How does ME-T5 adapter work?
The ME-T5 adapter conversion allows you to use energy efficient T5 tubes in your existing T12 and T8 light fittings. This energy efficient and cost effective conversion will slash your energy costs, reduce maintenance costs and improve the quality of your lighting.
The ME-T5 adapter is designed to work as part of the light fitting. There are two main types of installation. The first is in a fitting that has an electromagnetic ballast – usually referred to as switch start fittings.
Switch start fittings normally have a separate starter canister and the fitting normally splutters for a few seconds before the T8 or T12 tube comes to life. With these fittings the installation is straightforward and can be broken down into the following steps:
1. Disconnect the fitting from the power supply.
2. Remove the existing T8 or T12 lamp and starter.
3. Check the fitting for a power factor correction capacitor and if one is present, remove it from the fitting.
4. Install the ME-T5 power block inside the fitting. It’s a push wire unit complete with adhesive pads, so its very easy to install.
5. Insert replacement starter.
6. Insert the T5 tube complete with the ME-T5 adaptor into the lamp holder.
7. We have found that installing a separate filter at the lighting circuit board will result in a more efficient installation – even lower power consumption. This can only be carried out by a qualified electrician. Please contact us for further details.
For HF fittings the conversion is slightly longer, but still only takes a matter of moments to carry out. The only additional step is to remove the current HF ballast from the light fitting and to install a harmonics filter.
Installation is very easy. However, we do recommend that it be carried out by a competent person and ideally by a qualified electrician. Please ensure that safe working practices are followed during the installation and make sure that the light fitting is disconnected from the power supply before the fitting is opened and any work is carried out.
Please contact us for detailed installation instructions
If we are carrying out the installation for you, we will make sure that the fitting is in good working order during the installation process. This work may include the replacement of the lamp holders and of any wiring within the fitting that has suffered heat damage. We build the price of this into our installation cost so there are no nasty surprises at the end of the day.
Following the conversion to T5 using the ME-T5 adapter, you can expect many years of trouble free service from the light fitting. The major cause of damage to light fittings is heat. It degrades the wiring and the lamp holders. Excessive heat will also reduce the life of the tubes themselves.
In a switch start T8 or T12 fitting the ballast gets very hot. After a few hours use the ballast will usually be too hot to handle. This heat output, combined with the heat produced from the tube will damage the lamp holders and degrade the wiring.
The ME-T5 adaptor is designed to work as part of the light fitting, with the electromagnetic ballast. One of the benefits of the adapter is that it runs very cool and causes the ballast to run cool as well – it will remain cool to the touch even after many hours of use. This extends the life of the components that make up the light fitting and the T5 lamp, resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
The ME-T5 adapter is designed to work as part of the light fitting. There are two main types of installation. The first is in a fitting that has an electromagnetic ballast – usually referred to as switch start fittings.
Switch start fittings normally have a separate starter canister and the fitting normally splutters for a few seconds before the T8 or T12 tube comes to life. With these fittings the installation is straightforward and can be broken down into the following steps:
1. Disconnect the fitting from the power supply.
2. Remove the existing T8 or T12 lamp and starter.
3. Check the fitting for a power factor correction capacitor and if one is present, remove it from the fitting.
4. Install the ME-T5 power block inside the fitting. It’s a push wire unit complete with adhesive pads, so its very easy to install.
5. Insert replacement starter.
6. Insert the T5 tube complete with the ME-T5 adaptor into the lamp holder.
7. We have found that installing a separate filter at the lighting circuit board will result in a more efficient installation – even lower power consumption. This can only be carried out by a qualified electrician. Please contact us for further details.
For HF fittings the conversion is slightly longer, but still only takes a matter of moments to carry out. The only additional step is to remove the current HF ballast from the light fitting and to install a harmonics filter.
Installation is very easy. However, we do recommend that it be carried out by a competent person and ideally by a qualified electrician. Please ensure that safe working practices are followed during the installation and make sure that the light fitting is disconnected from the power supply before the fitting is opened and any work is carried out.
