PRELITE fluorescent tubes (often printed as Pre Lite or Prelite TL) show up a lot in bulk stock for commercial sites: auction listings repeatedly mention TL18W/840 T8 Pre-lite lamps – 18 W, 26 mm diameter, about 600 mm long, cool white – sold in packs of 25–90 pieces for trade use.

You also see 58W/840 T8 MIX ELG/Prelite listed in professional fluorescent tube catalogues as a 58 W, 4000 K, T8 G13 lamp – the product name explicitly combines “MIX ELG/Prelite”, with the tube grouped under T8 fluorescent tubes / G13 bulbs.

In practice, that means PRELITE fluorescent tubes are classic T8 maintenance lamps:

18 W / 600 mm T8 for short fittings,
58 W / 1500 mm T8 for 5-ft luminaires,
cool/neutral white 4000 K (840) plus warm white variants like TL18W/830 in some stocks.

They’re aimed at keeping existing T8 installations in corridors, warehouses, shops and service areas running with predictable, branded replacements.

Construction and Light Quality of PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes

PRELITE fluorescent tubes follow standard T8 / G13 low-pressure fluorescent design, so installers don’t get any surprises:

T8 glass envelope (26 mm)
- Auction listings for Pre-lite TL18W/840 specify T8 tubes with 26 mm diameter and length about 600 mm.
- The 58 W ELG/Prelite tube is sold under T8 fluorescent tubes with a 58 W / 840 / G13 spec – a classic 1500 mm, 26 mm body.
G13 bi-pin caps
- Both 18 W and 58 W PRELITE fluorescent tubes use the standard G13 two-pin base, compatible with most battens, waterproof fittings and recessed T8 luminaires. Fluorescent tubes remain a practical solution in buildings that rely on broad, uniform illumination and long, predictable service intervals. Facilities that prioritise diffuse, comfortable lighting across corridors and administrative spaces often start with trusted, evenly balanced options such as pope fluorescent tubes. Large commercial portfolios and logistics environments, where consistent lumen output and global availability matter, frequently specify philips fluorescent tubes to keep lighting behaviour uniform across many identical fixtures. Design-led interiors or hospitality zones sometimes incorporate the more visually refined and decorative variants from paulmann fluorescent tubes to maintain both colour consistency and stylistic coherence. And for budget-controlled refurbishments, public-sector facilities or locations with frequent lamp turnover, procurement teams commonly choose cost-efficient, easy-to-source replacements such as patron fluorescent tubes, ensuring predictable maintenance planning.
Gas discharge & phosphor
- Inside: inert gas + a tiny dose of mercury, forming a UV-producing discharge.
- The internal phosphor coating sets the final light: cool/neutral white for 840, warm white for 830, etc.
Colour and output profile
- 840 = 4000 K neutral white, very common in commercial interiors.
- 830 = 3000 K warm white, better for cosy or hospitality-style spaces.

Exact lumen and life figures aren’t printed in the public auction listings, but as standard triphosphor T8s you can safely assume:

efficacy around 70–90 lm/W,
CRI ≈ 80,
and rated life typically 10,000–20,000 h on appropriate ballasts – in line with other 18 W / 58 W T8 840 lamps from mainstream brands.

So in terms of look and behaviour, PRELITE fluorescent tubes perform like any decent professional T8: wide 360° glow, good general-lighting colour, and predictable performance on standard gear.

Assortment of PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes

PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes – 18 W T8 (600 mm)

Multiple industrial auction lots list Pre-lite TL18W/840 and TL18W/830 tubes with:

Power: 18 W
Diameter: 26 mm (T8)
Length: ~600 mm (about 59–60 cm)
Base: G13
Colour:
- TL18W/830 → warm white (≈3000 K)
- TL18W/840 → cool/neutral white (≈4000 K)

These 18 W PRELITE fluorescent tubes are the typical “half-length” lamps used in:

compact ceiling and wall fittings,
basic corridor and stairwell lights,
small offices and service rooms.

PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes – 58 W T8 (1500 mm)

On the 58 W side, the Fluorescent Tube MIX 58W/840 T8 MIX ELG/Prelite 136338 is a clear reference:

Power: 58 W
Type: T8, MIX line
Colour: 840 (4000 K neutral white)
Cap: G13
Category: T8 fluorescent tubes / G13 bulbs
EAN / MPN: 8718215400295

It’s marked “order only, discontinued” with a price valid while stocks last, which is exactly how many wholesalers now treat legacy T8 ranges: available for maintenance, but no longer centre-stage.

These 58 W PRELITE fluorescent tubes are used in:

5-ft battens and trunking systems in warehouses and retail,
long corridors and workshops,
older industrial luminaires where full re-gear to LED hasn’t happened yet.

