What is Plug and Play LED Lighting?

Upgrading inefficient, legacy lighting in your facility is a must. Energy efficient LED lighting is a proven concept that not only improves lighting, safety, and workplace morale, but provides substantial savings in energy costs. Furthermore, LED lighting reduces (or completely eliminates) your maintenance costs. However, oftentimes upgrading to new LED fixtures can be cost prohibitive. That’s why plug and play LED lighting might be your most viable option. It allows you to upgrade your inefficient HID or fluorescent lamps simply by “changing a light bulb.” Essentially, you get all the benefits of LED without a big price tag.

What are Plug and Play LED Bulbs Used For?

Plug and play LED lights allow you to upgrade your existing fixtures to LED quickly and cost effectively. These lamps are designed to work with your existing ballasts and require a simple light bulb change to upgrade. LED typically consumes 50-80% less energy and operates significantly cooler than your traditional lamps. Plug and play LED lights are a great option for a fast upgrade to LED.

Are Plug and Play LED Lights Good for Industrial Spaces?

Plug and play LED lights are an excellent choice for industrial spaces due to their numerous benefits. These lights, including LED tubes and LED lamps to replace HID bulbs, offer superior energy efficiency compared to traditional fluorescent tubes and HID light bulbs (metal halide and high pressure sodium lamps).

The versatility of LED lighting, from strip lights to flood lights, ensures that every corner of an industrial space is well-lit, improving both safety and productivity. Additionally, options such as LED downlights and T8 LED tubes offer a range of color temperatures to suit various industrial needs.

What is the Difference Between Plug and Play Lights Compared to Traditional Lighting?

Now you might be wondering, is there really a difference between plug-in LED lights and fluorescent lights? Before diving in, it’s important to understand the role of a ballast in fluorescent and HID lighting and why a ballast bypass is necessary for upgrading to LED lighting. This will ensure a smooth and efficient transition to your new lighting system.

What Is a Ballast Bypass?

A ballast bypass is a process used to retrofit existing HID and fluorescent fixtures to accommodate LED lights without the need for a ballast. By bypassing the ballast, LED tubes and HID replacement LEDs can be directly powered by the line voltage, which enhances energy efficiency and reduces maintenance costs. This method is popular for converting metal halide, high pressure sodium, and fluorescent fixtures to use LED lights, LED tubes, and other LED lamps, offering a more sustainable and cost-effective lighting solution.

Ballast Bypass vs. Plug In Play LED Lights

A ballast bypass involves modifying the lighting fixture to eliminate the need for a ballast, allowing the current to flow directly to the bulb. This method offers several advantages. First, it is more reliable as there is no risk of ballast failure, which, in turn, reduces maintenance issues. Secondly, it can lead to cost savings by eliminating the energy consumption associated with the "ballast factor."

On the other hand, plug-and-play LED lights are designed to work with the existing ballast. They offer a simple and quick installation process since no rewiring or modifications are required. These LEDs provide a seamless transition from fluorescent to LED lighting, ensuring compatibility with the current setup.

Choosing between ballast bypass and plug-and-play LED lights depends on your specific needs and circumstances. Before making your choice, it’s important that you're first aware of the issues associated with ballast bypass lighting.

The Problem With Ballast Bypass Lighting

Even from the beginning, the initial costs of setting up ballast bypass lighting can add up. The ballast bypass process will need a certified electrician or maintenance staff to carry out the task, especially if done in an industrial space. Depending on the quality of the LED work lights or fixtures and their wiring, this may not necessarily be an easy or quick task.You may also need to replace the sockets which can be costly and inefficient. This is why retrofitting with ballast compatible, plug and play LED lamps might be a much better option overall.  They might save you both on your upfront invetsment, providing both a short term and long term benefits.  

The Benefits of Plug and Play LED Lighting

Retrofitting is a necessary task for many lighting systems, especially in old buildings. However, if the option of plug and play LED lighting is available, then it is by far the most ideal.The OEO EZ LED T8 series is a plug and play direct replacement for T8 fluorescent bulbs. They fits directly into the fluorescent fixture without having to bypass or remove the ballast. The only real downside might be a slightly higher initial expense. However, since installation doesn't require an electrician, you'll offset this cost with the savings from a simple DIY installation.

These LED lights that plug in work on direct line voltage 120-277V, providing you instant savings on cost and energy. We have highlighted the drawbacks of ballast bypass to illustrate why plug-and-play options are often better, as they address these issues effectively. Additionally, if strip lighting isn't what you need, consider our LED OMNI, which is an excellent replacement for metal halides. We offer a variety of other solutions for you to explore as well.

Our plug and play direct replacement bulbs come with a 5 year warranty and will save you up to 66% in terms of energy consumption, all while lasting up to 50,000 hours. This means less replacements are needed, no matter how easy they are to install.

How to Upgrade to Plug in Play LED Lights

Upgrading to plug and play LED tube lights, canopy lights, or work lights is a straightforward and effective way to enhance both energy efficiency and lighting quality in your space.

Begin by assessing your current fluorescent fixture lighting and determining which plug and play LED replacements are compatible. Options like T8 and T5 LED tubes are designed to fit directly into existing tube light fixtures without the need for complex rewiring or ballast bypass, making the process hassle-free. Once you have the right LED bulb, simply remove the old fluorescent bulb and install the new LED ones, following the manufacturer’s guidelines. This simple upgrade can lead to significant energy savings, reduced maintenance costs, and improved lighting performance due to the longer lifespan and better efficiency of LEDs.

Additionally, make sure to choose LEDs that match your desired color temperature and brightness levels to ensure optimal lighting conditions for your space. Whether you need bright, cool light for a warehouse or warmer tones for an office, there are plug and play LEDs available to meet your specific needs. If you don't know how to choose the right color temperature for your shop lighting, check out our latest article onThe Kelvin Scale.

Ready to make the switch and enjoy the benefits of modern, efficient lighting? Shop onOEO's website to find the perfect lighting solutions for your needs and start experiencing enhanced lighting quality and energy savings today.