Newlec is a trade brand of Rexel UK, aimed squarely at contractors and project buyers who want spec-grade but cost-controlled electrical products.

Within that portfolio, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes are the “classic linear” light source:

built around proven T8 and T5 technology,
optimised for high efficiency and long life rather than just lowest price,
positioned as retrofit lamps to keep existing T8/T5 luminaires running without changing fittings.

They sit alongside Newlec LED tubes, emergency gear, starters and other controls, so you can support both legacy fluorescent and LED within one brand.

Construction and Technology of Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

All Newlec Fluorescent Tubes use standard low-pressure fluorescent tech, but with up-to-date tri-phosphors and efficiency:

Tube formats

T8: 26 mm diameter, G13 base, 2 ft / 4 ft / 5 ft lamps at 18 W, 36 W and 58 W.

T5 high output: 16 mm diameter, G5 base, 54 W 1149 mm tubes for slim fittings.

Optical system

Glass tube with modern three-band LUMILUX-class phosphor on the 36 W T8, giving efficient conversion of UV to visible light and stable colour over life.

Colour: 4000 K cool/neutral white across the high-efficiency T8 range – deliberately chosen as the “do-everything” CCT for commercial and light-industrial spaces.

Electrical behaviour

All tubes are rated as dimmable with suitable control gear, so they can run on standard or dimmable electronic ballasts and conventional gear where appropriate. Fluorescent tubes remain a practical choice for facilities that need broad, stable illumination and long operating cycles across large spaces. For multi-floor offices, educational buildings and public institutions, planners frequently start with the proven reliability of osram fluorescent tubes, ensuring consistent lumen performance across extensive installations. Routine replacements in workshops, corridors and mixed commercial interiors are often covered by straightforward, compatibility-driven ranges such as nova light fluorescent tubes. Design-led environments — retail ceilings, hospitality spaces, modern open-plan offices — sometimes incorporate clean, balanced options from nordlux fluorescent tubes to maintain a refined visual profile. Industrial floors, logistics halls and high-duty commercial zones that depend on long-hour operation typically rely on durable, industry-focused products like nordeon fluorescent tubes. And for cost-sensitive refurbishments or buildings with frequent lamp turnover, procurement teams complete their inventory with accessible, budget-efficient choices such as nbb fluorescent tubes.

Designed for 230–240 V European systems via the ballast – there’s no exotic control requirement.

Colour rendering and lumen maintenance

CRI >80 (colour group 1B) for general lighting.

Lumen maintenance quoted at 80–90 % over life, depending on wattage – the 36 W T8 is specified at 90% over its service lifetime.

So in practice, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes behave like good European-spec T8/T5 lamps, not bargain-basement tubes: predictable colour, long life, and solid lumen maintenance.

Range Overview of Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

Newlec Fluorescent Tubes – T8 High Efficiency Ladder

The core of the range is the high efficiency T8 cool white family:

18 W T8, 2 ft, 4000 K
- Length: 2 ft (≈600 mm)
- Output: 1350 lm, ≈75 lm/W
- Lifetime: 20,000 h nominal
- CRI: >80
- Dimmable with correct gear
36 W T8, 4 ft, 4000 K
- Length: 4 ft (≈1200 mm)
- Proven T8 tech with LUMILUX three-band phosphor
- Very good lumen maintenance: 90% over life
- CRI group 1B (Ra up to 89)
- Dimmable
58 W T8, 5 ft, 4000 K
- Length: 5 ft (≈1500 mm)
- Output: 5200 lm, ≈89 lm/W
- Lifetime: 20,000 h nominal
- Lumen maintenance: 80%
- CRI >80, dimmable with correct gear

These Newlec Fluorescent Tubes are explicitly marketed as “the best retrofit option for replacing/installing T8 lamps” in Rexel’s own description, which tells you how the brand sees them: a safe, high-spec choice when you keep T8 gear in service.

Newlec Fluorescent Tubes – T5 High Output

For slimmer fittings, there is at least one Newlec T5 HO 54 W 4000 K, 1149 mm tube listed in the same brand category:

54 W T5 HO, 16 mm diameter
1149 mm length (for 4-ft-class T5 luminaires)
4000 K neutral white, high output for shallow, efficient linear fittings.

This lets you keep T5 strip lights and recessed T5 luminaires going without switching brand or technology.

Performance Profile of Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

Pulling the specs together, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes give you very concrete design values:

Efficacy
- 18 W T8: 1350 lm → ≈ 75 lm/W.
- 58 W T8: 5200 lm → ≈ 89 lm/W.
- 36 W sits in the typical mid-80s to 90 lm/W band for a quality 4-ft T8, although the exact lumen figure isn’t always quoted; you design around the standard 36 W T8 performance envelope.
Lifetime
- Average nominal life: 20,000 hours on the high-efficiency T8 range, consistent across 18 W and 58 W models.
Lumen maintenance
- 80% for some T8 sizes, 90% stated for the 36 W lamp – good stability for long burning cycles and group relamping.
Colour
- All catalogue T8 tubes: 4000 K cool white – comfortable for offices, corridors and industrial spaces, without being icy blue.

