Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes in the Sylvania Ecosystem

Sylvania fluorescent tubes are a core part of the brand’s “traditional” portfolio – still heavily used in supermarkets, offices, schools, warehouses and industrial sites that run on T5 and T8 linear gear.

Most of what you’ll see today sits under two big families:

• T8 Luxline Plus / Premium Extra Tri-Phosphor
• T5 Luxline Plus (FHE/FHO high-efficiency and high-output)

They’re designed to give high efficacy, stable colour, CRI 80+ and long life (up to ~24,000 h) while staying compatible with existing magnetic and electronic ballasts.

Construction and Technology Behind Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

All Sylvania fluorescent tubes use classic low-pressure fluorescent technology, but with modern tri-phosphor coatings:

• Tube geometry
  • T8: 26 mm diameter with G13 caps (e.g. F36W/840, F58W/865, F25W/840 special length).
  • T5: 16 mm diameter with G5 caps in high-efficiency (FHE) and high-output (FHO) versions.
• Triphosphor coating
  • Luxline Plus and Premium Extra Tri-Phosphor use optimised tri-phosphor blends for high luminous efficacy and excellent lumen maintenance with CRI Ra 80–89.
• Gas fill and mercury dose
  • Low-pressure gas plus a small mercury dose (<3 mg in Premium Extra / Luxline Plus ranges) for compliance with modern environmental rules.

This combination is what lets Sylvania fluorescent tubes hit solid lm/W values, long service life and good colour stability, while staying drop-in compatible with standard fixtures.

Main Ranges of Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes – T8 Luxline Plus

The T8 Luxline Plus line is the “standard workhorse” for most retrofits and maintenance:

• Typical examples
  • F36W/840 T8 Luxline Plus – 36 W, 4000 K cool white, average life quoted around 24,000 h.
  • F30W/840, F25W/840, F15W/830 – special lengths and wattages (e.g. 25 W, 820–850 mm; 30 W ~900 mm; 15 W short tubes) for legacy luminaires.
  • F70W/T8/865 Luxline Plus – 69.5 W, 6500 K daylight, G13, designed for long industrial fittings and large spaces.
• Performance snapshot (typical 25–36 W examples)
  • 25 W T8 840, 690–820 mm: ~2000 lm, 15,000 h.
  • 36 W T8 840, 1200 mm: ~3300 lm, 20–24,000 h depending on ballast and burning cycle.

T8 Luxline Plus Sylvania fluorescent tubes are the go-to choice when you need simple T8 replacements with good efficacy and long life across common lengths. Fluorescent tubes continue to serve facilities where long operating hours, broad light coverage and predictable maintenance cycles remain essential. For routine replacements in corridors, offices and storage areas, many teams rely on simple, compatible options like zext fluorescent tubes, which fit common fixture types without adjustment. Projects that require cleaner colour output or more stable phosphor performance — especially in learning environments or retail shelving — frequently incorporate balanced, well-tested ranges such as viva light fluorescent tubes and the more application-focused lines from vitolight fluorescent tubes. High-usage commercial floors and logistics spaces, where tubes run for extended hours, often standardise on durable, long-life options like tungsram fluorescent tubes. Budget-controlled refurbishments or public-sector upgrades typically round out their selection with cost-efficient, easy-to-stock replacements such as toplux fluorescent tubes to keep operating costs predictable.

Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes – T8 Premium Extra & Special Length

Alongside Luxline Plus, Sylvania offers T8 Premium Extra Tri-Phosphor and Luxline Plus Special Length variants:

• Premium Extra Tri-Phosphor T8
  • High CRI (Ra 80–89), excellent lumen maintenance, average rated life around 20,000 h (3 h burning cycle).
  • Operates on both conventional and electronic ballasts.
• T8 Luxline Plus Special Length
  • Same triphosphor technology, but built in non-standard lengths for retrofit of special luminaires (signage, OEM fixtures, niche ceiling modules).
  • Rated life around 20,000 h, high luminous efficacy and compliance with workplace lighting standards (EN 12464-1, AS/NZS 4782).

