CREE T8 48" LED Tube Teardown

[electronupdate]

My local home depot had a nice selection of LED T8's designed to be a drop-in replacement for a florescent tube (no need to change out the ballast). I bought a CREE and Philips unit. In the tear down video, link below, I took a look at the components inside the CREE design. I has the longest circuit board I have ever seen!

 

[yuandrew]

I have a pair of the earlier Philips Instant-Fit that have plastic (instead of glass) sleeves and could be taken apart easily and somewhat re-assembled. I left the sleeves off them when I re-assembled them and they live above my "80s kitchen" fluorescent ceiling panels. Mine has two separate boards that are joined in the middle.



The ballast I showed wasn't listed on Philips's website but it's been working fine since I installed in almost a year and a half ago. I believe most any instant-start electronic ballast should operate the Philips.

Have you also looked at the one by Feit Electric ? It's supposed to also work with the older magnetic ballasts as well as the newer electronic ones.