replacing old "fat" florescents with led?

[julianf]

Ive got an exposure unit here - about the size of a chest freezer with bulbs in the bottom.

The metal halide (the exposure bit) is working fine, but it also has a couple of 2' flourescent strip lamps in the bottom, which, i think, are the 38mm dia size - the old ones.


I figured id just go on screwfix, and get one of the LED conversion things (bulb and "starter" pack) but theyre only in the thin size.


Whats my best plan?

Id really rather not have to replace the whole thing, as access isnt great (its a sealed box, and the bulbs are right in the bottom - you have to fold down some access panel in the side to get to them, and its not going to be fun)

There are still people selling the 38mm (is that T12?) old style lamps, but i doubt any of them will mail me one, and LED seems like a better idea anyhow.


ps i feel like i may be missing somthing, but i really dont know about this kind of stuff!

 

[brightspark]

the thinner tubes will fit in . just cut all the guts out of the fitting and supply one end cap with a live and a neutral . use the existing tails of cable in the end cap to feed it

 

[brightspark]

 

[julianf]

Thank you.

I took apart (by mistake) the starter supplied with an led bulb, and, to my surprise, it had "something" in it. I can't remember exactly what, but some transistor looking thing.

Couldn't really see why it was there.

This is a poor photo of the unit. The problem is access. The whole thing is in a loft, up a ladder! (It was assembled, years ago, in situ, and now there's no end of other things around it also)

There's an access panel in one of the sides, but I have little idea, currently, how I'm going to get in there, as the access panel opens to an 8foot drop with various other machines below : (

Poor planning for maintenance!

It's possible, obviously, but this is why I'm trying to prepare before just "having a look"!