The Application

Application of the AdapT5:
Office, Commercial, Retail, School, Healthcare, Hotel/Motel, Restaurant.

It is estimated that there are over 1'000'000'000 fluorescent light tubes in operation along the East Coast alone. Every year, over 200'000'000 tubes are replaced.

Generally, there is a mix of T8 and T12 tubes that are being used in the US today. The T12 is the archaic model, which is huge in size, highly inefficient (high energy use with poor light quality) and has a short use life span (<10'000 hrs.). The other is the T8. It is somewhat more efficient, is a bit smaller (diameter), than the T12 and has poor to decent light quality and also has a short use life span (<10'000 hrs.). Neither the T8 nor the T12 are very environmentally friendly, due to their relatively high mercury content.

The fluorescent light tube of the future is the T5, which is already being manufactures by Osram, GE and Philips. It combines all the newest technologies into a sleek 5/8 inch diameter light tube. It is highly efficient, (lower energy costs), provides very good light and boasts a use life span of over 20'000 hours, and it is environmentally friendly (contains 38% less glass and phosphors and only very little mercury). All this in itself would already make the T5 a desirable alternative to the T12. But here is one major problem. The T5 is approx. 2 inches shorter than the T12. What does this mean? It means that if you choose to use T5 tubes in replacement of your T12, you must also replace the fixture (to accommodate the shorter T5 tube) and also the magnetic ballast (CCG). T5 tubes require electronic ballast (ECG). This would result in major expenses. But you don't have to replace your existing T12 fixtures (or ballast) in order to use the T5 tube! How? This is where the invention comes into the picture.

The invention is a new type of ballast or more appropriately called Electronic Control Gear (ECG) that is designed to work specifically with T5 fluorescent light tubes. The adapT5 adapter is designed to bridge that 2 inch gap between the existing T12 fixture and the shorter T5 light tube. Once the adapter has been attached to the T5 tube, so as to extend the total length of the T5 by 2 inches, it can now be installed into existing T12 fixtures. But the adapT5 adapter can do much more.

The technology inside the adapter, together with the brand new T5 tube, can create energy savings of up to 70%*! In addition, since the adapter operates at 35'000Hz (existing magnetic ballasts operate at 50Hz to 100Hz), there is no perilous, stroboscopic flickering. And, attachment of the adapters onto the T5 tube and installation of the converted tube into existing T12 fixtures requires no specialist and is completed in minutes.

These, and even more beneficial features, such as lower operating temperature, dim-ability (in preparation), less maintenance, elimination of conventional starter and increased worker productivity make the adapT5 adapter simply revolutionary. And, depending on your electricity costs, conversion to T5 fluorescent light tubes, the adapT5 can pay for itself in less than one year!

* Depending on local and technical conditions