NNC fluorescent light replacement

[skydrops]

The marquee lighting of my NNC is now broken.

Is there a LED replacement for this fluorescent light? If not, where can I buy the replacement tube?

Original part is General electric F40W2/35.

Thanks!

[engdahl]

I was just going on here to ask the exact same question! Might as well keep it to one thread and we might both get an answer.

Some more info about my specific case, however I'm guessing skydrops is pretty similar.

I live in a 230v country and the cab is of course 110v being from Japan and not converted. I'm running it on a stepdown converter. So I guess I need to find a tube that runs on 110v? Or can I just plug any tube that is the correct length into it?

[nem]

See here:

viewtopic.php?t=34479

Some 230V LED tubes will work, not all.

LED is absolutely the way to go. Flicker free, runs cool, you'll never have to replace it. There's no downsides to them.

[engdahl]

Ok, I read through that thread (actually did that before I posted here as well) and I would really like to change to LED. It looks like you sourced a replacement multi voltage LED tube that fits in the original socket, correct? And then rerouted the cables from the starter directly to the fitting?

[nem]

It looks like you sourced a replacement multi voltage LED tube that fits in the original socket, correct?

Yes, T8 G13. The tube I use is slightly longer. The correct size is 590mm, the tube I sourced is 600mm. It fits fine, it's a bit snug that's all.

I replaced the starter with a fuse plugged in to the socket adapter as per the thread. As for the ballast, I unsoldered the two wires going in to the ballast and then connected them together, basically bypassing it.

As for voltage of the tube, the tube is marked as 100-240V, however, the specs don't always tell the truth, see here:

viewtopic.php?p=530175#p530175

In the above example I bypassed both the ballast and the starter. It's just a straight connection to cab AC.

[engdahl]

Yeah that's what I thought, you shouldn't even need to change the starter if you're connecting the mains straight to the LED tube. I think that will be my preferred solution, desolder the cables that are there now and solder them straight to the fittings. Or actually, it might be easier to just get a complete LED strip light and connect the cables to that instead...

[engdahl]

Haha, when I looked now I found a 590mm T8 LED 110-240v tube with included "starter" locally! Should be perfect as a straight swap. Ordered it now, will post here with my results.

[nem]

Haha, when I looked now I found a 590mm T8 LED 110-240v tube with included "starter" locally! Should be perfect as a straight swap. Ordered it now, will post here with my results.

Well, the starter won't work. It's going to be type that has two tabs at the end, not a screw-in.

I just looked at the socket for the starter in an NNC and the back has a cover that lifts off. The wires are just soldered to the socket. I suggest just desoldering them and connecting them together. Same with the ballast. It's very quick to do, and easily reversible if some crazy person ever wanted to return it back to stock. You don't have to run any new wiring.

[engdahl]

Ah ok, yeah the starter won't be screw in. Anyway, I believe it's basically the same thing as you guys manufactured yourself in the other thread. I have a few other LED tubes in the garage and they also came with this type of "dummy" starter which you just put in instead of the original one.

However, I can at least use the tube in the original fittings and then bypass the ballast and starter as you suggested. Should be pretty straightforward as you say. Thanks for all the help, can't wait to get the tube now so I can try this out!