These Sylvania fluorescent tubes are particularly valuable when you must keep custom or special-length T8 luminaires running without redesign.

Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes – T5 FHE/FHO Luxline Plus

For slim, modern fixtures, T5 Luxline Plus is the key Sylvania fluorescent tube range:

• FHE (Fluorescent High Efficiency) – slim, high-efficiency T5 tubes
  • Example: FHE 21W/830 & 21W/840 – 21 W, G5, warm or cool white; datasheets describe them as high-efficiency slim linear fluorescent tubes with superior colour and lumen maintenance.
  • Typical lifetimes up to 24,000 h.
• FHO (Fluorescent High Output) – higher flux from the same length
  • Example: FHO 54W/840 T5 – 54 W, 4000 K, G5 base, ~4450 lm, rated life about 24,000 h.
  • Example: FHO 80W/840 T5 – 80 W, 4000 K, ~6350–7000 lm, up to 24,000 h average life.

FHO Luxline Plus Sylvania fluorescent tubes are specifically promoted for industrial, logistics, education and retail where high lumen packages per lamp and compatibility with electronic dimmable gear are critical.

Light Quality and Performance of Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

Across T5 and T8, Sylvania fluorescent tubes share a very clear technical profile:

• Colour rendering (CRI)
  • Luxline Plus and Premium Extra tri-phosphor tubes deliver Ra 80–89 (Class 1B), which easily meets office and workplace standards and keeps skin tones and merchandise looking natural.
• Colour temperatures
  • 827 / 830 – 2700–3000 K “homelight” / warm white (hotels, homes, hospitality).
  • 840 – 4000 K cool white – the most common neutral for offices and retail.
  • 865 – 6500 K daylight for workshops, industry and places needing high visual clarity.
• Efficacy and lumen output
  • T8 Luxline Plus 25 W 840: ~2000 lm (≈80 lm/W).
  • T8 Luxline Plus 36 W 840: ~3300–3350 lm (≈90+ lm/W).
  • T5 FHO 80 W 840: 6350–7000 lm (≈80–90 lm/W) depending on exact model.
• Lifetime and lumen maintenance
  • T8 Premium Extra / Luxline Plus: rated life ~20,000–24,000 h, with very good lumen maintenance across the cycle (often 90%+ at 16–20k hours on electronic gear).
  • T5 Luxline Plus: lifetime figures up to 24,000 h are typical in FHE/FHO datasheets.

For existing linear installations, this means predictable energy use, good color quality and long maintenance cycles with Sylvania fluorescent tubes.

Typical Applications for Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

Because the range spans both T5 and T8, Sylvania fluorescent tubes show up in a wide range of luminaires:

• Retail and supermarkets
  • T8 Luxline Plus and Premium Extra in trunking, battens and recessed lines over aisles and shelving.
  • Colour codes 830/840/865 tuned to match brand and product presentation needs.
• Offices, schools and healthcare
  • T5 FHE/FHO Luxline Plus in modular recessed fittings and slim suspended systems.
  • Neutral 4000 K with CRI 80+ for comfortable visual environments.
• Industrial and logistics
  • High-output FHO T5 and long T8 Luxline Plus (e.g. F70W/T8/865) in high-bay and continuous-row lighting.
• Museums, hospitality and mixed-use spaces
  • T5 Luxline Plus in indirect coves, wall washers and slim architectural fittings – datasheets explicitly list applications like museums, galleries, hospitality and retail.
• Special luminaires and custom lengths
  • T8 Luxline Plus Special Length for unique ceiling modules, U-profiles and OEM luminaires that don’t use standard sizes.

How to Select Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes for a Project

When choosing Sylvania fluorescent tubes, treat it like a quick engineering step, not just a random wattage pick.

