Fluorescent LED Tube replacements

Soggybiscuit

Would any of you folks have experience with a LED Fluorescent tube replacement?

For an example, something like this: LEDWholesalers 4' Fluorescent LED Tube Replacement.

I've got 2 (very, very old) fluorescent fixtures. Both are currently sporting magnetic ballasts - one of which I am sure is older than I am. I can't replace the fixtures.

So, I guess my questions are:

1) Life - these things aren't cheap. If you have used these (or similar ones), have you had any unexpected failures?

and

2) Color - Do they produce good looking light?

curly haired boy

that website mentions that some fairly significant modifications must be made to the fixtures in which you'll be installing the new lights - it's not plug and play by any means

i'm talking bypassing the ballast, rewiring the sockets, etc.

all of that necessitates removing the fixtures, and if you can do that....

Usagi

Yeah, these sorts of "direct" replacement tubes are designed solely to refit entire buildings/facilities/warehouses/etc for long term maintenance cost savings. If you're just looking to replace bulbs in a couple of fixtures, it'll cost you less in dollars, labor, and pain-in-the-assitude to just go get LED replacement fixtures from the get go

That said, the LED replacement tubes don't last as long as the straight up designed-for-LED fixtures, but we're still talking 5+years. And the color is fine, they're quite bright.

Transmorphia

Why can't you replace ballasts? They tend to not be that complicated, just read the instructions and perhaps a basic electrical repair book. After you shut off the circuit at the breaker its just a bunch of colored wire matching, the newer ballasts are far more efficient than the old ones, and start up faster to boot, I replaced some old t12 with t8 energy efficient ones, didn't have to change anything other than the ballasts since they use the same socket.

Ballasts are cheap and meant to be replaced, they are generally 15~ bucks at homedepot or lowes.

I have doubts about the "payback" period for led tube retrofits.