emergency functionality

There is something to be said for scrapping the existing lighting and finding a new LED fixture that has emergency built-in. Going this route will require the end user to have a bit of knowledge about the type of fixture they are replacing and what type of LED fixture would be best in it’s place. For example if you have a lay-in troffer, you can get a new 2×2 LED troffer fixture or a 2×4 LED troffer fixture that come with 0-10V dimming standard with the option to include the Emergency kits from Keystone in Option#2.

Pros – A new LED fixture will come with added features and a new look, something the retrofit options above won’t have.

Cons – Cost is reasonable but this still will be the highest-priced option. Sifting through the various LED fixture options to determine what works best for your situation may take time.

Option 2 and 3 are solutions that are far superior to Option 1 or keeping fluorescent, but you will have to determine what makes the most sense for your application. Part of it will come down to the amount of light you need and also the age of your fixture and existing system.

If you have any questions on options for linear LED emergency lighting systems, send us a message on our contact form or post in the comment section below.