1. Confirm Type, Length and Cap

• Check if the fitting is T8 (26 mm, G13) or T5 (16 mm, G5).
• Measure the tube and read the old markings:
  • T8: 15 W (~45 cm), 18 W (~60 cm), 25 W (~70–80 cm special), 30 W (~90 cm), 36 W (~120 cm), 58 W (~150 cm), 70 W (~176 cm).
  • T5: 14/21/28/35 W FHE and 24/39/54/80 W FHO lengths.

Type and length must match exactly; T5 and T8 are not interchangeable.

2. Match Wattage and Gear

• Use the luminaires’ label and ballast rating as your main reference – for example, a 36 W T8 electromagnetic batten should get 36 W T8 Luxline Plus, not 25 W or 58 W.
• For T5 FHO tubes, ensure you have electronic ballasts rated for those lamps; FHO is not designed for old magnetic gear.

3. Choose Colour Temperature and Series

• Warm white (827/830) – hospitality, residential-style spaces, cozy retail.
• Cool/neutral white (840) – offices, supermarkets, schools, general work areas.
• Daylight (865) – workshops, industry, high-contrast tasks, back-of-house.

Pick one CCT per visual zone so rows don’t look patchy.

Choose series by need:

• Luxline Plus – general high-efficiency T5/T8.
• Premium Extra / Luxline Plus Special Length – where you need maximum lumen maintenance, extended life or non-standard lengths.

4. Design for Light Level and Maintenance

• Use lumen figures as a planning tool – e.g. ~3300 lm from a 36 W T8 or 4450–7000 lm from 54–80 W T5 FHO – and combine lamp count, spacing and mounting height to hit your target lux.
• In high-hour applications (retail, logistics, 12–16 h/day), plan group relamping around 18–20k hours to keep visual uniformity and reduce random failures.

Safety, Gear Compatibility and Lifecycle for Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

Even with good lamps, how you install and operate Sylvania fluorescent tubes matters:

• Ballast compatibility
  • T8 Luxline Plus / Premium Extra: can run on conventional or electronic ballasts.
  • T5 FHO/FHE: designed for electronic gear only, with some versions explicitly dimmable on approved ballasts.
• Thermal and mechanical care
  • Don’t oversize wattage versus luminaire rating; overheating kills both ballast and lamp early.
  • Rotate tubes gently in G5/G13 lampholders; forcing them can crack glass or damage contacts.
• Environmental aspects
  • Mercury content is kept low (<3 mg in Premium Extra / Luxline Plus ranges), and products are RoHS-compliant – but they must be recycled through lamp/WEEE streams, not mixed waste.
• Regulatory context
  • Many T8 and some T5 lines are being gradually phased out in favour of LED, with certain Sylvania SKUs flagged as “no longer available” or “while stocks last”.
  • For new projects, it’s smart to treat Sylvania fluorescent tubes mainly as a support tool for existing luminaires, while planning LED for future upgrades.

Procurement Strategy for Sylvania Fluorescent Tubes

For wholesalers, facility managers and installers, Sylvania fluorescent tubes work best as a structured, standardised range rather than ad-hoc items:

• Build a core matrix, for example:
  • T8 Luxline Plus: F18W/840, F36W/830/840, F58W/840/865, F70W/T8/865.
  • T8 Luxline Plus Special Length: F25W/840 33", F15W/830, plus any legacy sizes you support.
  • T5 Luxline Plus FHE/FHO: 21W/830-840, 28W/830-840, 54W/840, 54W/865, 80W/840.
• Always order and document by full Sylvania article code (SKU / EAN) so future replacements match wattage, length, colour code and lumen package exactly.

Used this way, Sylvania fluorescent tubes are not just “old tech”, but a precise, well-managed tool for keeping existing T5/T8 infrastructures reliable and visually consistent, while you steer the overall site toward LED wherever it genuinely makes sense.