Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

Where Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes Sit in the Paulmann Range

Paulmann is a German family-owned lighting manufacturer based in Springe/Völksen and active since 1978, with a portfolio of more than 2,500 lamps and luminaires for home and project use.

Within that ecosystem, Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes are the classic linear light sources that pre-date today’s LED products. They’re still sold mainly for:

• maintaining existing T8 and T5 installations in homes and light commercial spaces,
• keeping Paulmann luminaires that were supplied with fluorescent tubes working as intended,
• and giving DIY customers a branded alternative to anonymous “no-name” tubes.

The focus today is a compact, useful assortment: standard T8 tubes in 15/18/36 W, plus short and high-output T5 tubes, with warm, neutral and daylight colour options.

Construction and Light Quality of Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

All Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes are based on standard low-pressure fluorescent technology, in two main geometries:

• T8 tubes
  • Diameter: 26 mm
  • Base: G13 bi-pin
  • Typical lengths: 60 cm (18 W), 120 cm (36 W)
• T5 tubes
  • Diameter: 16 mm
  • Base: G5
  • Short types around 288 mm (8 W) and long HO types like 39 W for specialist luminaires.

Inside, Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes use:

• a low-pressure gas + tiny mercury dose to create UV light,
• a triphosphor coating tuned for 2700 K warm white, 4000 K neutral white or 6500 K daylight,
• and cathodes designed for around 8,000 hours of rated life under normal conditions on suitable ballasts.

Light quality is exactly what you’d expect from a decent T5/T8 tube:

• CRI > 80, suitable for homes, offices and retail.
• 360° emission – ideal for opal diffusers and batten fittings where soft, uniform light matters.

Assortment Overview of Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes – T8 18 W, 60 cm

This is the real workhorse inside many simple wall and ceiling fittings:

• Paulmann T8 18 W/827, 60 cm
  • Power: 18 W
  • Base: G13
  • Length: ~60 cm (604 mm)
  • Colour: warm white 2700 K (code 827, “Warmton”)
  • Luminous flux: about 1350 lm
  • Lifetime: 8,000 h
  • Fully dimmable on suitable gear
• Paulmann T8 18 W/865, 60 cm
  • Same geometry, but daylight 6500 K (code 865) with around 1215 lm output, used where cool, crisp light is needed.Fluorescent tubes remain a reliable choice for facilities that need wide, uniform illumination and predictable performance over long operating hours. When planners require steady colour rendering and proven durability — particularly in schools, medical rooms and precision workspaces — they often start with high-grade options such as radium fluorescent tubes. For mixed commercial interiors and routine replacements, maintenance teams frequently turn to the compatibility-focused and installer-friendly ranges of prelite fluorescent tubes. Large administrative buildings and public corridors, where diffuse and consistent lighting is essential, sometimes rely on long-established, steady-output products like pope fluorescent tubes. Global-standard environments — airports, logistics hubs, large offices — often specify philips fluorescent tubes for their predictable availability and uniform lumen behaviour across extensive installations. And in budget-controlled refurbishments or facilities with high turnover rates, procurement teams commonly choose cost-efficient, easy-to-stock solutions such as patron fluorescent tubes to stabilise long-term maintenance costs.

These Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes cover both warm and daylight use-cases with the same mechanical format.

Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes – T8 36 W, 120 cm

For 4-foot battens and larger ceiling fittings, Paulmann offers 36 W T8 tubes in both warm and neutral white:

• Paulmann T8 36 W/827, 120 cm
  • Power: 36 W
  • Length: 1200 mm
  • Base: G13
  • Colour: warm white 2700 K (827)
  • Luminous flux: 3348 lm
  • Lifetime: 8,000 h, CRI > 80
• Paulmann T8 36 W, neutral white
  • 1200 mm tube marketed as “neutral white / Neutralwhit” with similar lumen package and aimed at offices and work areas.

These are the classic Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes for full-length luminaires in corridors, garages and utility rooms.

Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes – T8 15 W Short Types

There is also at least one T8 15 W warm-tone tube in the range:

• Paulmann T8 15 W, 2700 K
  • Base: G13
  • Colour temperature: 2700 K “Warmton”
  • Lifetime: around 8,000 h
  • Intended for short fittings and compact luminaires.

Installers will normally encounter these in small wall lights and compact ceiling fixtures.

Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes – T5 8 W and 39 W

T5 Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes appear in two very different roles:

• Short T5 8 W G5, 288 mm
  • Diameter: 16 mm
  • Base: G5
  • Length: 288 mm
  • Colour: neutral white
  • Marketed as a “classic fluorescent tube, atmosphere lighting all around” – ideal for under-cabinet lights, mirror luminaires and furniture systems.
• T5 HO 39 W/827, G5
  • High-output TL5 tube
  • 39 W, G5, extra warm white 2700 K (827)
  • Used in slim, powerful linear fittings – often in kitchens, shops or architectural lines where T5 gear is built in.

