LED Retrofit

I have an ugly 4 ft shop light in my kitchen and got interested in LED bulbs to save electricity. I was hoping to replace the fixture with a similar sized light to avoid ceiling drywall repair. While struggling to pick a fixture I liked, I found out about direct replacement T8 style LED tubes and bought a couple. These are the type "A" that work with a ballast in place. If I get a new fixture without a ballast, do I need to replace these LED tubes or will they work without a ballast?

 

IF you do not need to bypass the ballast in the existing fixture then the new LED lamps need the ballast voltage to operate. Any new fixture will need that ballast (or other approved ballast) to run the lamps.

I would recommend getting some LED lamps that use direct 120 volts. That way you can bypass the ballast and use direct wiring from the house. Depending on the LED lamps you buy you may have to change out the sockets of the fixture, but they usually supplied.

Here is an example of a direct wire lamp: https://www.homedepot.com/p/TOGGLED-...0311/206723426

In a kitchen I would also suggest staying under 4000K light

 

I agree. I never buy the type of bulbs that work with the ballast as it (the ballast) is just one more component to fail and it consumes power. So I get rid of them when switching to LED.