Please contact us for detailed installation instructions
If we are carrying out the installation for you, we will make sure that the fitting is in good working order during the installation process. This work may include the replacement of the lamp holders and of any wiring within the fitting that has suffered heat damage. We build the price of this into our installation cost so there are no nasty surprises at the end of the day.
Following the conversion to T5 using the ME-T5 adapter, you can expect many years of trouble free service from the light fitting. The major cause of damage to light fittings is heat. It degrades the wiring and the lamp holders. Excessive heat will also reduce the life of the tubes themselves.
In a switch start T8 or T12 fitting the ballast gets very hot. After a few hours use the ballast will usually be too hot to handle. This heat output, combined with the heat produced from the tube will damage the lamp holders and degrade the wiring.
The ME-T5 adaptor is designed to work as part of the light fitting, with the electromagnetic ballast. One of the benefits of the adapter is that it runs very cool and causes the ballast to run cool as well – it will remain cool to the touch even after many hours of use. This extends the life of the components that make up the light fitting and the T5 lamp, resulting in reduced maintenance costs.
T5 Adaptors and light levels
Fluorescent Lighting (ME-T5 Adapter) Quality control
We care just as much about the handful of adaptors that fail as the thousands of adaptors we sell and install every month.
At the start of each year we set ourselves a ‘failed in use’ target for the coming year. We expect to fall below this target and we expect the target to get smaller each year.
Our quality control starts at the design stage. The circuit board layout, the case design and the case size and venting have all been designed to allow the ME-T5 adaptor to run at a low temperature. The lower the temperature the ME-T5 adaptor runs at, the longer it will last.
We then specify the components used inside the ME-T5 adaptor. The use of top quality components from the world leaders in their respective fields helps us to make a class-leading product.
Having made the best possible product, we then test it, just to make sure. Every ME-T5 adaptor has been tested for three hours at the factory. 10% of adaptors are tested for a full 24 hours before shipping to the UK.
We then re-test every batch of adaptors in the UK, before we send a single one out to a client. We now test every single adaptor for a further three hours on our purpose built test rigs.
At the start of each year we set ourselves a ‘failed in use’ target for the coming year. We expect to fall below this target and we expect the target to get smaller each year.
Our quality control starts at the design stage. The circuit board layout, the case design and the case size and venting have all been designed to allow the ME-T5 adaptor to run at a low temperature. The lower the temperature the ME-T5 adaptor runs at, the longer it will last.
We then specify the components used inside the ME-T5 adaptor. The use of top quality components from the world leaders in their respective fields helps us to make a class-leading product.
Having made the best possible product, we then test it, just to make sure. Every ME-T5 adaptor has been tested for three hours at the factory. 10% of adaptors are tested for a full 24 hours before shipping to the UK.
We then re-test every batch of adaptors in the UK, before we send a single one out to a client. We now test every single adaptor for a further three hours on our purpose built test rigs.
Every month, a random sample of each type of adaptor is confidence checked to ensure EMC compliance, at an independent UK test centre.
Having checked them electrically, the test units are then pulled apart to make absolutely certain that the ME-T5 adaptor has been produced to our exact requirements.
Only then are the ME-T5 adaptors packed and sent to our customers.
This lengthy process helps to ensure that the ME-T5 adaptor is - in our opinion – the most reliable available in Europe. This is not an idle boast
We submit our product for independent testing every month. We believe that we are the only company to do this.
T5 Adaptors and light levelsHaving checked them electrically, the test units are then pulled apart to make absolutely certain that the ME-T5 adaptor has been produced to our exact requirements.
Only then are the ME-T5 adaptors packed and sent to our customers.
This lengthy process helps to ensure that the ME-T5 adaptor is - in our opinion – the most reliable available in Europe. This is not an idle boast
We submit our product for independent testing every month. We believe that we are the only company to do this.
