LED Lamps

In many cases, LED lamps can be used as direct replacements for traditional lamps in existing fittings. LED retrofit lamps are available for most common lamp types, allowing upgrades without changing the luminaire or wiring.

Some high-wattage halogen lamps can be more challenging to replace. This is mainly due to their compact size and very high light output. LED lamps require effective heat management, which often means the lamp body is larger than the halogen lamp it replaces. As a result, it is not always possible to achieve the same brightness in exactly the same physical size.

Despite these limitations, suitable LED alternatives are available for the majority of applications. Using product filters to match base type, voltage, and light output will usually identify a compatible replacement.

If a direct replacement is not immediately obvious, we recommend contacting us for advice. Our product range covers a wide variety of LED retrofit options, and we can help recommend the most suitable alternative for your existing fitting.

Replacing traditional lamps with LED alternatives offers many benefits, but there are a few technical challenges to consider. These challenges mainly relate to dimming behaviour, electrical compatibility, and physical size.

1. Dimming compatibility

Traditional incandescent and halogen lamps dim by simply reducing the supply voltage. This physical process is predictable and works with standard dimmer switches.

LED lamps, however, are electronic devices that contain control circuitry. Instead of responding directly to voltage reduction, the LED driver interprets the incoming electrical waveform to determine light output. As a result, older dimmer switches may not work correctly with LED lamps.

In many cases, replacing an existing dimmer with a dedicated LED-compatible dimmer is required to achieve smooth and reliable dimming performance.

2. Electrical characteristics

When replacing fluorescent tubes with LED tubes, a key decision is whether to retain the existing control gear (such as ballasts or starters) or to remove it and operate the LED tubes directly from the mains supply.

LED tubes designed to work with existing gear are not always guaranteed to be compatible with every fitting. For maximum reliability and long-term performance, direct-to-mains LED tubes are often the preferred option. This approach typically requires an electrician to modify the wiring of the fitting.

3. Physical size and fit

LED lamps are sometimes larger than the traditional lamps they replace due to the need for effective heat management. This can be a limitation when replacing very compact halogen lamps.

While it is not always possible to match the size and brightness of compact high-wattage halogen lamps, ongoing improvements in LED efficiency continue to reduce lamp size. For this reason, it is worth reviewing available LED options periodically, as more suitable replacements may become available over time.

Some traditional lamps are difficult or unsuitable to replace with LED alternatives. The most challenging are low-wattage metal halide lamps. While some LED products claim to be direct replacements, their actual light output is often far lower than the original lamp, sometimes only one-tenth of the lumen level, making these claims misleading.

High-wattage sodium and metal halide lamps can also be difficult to replace using LED “corn” lamps. These lamps can result in a noticeable drop in light levels if the lumens are not carefully matched. For this reason, we do not quote “equivalent” wattage values for these replacements, as many claims in the market are inaccurate.

Corn-style LED lamps can be effective in some applications, but it is important to compare the actual lumen output of the LED with the original lamp rather than relying on equivalency claims. In many situations, a small reduction in illuminance may not be an issue, but it should be considered during planning.

For high-wattage sodium or metal halide lamps, the most reliable solution is to replace the entire fixture with a dedicated LED luminaire. These fixtures are designed to direct light efficiently onto the target area, avoiding the losses associated with inefficient reflectors and providing better overall performance.