For a facility or project engineer, that means you can treat Newlec Fluorescent Tubes as fully “spec-grade” T8/T5 with predictable performance, not just generic commodity lamps.

Typical Applications for Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

Because they come exactly in 2 ft / 4 ft / 5 ft T8 plus 54 W T5 HO, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes map straight onto common real-world fittings:

Offices and classrooms
- 4 ft 36 W T8 in recessed modular fittings or surface battens, where 4000 K neutral white and CRI >80 match standard visual comfort requirements.
Retail and back-of-house
- 5 ft 58 W T8 in continuous rows above aisles and in stockrooms, where the 5200 lm package and high lumen maintenance help keep shelves evenly lit.
Industrial and plant areas
- 58 W T8 and 54 W T5 HO in IP65 trunking and high-bay fittings where high output per luminaire is needed but the infrastructure is still fluorescent.
Corridors, stairwells, smaller rooms
- 2 ft 18 W T8 Newlec Fluorescent Tubes in compact luminaires where 1350 lm at 4000 K is enough to hit 100–200 lx on the floor.

In all cases, the point is simple: you don’t have to change the luminaire – you just keep re-lamps inside a consistent brand and performance level.

How to Select Newlec Fluorescent Tubes for a Project

Treat choosing Newlec Fluorescent Tubes as a quick engineering checklist, not just a wattage guess.

1. Fix type, length and cap

T8: 26 mm diameter, G13 caps
- 2 ft → 18 W
- 4 ft → 36 W
- 5 ft → 58 W
T5 HO: 16 mm diameter, G5 caps
- 54 W, 1149 mm for 4-ft-class T5 luminaires.

Never mix T5 and T8 in the same fitting; diameter, cap and gear are different.

2. Match wattage to gear and label

Check the luminaire marking:
- “1 × 18 W T8” → Newlec 18 W T8 4000 K
- “1 × 36 W T8” → Newlec 36 W T8 4000 K
- “1 × 58 W T8” → Newlec 58 W T8 4000 K
On magnetic gear, ballasts are tuned to a specific wattage; wrong lamps mean flicker, poor starting and overheating.

3. Decide colour temperature and look

Right now the high-efficiency Newlec ladder is 4000 K cool white only, which simplifies selection:

keep 4000 K everywhere you use Newlec Fluorescent Tubes,
if you mix with other lamps, make sure they’re also 4000 K so the space doesn’t end up with patchy warm/cool strips.

4. Plan light levels and maintenance

Use the known packages as anchors:

18 W T8 → 1350 lm
58 W T8 → 5200 lm

Combine lamp lumens, luminaire efficiency and spacing to hit target lux. For high-hour circuits (shops, warehouses, 10–16 h/day), build a group-relamp plan around ~16–18k hours, before you reach the full 20k life, to keep light uniform and avoid patchy failures.

Safety, Starters and LED Migration Around Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

Even with good lamps, how you integrate Newlec Fluorescent Tubes into the system matters.

Starters and ballasts
- On magnetic gear, always pair tubes with correct starters. Newlec-branded FS-type starters are available (e.g. FS2 4–22 W), which keeps the whole circuit in one ecosystem.
- On electronic gear, confirm compatibility with dimming if you intend to use that feature.
Thermal limits
- Never exceed the luminaire’s rated wattage; all Newlec fluorescent tubes are standard outputs, so there’s no excuse to “up-lamp”.
- Keep diffusers and gear boxes reasonably dust-free so ballasts and lamps can cool correctly – high temperature kills life fast.
Mercury and disposal
- As with all fluorescent lamps, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes contain a small amount of mercury and must go via lamp/WEEE recycling, not general waste.
Migration path to LED
- Newlec also offers T8 LED tubes marketed as direct replacements for fluorescent T8, plus a heavy LED portfolio under Rexel.
- A sensible strategy:
  - use Newlec Fluorescent Tubes where existing gear is healthy and run-hours are moderate,
  - specify Newlec LED T8 tubes or new LED fittings for the most energy-intensive or maintenance-heavy circuits, using the fluorescent wattage and lumen data as your design baseline.

Procurement and Standardisation of Newlec Fluorescent Tubes

For wholesalers and facility managers, the easiest way to handle Newlec Fluorescent Tubes is as a tight, standardised matrix in your BOMs:

18 W T8 4000 K 2 ft – MPN NLT81884, part 1051059459.
36 W T8 4000 K 4 ft – MPN NLT83684, part 1051059457.
58 W T8 4000 K 5 ft – MPN NLT85884, part 1051059456.
54 W T5 HO 4000 K 1149 mm – MPN NLT55484, part 1051059467.

Order and document them by full MPN + description so future replacements always match wattage, length, colour and technology. That way, Newlec Fluorescent Tubes become a clean, repeatable component in your lighting strategy – keeping T8/T5 infrastructure predictable and professional while you roll LED in exactly where it makes technical and financial sense.