LED tube fixture

A LED tube light fitting is the linear support that holds the tube, fixes it to the wall or ceiling and powers it. The choice comes down to three points: the tube family (T5 or T8), the exact length of the support and the protection rating the room requires.

• Role and uses of a fitting
• T5 or T8, which length
• When to go for a sealed version
• Garage, workshop, basement
• Replacing a fluorescent tube with an LED tube
• Kitchen and bathroom
• Light colour
• Choosing and maintaining

What is an LED tube light fitting and what is it for?

The linear support does three things: it holds the tube, it powers it and it protects it. The bare version, a simple profile with its sockets, is used in a dry room, under a cabinet or on a hallway ceiling. The version with a diffuser adds a translucent cover that softens the light and stops dust settling on the tube.

Three uses come up again and again: lighting a worktop, lighting the inside of a cupboard or alcove, and making circulation safe in a hallway or on a staircase. In all three cases, you want even light along the whole length, not a bright spot in the middle. To see where the family sits in the catalogue, browse our selection of light fittings, then all the LED fittings.

LED tube light fitting T5 or T8: what are the differences and which length should you choose?

The T8 is the tube everyone knows: about 26 mm in diameter, G13 socket, and two reference lengths, 1200 mm and 1500 mm. The T5 is slimmer, with its own smaller socket, and is intended for short formats. In both cases, the fitting must be exactly the length of the tube: a 120 cm support will not take a 150 cm tube.

LED tube light fitting T8 1200 mm: for which room?

The 120 cm covers the length of a garage worktop, a storeroom or a cellar aisle, with continuous light. It is the simplest format to connect to an existing lighting circuit, in 220V versions.

LED tube light fitting T8 1500 mm and T5: when should you prefer them?

The 1500 mm serves long spans, a wide workshop or a long aisle, provided you plan two spaced fixing points. The T5 remains the choice for alcoves and furniture, where bulk matters more than the lit area.

Sealed LED tube light fitting: when should you choose one?

As soon as there is moisture, splashes or dust, the diffuser and the seals change everything: they isolate the tube and stop water collecting on the contacts. The IP rating on the data sheet gives the real level, without any guesswork. A dry room is fine with IP20, a bathroom needs at least IP44, an exposed canopy goes up to IP65.

IP65 LED fittings: from which room should you go sealed?

Going sealed is decided at the first risk of wetting: regular steam, jet washing, cellar condensation. The models rated IP65 withstand splashes, which makes them useful under a canopy or in a plant room.

Sealed LED tube light fitting: damp interior, cellar, garage

In a cellar, moisture mainly attacks the sockets and the ballast. A sealed fitting protects these sensitive areas, and a model intended for outdoor use avoids unpleasant surprises. Under a canopy, go for the sealed outdoor range.

Which LED tube light fitting should you choose for a garage, a workshop or a basement?

The criterion is not power but consistency: continuous light along the whole length of the worktop avoids shadow zones between two sources. In a garage, place the fitting along the axis of the bench rather than in the centre of the room. A diffuser limits glare when you look up. For a work surface, two short supports spread out light better than a single long one badly positioned.

For a workshop, first look at the mounting height and the clear space above the bench: fittings designed for workshops are fixed to the ceiling or surface-mounted. If the room is mainly a thoroughfare, a model with a presence detector avoids lighting an empty room. And for a garage, compare the solutions for lighting a garage before deciding.

How do you install an LED tube on an old fitting?

Switch off the power at the breaker, remove the fluorescent tube, check the condition of the socket and locate the ballast. Either you fit an LED tube designed to work with that ballast, or you remove the ballast before mounting a standard LED tube. Refit, restore the power, test. If the support is cracked, yellowed or poorly fixed, replacing it costs less in peace of mind than adapting it.

Converting a fluorescent fitting to LED: what to check first

Three checks: the socket (G13 for a T8), the length of the tube relative to the support, and the possible presence of a starter. A starter still in place on an LED tube not designed for it causes flickering or failure to light.

Ballast, starter, G13 socket: the procedure

Locate the metal box housed in the profile: that is the ballast. Remove it only if the tube is sold to work without it. In doubt, a complete new fitting is more predictable than an adaptation. The 220V versions connect to the lighting circuit, while the rechargeable fittings are installed without wiring, which settles the question in a cupboard or a cellar with no socket.

LED tube light fitting in the kitchen and bathroom: which light should you install?

In the kitchen, the under-cabinet fitting lights the worktop without casting the shadow of your hands. Choose a neutral white, around 4000 K, which renders food and stainless steel without yellowing them. In the bathroom, the protection rating comes before style: a sealed model with diffuser resists steam and remains suitable near the mirror.

Under-cabinet fitting: the light that serves a modern kitchen decor

A matt front, a light worktop and a continuous line of light under the wall units: this detail is often what holds together a well-considered atmosphere in the room. The grazing light highlights the material of the worktop and serves a kitchen decoration without adding an object to the wall. For a modern kitchen decor, prefer a slim profile, placed as close as possible to the front.

Bathroom: the protection rating before style

Above a mirror or a vanity unit, moisture is permanent. A sealed fitting with diffuser protects the tube and spreads even light on the face, without harsh reflection. The bathroom models are fixed to the wall or under the wall unit, away from direct splashes.

Which light colour for a fitting in a living room or kitchen?

The colour temperature decides the atmosphere before anything else. Around 3000 K, warm white relaxes and flatters wood. Around 4000 K, neutral white stays faithful on a worktop or a mirror. At 6000 K and above, cool white adds contrast in a garage or a storeroom, but hardens faces in a living room.

Warm white or neutral white: which result in a living room?

In a living room, a warm white creates a soft light for the evening. If the room also serves as a desk corner or dining area, a neutral white avoids a mismatch with the other sources. A wall fitting placed high gives indirect light that suits this use well.

Why does colour rendering matter more than power?

A tube that renders colours poorly dulls wood, greys fabrics and distorts the shade of food. Better a moderate but faithful light than a high output that misrepresents materials. Check this rendering on the tube data sheet before making your choice.

What is the best LED fitting and how do you maintain it?

The right fitting is the one that takes the tube you have already chosen, in the right length, with the protection rating of the room. You compare the socket, the fixing, the presence of a diffuser and the ease of changing the tube. A simple, well-fixed model lasts longer than a sophisticated one badly installed.

What distinguishes an entry-level fitting from a durable model

Look at the thickness of the profile, the quality of the fixing clips and the presence of seals on the diffuser. A support correctly screwed into solid material does not move; a support placed on a hollow partition without a suitable plug ends up vibrating.

Cleaning the diffuser and changing the tube

Switch off the power, dust the diffuser with a soft non-abrasive cloth, without aggressive products on the plastic. To change the tube, rotate it a quarter turn in its sockets. A tube that blackens at the ends should be replaced, the support stays in place.

Secure payment, tracked delivery, returns and Designix customer service: you can order with confidence, and come back to our team if the length or the protection rating does not match your room. To compare the families before choosing, go back to the Designix lighting department.

Frequently asked questions