Typical Applications for PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes

Because PRELITE fluorescent tubes follow standard T8 geometry, they’re basically a drop-in maintenance brand for any T8 installation:

Commercial corridors and stairwells
- 18 W / 840 tubes in 600 mm fittings along hallways and staircases: neutral white for clean, practical light.
Utility rooms, storage and plant areas
- 18 W and 58 W tubes in basic battens or waterproof housings in basements, technical rooms and back-of-house zones where robustness and low cost matter more than ultra-high efficacy.
Warehouses and workshops
- 58 W / 840 5-ft PRELITE fluorescent tubes in continuous rows above racking or workbenches, giving wide, even illumination.
Retrofit of mixed brands
- Sites that originally used “big-name” tubes (OSRAM, Philips, Sylvania, etc.) often adopt PRELITE as a cost-optimised replacement while keeping the same wattage and colour codes.

In all of these, PRELITE fluorescent tubes are the consumables that keep luminaires running until you’re ready to redesign around LED.

How to Choose PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes for Your Installation

Instead of just grabbing “some 58 W tube”, treat PRELITE fluorescent tubes like a mini engineering choice.

PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes – matching type and geometry

Confirm tube family
- PRELITE is a T8 / G13 story in practice – 26 mm diameter, two pins at each end.
Match wattage and length
- TL18W/830 or TL18W/840 → 18 W, ≈600 mm.
- 58W/840 MIX ELG/Prelite → 58 W, 1500 mm.
Never force a different length into the fitting, and don’t swap wattages; the ballast is tuned to one lamp power.
Check the luminaire label
- “1 × 18 W T8” → use an 18 W PRELITE fluorescent tube.
- “1 × 58 W T8” → use a 58 W PRELITE fluorescent tube.
  Putting a 36 W or 58 W lamp on an 18 W ballast (or vice versa) can cause poor starting, flicker and ballast overheating.

PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes – choosing colour temperature

Use the PRELITE code the same way you would with Philips or OSRAM:

830 – warm white (~3000 K)
- Good for residential-like corridors, hospitality, lounges and places where you want a softer ambience.
840 – neutral white (~4000 K)
- The default for offices, retail, stairwells, warehouses – looks bright but not harsh.

Stick to one CCT per visual zone; mixing 830 and 840 tubes in one row always looks patchy and unprofessional.

PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes – planning light level

Even without an exact datasheet, you can plan with typical T8 values:

18 W T8 ≈ 1200–1350 lm,
58 W T8 ≈ 5000–5200 lm.

Combine that with the number of luminaires and mounting height to estimate your lux levels:

100–200 lx → basic corridors and storage,
300–500 lx → work areas, retail, offices.

If the existing installation feels right, a like-for-like PRELITE fluorescent tube (same W and CCT) will preserve that experience.

Safety, Lifetime and Maintenance of PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes

PRELITE fluorescent tubes behave like any other quality T8, so standard fluorescent rules apply.

Lifetime expectations
- T8 triphosphor lamps of this class typically run 10,000–20,000 hours on proper gear, with 13,000 h a common reference point (for example, a 36 W T8 daylight tube rated 13,000 h).
- For 10–12 h/day circuits, that translates to roughly 2–4 years before group relamping makes sense.
Group relamping with PRELITE fluorescent tubes
- In visible areas, replace all tubes in a row together – that keeps colour and brightness consistent and avoids spotting “new lamp here, old lamp there”.
Handling
- Always isolate power before changing tubes.
- Support the lamp with both hands near the ends, rotate gently in the G13 lampholders until the pins lock.
- Don’t twist hard on the glass or force pins into damaged holders – that’s how you crack tubes and fittings.
Thermal and electrical limits
- Never exceed the luminaire’s rated wattage; a 58 W tube in a housing rated for 18 W will overheat the ballast and wiring.
- Check starters and ballasts if you see repeated flicker or failed starts – a bad starter will kill new tubes quickly.
Mercury and disposal
- PRELITE fluorescent tubes contain a small mercury dose like all T8s. At end of life, send them to the correct lamp/WEEE recycling stream, not general waste.

Procurement Strategy for PRELITE Fluorescent Tubes

For wholesalers and facility managers, the smartest way to treat PRELITE fluorescent tubes is as a tight, standardised maintenance set:

Standardise a small PRELITE range
- TL18W/830 – 18 W warm white T8 for cosy or hospitality-style spaces.
- TL18W/840 – 18 W neutral white T8 for corridors, small rooms, stairwells.
- MIX 58W/840 T8 MIX ELG/Prelite 136338 – 58 W neutral white, 1500 mm, for 5-ft rows and industrial luminaires.
Order strictly by article codes
- Use the full EAN / MPN where available (e.g. 8718215400295 for the 58W/840 MIX ELG/Prelite tube) so every batch matches the same wattage, length and colour.
Use PRELITE fluorescent tubes as a bridge to LED
- Keep them for healthy T8 gear and moderate-hour circuits.
- For long-burning or failing installations, design a medium-term move to LED T8 or new LED luminaires, using the PRELITE tube specs (18 W / 58 W, 830/840) as your reference for target lumen and colour.

Handled like this, PRELITE fluorescent tubes aren’t just random leftover stock – they’re a controlled, documented way to keep T8 installations safe, consistent and easy to maintain, while you decide exactly when and where an LED upgrade really pays off.