The fluorescent lighting family welcomed a new technology in 1995, called T5 light fixtures. The “T” stands for the shape of the light bulb as it is tubular and the 5 designates the diameter of the tube, which is 5/8”. The T8 is slightly longer so you cannot use T5 light bulbs in it unless you change the ballast and socket.
Fluorescent lights work differently than the incandescent ones, as they are filled with gas that uses electricity to make the mercury vapor get moving and produce a short-wave ultraviolet that in turn makes a phosphor have visible light. Incandescent bulb, on the other hand, uses a filament that burns when the electricity makes it hot enough.
The fluorescent lights have lower energy consumption than incandescent bulbs, as well as only 2/3 to 3/4th of the amount of heat they put out and they last ten to twenty times longer. The initial cost of installing T5 lighting is higher because its fixture requires a ballast (which is a regulator used to control the flow of the current), however that cost is quickly offset by the energy savings.
A T5 Light Fixture
The fluorescent bulb works like the incandescent bulb as far as wattage is concerned, with the power going from low to high. The T5 lights come in wattages of 14, 21, 28, and 35 standard, and HO24, HO25, HO54, HO80 and GE has HO49, with the HO signifying high output.
Fluorescent lights are so energy efficient that they are used world wide, in fact some countries have almost entirely done away with incandescent bulbs. They come in sizes small enough for lanterns and fish tanks all the way up to five feet or even longer for warehouses and garden environments. They are becoming more popular for residential use, in the kitchen, both for the ceiling light and under the top cupboards. The most popular fluorescent T5 light fixtures are the four foot, 54W, which is a perfect fit if you are looking for a kitchen light fixture.