Together, these give Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes coverage from small decorative fittings up to serious linear outputs.

Typical Applications for Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

Because the range is clearly “home + light commercial”, you mostly see Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes in:

• Hallways, stairwells and basements
  • 18 W / 36 W T8 warm or neutral white in basic wall and ceiling lights. Warm white 827 gives a cosy residential feel; neutral white variants are used where a crisper look is preferred.
• Garages, workshops and utility rooms
  • 18 W/865 daylight tubes in 60 cm battens for benches and tool areas where high contrast matters.
• Kitchen under-cabinet and mirror lighting
  • Short T5 8 W tubes in G5 fittings that tuck under shelves or behind mirror frames, giving soft all-round light.
• Linear systems with T5 HO
  • 39 W T5 extra-warm tubes in slim profile luminaires over counters or as cove lighting, especially in installations done before LED strips were mainstream.

In all these cases, swapping in Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes preserves the original optic and feel of the luminaire: same geometry, same beam, same colour impression.

How to Choose Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes for a Project

Treat the choice of Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes like a mini-design step rather than just grabbing “some 36 W tube”.

1. Fix Tube Type, Base and Length

• Check if the fitting is T8 (26 mm, G13) or T5 (16 mm, G5).
• Read the old lamp’s markings and measure length:
  • ~60 cm → typically 18 W T8
  • 120 cm → 36 W T8
  • 288 mm / slim → 8 W T5
  • Long slim HO in professional fittings → often 39 W T5 or similar.

T5 and T8 are not interchangeable – diameter, base and control gear are different.

2. Match Wattage to Gear and Luminaire Label

• Always follow the luminaire label: “1 × 18 W T8” means 18 W, “1 × 36 W T8” means 36 W.
• Magnetic ballasts are tuned for a specific wattage; wrong lamps can:
  • start poorly or flicker,
  • overheat ballasts,
  • shorten tube life.

For T5 HO, you must have electronic gear sized for the correct wattage.

3. Choose Colour Temperature of Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

Within the range, you essentially have:

• 827 – 2700 K “Warmton / Warm white”
  • 18 W and 36 W T8, and 39 W T5 HO in extra warm white.
  • Use for living areas, corridors in residential buildings, hospitality and anywhere you want a soft, cosy impression.
• Neutral white (around 4000 K)
  • T8 18 W / 36 W and T5 8 W neutral-white products; good default for offices, utility rooms and light commercial interiors.
• 865 – 6500 K daylight
  • T8 18 W/865 for garages, workshops and places where crisp, cool light helps with detailed work.

For a professional result, stick to one CCT per visual zone – mixing 827 and 865 in a single batten row always looks patchy.

4. Check Light Level and Distribution

Use the published lumen packages as a guide:

• 18 W T8/827 → ~1350 lm
• 36 W T8/827 → 3348 lm

Combine wattage, number of fittings and mounting height to hit your target lux (e.g. ~100–200 lx for basic corridors, 300–500 lx for work areas).

Safety, Lifetime and Maintenance of Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes

Even with branded lamps, the usual fluorescent rules apply to Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes:

• Rated life
  • T8 warm-white tubes are typically rated around 8,000 h, with instant start (“0 s”) and CRI > 80.
• Group relamping
  • On 10–12 h/day circuits, plan group relamping every 2–3 years to keep brightness and colour consistent instead of waiting for random single failures.
• Handling
  • Isolate power.
  • Support the tube with both hands near the ends, rotate gently in the G13 or G5 sockets until it locks.
  • Don’t force pins into damaged lampholders or twist against the glass.
• Thermal limits
  • Never “up-lamp” over the label (e.g. putting a 36 W tube in a luminaire rated 18 W). Fluorescent gear is sensitive to overloading and can overheat.
• Mercury and disposal
  • As with any fluorescent lamp, Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes contain a small mercury dose and must go through proper lamp / WEEE recycling, not into general waste.

Handled correctly, you’ll usually get the full rated life with stable light and minimal nuisance failures.

Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes and the Shift to LED

Paulmann as a company is heavily focused on LED today – including LED tubes that replace T5/T8 fluorescents in the same sockets and lengths. These LED tubes use 7.5–20 W to produce flux comparable to older fluorescent tubes and are marketed as consuming roughly half the energy with up to four times longer life.

A sensible strategy is:

• Use Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes to keep existing T5/T8 luminaires functioning where:
  • the control gear is still healthy,
  • the burning hours are moderate,
  • and retrofit complexity needs to stay low.
• Plan Paulmann LED tubes or dedicated LED luminaires for:
  • high-hour circuits (garages, workshops, 24/7 areas),
  • installations with failing ballasts,
  • projects where energy and maintenance savings justify the upgrade.

Used deliberately like this, Paulmann Fluorescent Tubes become a controlled, well-understood part of your lighting toolkit: you keep legacy T5/T8 lines safe, consistent and easy to maintain today, while you transition each area to LED exactly when it makes technical and financial sense.