Should you replace fluorescent tubes with LED?

Side-by-side comparison

Every row in this table comes from the National Environment Agency (NEA): its Minimum Energy Performance Standards for lamps, its e-waste management page and its guide on where to recycle e-waste.

Efficacy is light output per watt. The efficacy and test rows are minimum standards set out on NEA's Minimum Energy Performance Standards page, not the performance of any product. Read the test lengths as part of those standards, not as the lifespan of a tube. "Not stated by NEA" means its e-waste management page names fluorescent lamps only; it is not a claim about LED tubes.

LED vs fluorescent: should you replace your tubes?

Often, yes, if a tube has failed or the fitting needs replacing anyway. NEA sets Minimum Energy Performance Standards for regulated goods, including household air-conditioners and lamps. For lamps, its minimum efficacy is higher for T8/T5 linear LED lamps than for T8/T5 linear fluorescent lamps. These are minimum standards, not the performance of any particular tube.

NEA strongly encourages you to look for the Energy Label when you buy lamps, in shops or online. The label rates efficiency from 1 tick (Low) to 5 ticks (Excellent). NEA's tips on buying energy-efficient appliances say appliances with more ticks on the label are generally more energy efficient, so compare the ticks on labelled LED tubes, not just the shelf price.

If a fitting has to be replaced or you want a new light added, light installation is work for an electrician.

Energy and running cost

The purchase price is only part of what a tube costs you. NEA's buying tips suggest looking at life cycle cost instead: the purchase price plus the annual energy cost multiplied by the lifespan in years.

Your actual running cost depends on how many hours your lights are on and on the current electricity tariff. SP Group says electricity tariffs are revised quarterly to reflect the actual cost of electricity, so check the current tariff on its page. The electricity cost calculator can then help you estimate what your lights cost to run.

T5 to LED: ballast and fitting changes

Replacing a T5 or T8 fluorescent tube with an LED one is not always a straight swap. Some LED tubes fit an existing fluorescent fitting and some need the fitting changed. Before you buy, ask the supplier which type the tube is, whether it suits the fitting you have and whether the existing ballast can stay.

Changing the fitting or wiring is a different job. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) says electrical work at home should be carried out or supervised by a Licensed Electrical Worker. Its list includes installing, repairing or modifying electrical wiring and adding, extending or replacing lighting points. EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA. EMA also says to verify the worker's licence card before any work starts.

If the light stays off after a new tube goes in, see the guide on a light not working.

Disposal of old tubes

NEA's e-waste management page says fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) contain trace amounts of mercury. Singapore allows only low-mercury lamps to be imported, and NEA says these can be safely disposed of with general waste at waste-to-energy plants. It also says you can drop used lamps in the 3-in-1 e-waste bins or the battery and bulb bins provided by its appointed operator.

Long tubes are the exception. NEA's guide on where to recycle e-waste says the 3-in-1 bin takes light bulbs with a circumference of no more than 100mm, and long fluorescent or LED tubes are not accepted there. Use the operator's collection drives or doorstep collection instead.

The same NEA guide says retailers that supply bulbs or lamps offer free in-store collection of the same type of e-waste, open to the public with or without a purchase. When you shop for a light bulb replacement, ask whether the store collects old tubes.

Which one should you choose?

There is no single winner for every home. If your fluorescent tubes still work and the fittings are in good order, you can keep using them. If a tube has failed or the fitting is old, compare labelled LED options and ask an electrician whether the fitting needs changing. Price depends on the tube, the fitting and the work, so read the light installation cost guide before you ask for quotes. Then compare electrical companies in the directory.

Questions