A top question we get is... "Can LED strip lights replace fluorescent tubes?" Yes, magnetic LED strip lights are often used to replace fluorescent tubes, but they also have other uses. Read on to find out where, how, and why you might use magnetic LED strips.

What's included in a magnetic LED strip light kit?

All of our kits include an LED driver with magnetic backing and two, three, or four light strips, plus quick-connect cables to connect the strips to the driver. A few of our kits also include integrated frosted lenses to diffuse the light and make the strips appear more like fluorescent tubes.

Where can magnetic strip light kits be used?

Our magnetic strip lights were designed to replace fluorescent tubes in troffer fixtures. Both the lights and their driver have magnetic backing that lets you stick them to the metal interior of the fixture, no tools, screws, or sockets required.

However, some customers have found other creative uses for them. One customer installed metal strips across the ceiling of a garage and attached the strips and drivers to that, allowing the garage to have continuous lines of light spanning the ceiling.

The only requirement to installing them outside of a troffer is that you must be able to wire the driver into your building's electrical power. This opens up a lot of possibilities.

See the image gallery at the end of this post for some recent unique customer applications.

How long does an LED light strip last?

Our magnetic LED strip lights are rated for 50,000 average operating hours. If you run the lights for 12 hours a day, they'll last nearly a dozen years.

Why would I choose strips over LED tubes?

Strips are quicker to install. Instead of having to connect your building's wiring to individual sockets (one per tube in the fixture), you only need to wire the power to the driver. Connecting the strips is simply a matter of plugging them into the driver with quick-connect cables. Thus, for a 4-light fixture, you would wire 4 sockets for tubes, or just 1 driver for strips.

How does the lighting compare to LED tubes?

Our LED strip lights run a little more efficiently than our LED tubes. Our dimmable 4 foot tube, for instance, offers 105 lumens per Watt while our dimmable 4ft strips are 112.5 lumens per Watt. Our 4 foot high lumen tubes are 144 lumens/Watt and our 4 foot high lumen strips are 156 lumens per Watt. Greater efficiency means you get more light out of every Watt.

Are the magnetic LED strips dimmable?

All of our fluorescent to LED retrofit kits have the option of being made dimmable at the time of install.

How do you install these kits?

If you're replacing tube lights in a fluorescent troffer, you would first turn off power to the fixture. Next, you'll cut the wires going from the building to the fixture's ballast and connect the building's wiring to the LED driver instead. The driver's magnetic backing allows you to place it anywhere on the metal surfaces inside the fixture. Next, you'll stick the magnetic-backed strips to the metal surfaces in the fixture, and adjust them until you're satisfied with the layout. Finally, use the quick-connect cables to join the strips to the driver, replace the fixture's cover, and restore power to the fixture.

If you're installing the magnetic LED light strips anywhere else, you'll simply shut off power to the appropriate circuit, wire your building's power into the LED driver, attach the driver and strips to a metal surface, and connect the driver and strips using the quick-connect cables before restoring power to the circuit.

Have more questions about magnetic strips? Reach out to our team of lighting experts!