Another LED lighting query

[ffutures]

I've now sorted the lights in most of my flat and replaced the CFLs with LEDs. At some point I will probably be dumping way too many CFLs onto Freecycle... but I digress.

The exception is my work room, which currently has a 4ft 36w fluorescent tube. I'd like to replace that, it's on for several hours most days, but it isn't as simple as the bulbs because the fluorescent fitting has a high-voltage starter, and CFLs don't need that. As I understand it there are two ways to do this - one is to rewire the fitting to bypass the ballast and starter, the other is to replace the fitting entirely and put up one designed for CFL from the outset. Fortunately the fitting can be taken down fairly easily - it hangs on chains a foot or so below the ceiling and can be unplugged - so either wouldn't be especially difficult.

Anyone done any of this, and have any information about the pros and cons? In particular, what's the service life of these things - will the cost of replacements outweigh the energy savings?

Comments

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I can believe that - the light for the stairs and hall in my flat is always on, I think I've only had to change it twice since I started using CFLs. But that's why it was the first ceiling light I changed to LED - it was a 23W lamp, needed to be that bright to light the stairs above and below the main floor of the flat, two 5W LEDs are replacing it pretty well. Allegedly LEDs don't have a problem with being switched on and off a lot.