LED batten lights: sizes, wattage, T5 vs T8 and converting fluorescent fittings

Short answer: A batten light is a long, slim linear fitting screwed directly onto a ceiling or wall. Common lengths are 30, 60, 90 and 120 cm (about 1, 2, 3 and 4 ft); a 120 cm LED batten is typically around 36 W and replaces an old 120 cm 36 W fluorescent batten. T5 is the slim tube size (about 16 mm, G5 cap), T8 the thicker one (about 26 mm, G13 cap). You can convert an existing fluorescent fitting with T8 LED tubes; with mains-direct tubes the ballast and starter are taken out of the circuit. Have a qualified electrician do the wiring.

What is a batten light?

The name comes from the long, narrow body. Older battens held one or two fluorescent tubes. Today there are two types:

• Integrated LED batten: the LEDs are built into the body; there is no separate tube. It is a single unit.
• Tube batten: a T8 (G13) LED tube is fitted into the body. When the tube fails, only the tube is replaced.

Both are surface-mounted; no suspended ceiling or cut-out is needed. They are used under kitchen cabinets, on shelves, inside cupboards, in garages, warehouses, workshops, corridors and schools.

Batten sizes and wattage

Power and light output rise with length. Manufacturer values for the models we sell:

• 30 cm: Lamptime BP10 9 W (900 lm), BP11 T5 4 W (440 lm), BP12 T8 tube 5 W (750 lm).
• 45 cm: BP12 T8 tube 7 W (1,050 lm).
• 60 cm: BP10 18 W (1,800 lm), BP11 8 W (880 lm), BP12 9 W (1,350 lm), Braytron Proline 18 W (2,160 lm).
• 90 cm: BP10 27 W (2,700 lm), BP11 12 W (1,320 lm), BP12 15 W (2,250 lm).
• 120 cm: BP10 36 W (3,600 lm), BP11 16 W (1,760 lm), BP12 18 W (2,700 lm) or 27 W (4,050 lm), Braytron Proline 36 W (4,320 lm) and the slim PS model 35 W (3,600 lm).
• 150 cm: BP12 18 W or 27 W.

When people search for a "36 W" or "40 W 4 ft LED batten" they mean the same class: a 120 cm fitting giving roughly 3,600–4,300 lumens. Compare lumens, not watts: watts are consumption, lumens are light. See our guide to lumens, watts and colour temperature.

Actual length differs slightly from the nominal size. The BP10 120 cm body is 1,248 mm; the BP12 120 cm tube is 1,214 mm including pins. Check the dimensions before fitting.

T5 vs T8

The number after the T is the tube diameter in eighths of an inch:

• T5: about 16 mm diameter, G5 cap (pins 5 mm apart). Slim and light.
• T8: about 26 mm diameter, G13 cap (pins 13 mm apart). The most common fluorescent size. LED T8 tubes can be up to 28 mm; our BP12 is Ø28 mm.

A T5 tube will not fit a T8 holder and vice versa. Many people looking for a "T5 LED tube" actually want to refresh an old T5 fitting. The cleanest route is to replace the T5 body with an integrated slim LED batten. The Lamptime BP11 is such a "T5 batten": a 37 × 25 mm profile with the light source built in, so no separate G5 tube is needed.

Converting a fluorescent fitting to LED

If the fluorescent batten is in good condition, you can swap the tube for a T8 LED tube. First identify the fitting:

• Magnetic ballast (with starter): a small cylindrical starter sits next to the tube.
• Electronic ballast: no starter; the ballast is a slim box.

There are three LED tube types: ones that run on the old magnetic ballast, ones compatible with electronic ballasts, and mains-direct tubes (220–240 V). The Lamptime BP12 we sell is mains-direct. With this type:

1. Switch off the circuit and test that it is dead.
2. Turn the old tube 90° and remove it.
3. Remove the starter; take the ballast (and any power-factor capacitor) out of the circuit.
4. Rewire according to the tube's wiring diagram.
5. Insert the LED tube and turn it 90° to lock.

Supply can be single-ended or double-ended. In a single-ended tube, live and neutral go to the two pins at one end; the other end only holds the tube. In a double-ended tube, live is at one end and neutral at the other. This is printed on the tube label and in the manual. The BP12 wiring diagram is in the manual on the product page; follow it exactly. Incorrect wiring destroys the tube and is dangerous. A qualified electrician should carry out the conversion, and it is good practice to label the converted fitting so nobody fits a fluorescent tube again.

Tube or new fitting? If the body is sound and clean, a tube conversion is enough. If it is yellowed, the lampholders are cracked or the cover is missing, fitting a new LED batten takes less labour.

Under-cabinet, shelf and cupboard lighting

Kitchen worktops, display shelves and cupboards need short, slim fittings:

• 30, 60 and 90 cm lengths suit standard cabinet modules.
• The BP11 T5 fits under cabinets with its 37 × 25 mm profile and is available with an on-fitting switch.
• In kitchens, 3000–4000 K is usually preferred.

Mount the batten close to the front edge of the cabinet to avoid shadows. For a continuous line of light, LED strip is another option; compare in our kitchen lighting and hidden lighting guides.

Warehouses, workshops, garages and corridors

In larger spaces 120 cm battens are installed in rows. Practical points:

• As a rough guide, one 120 cm 36 W batten covers about 8–10 m² in an office or classroom and 15–20 m² in a garage or warehouse. For an exact number, do a lighting calculation.
• In rarely used corridors, stairwells and stores a sensor model saves energy. The Braytron Proline 120 cm sensor version detects up to 8 m and stays on for 2 minutes. The Lamptime BP12 120 cm tube has an RF sensor option.
• 4000–6500 K gives clear vision in stores and technical areas.
• Where there is moisture, dust or water spray (car parks, wash bays, open stores), choose an IP65 weatherproof fitting rather than a batten. See weatherproof and high-bay fittings.

The battens we sell are for dry indoor use (BP11 and BP12 IP20, Proline IP40).

Connecting battens in a row

Battens can be placed end to end to form a continuous line of light. On the electrical side:

• Each fitting is supplied in parallel with live and neutral, never in series.
• Looping the supply from one fitting to the next is only done with terminals the manufacturer allows and according to the manual. Otherwise feed each fitting from a junction box.
• When many LED fittings switch on at once, the drivers' inrush current can trip the breaker. On long runs, plan the number of fittings per breaker using the driver data.
• Do not leave cables loose; run them in surface trunking or conduit.

24 V options

Every length of the Lamptime BP11 and BP12 is available in a 24 V DC version. These connect to a 24 V DC power supply, not to 230 V. Where are they useful?

• Low-voltage systems running on 24 V (battery and solar systems, 24 V installations).
• Sharing the same 24 V power supply with LED strip under cabinets or in shelving.

Choose a power supply rated above the total wattage of the connected fittings; the method is in our LED driver selection guide. The 90, 120 and 150 cm BP12 tubes also come with a wide 90–265 V AC input option.

Battens in our shop

Our batten light category includes:

• Lamptime BP10: integrated LED batten, 30–120 cm, 9–36 W, 100 lm/W.
• Lamptime BP11 T5: slim T5 batten, 30–120 cm, 4–16 W, with switch and 24 V options.
• Lamptime BP12: T8 G13 LED tube, 30–150 cm, 5–27 W, 150 lm/W; 24 V, 90–265 V and RF sensor options; "Red Meat" colour for butcher counters.
• Braytron Proline: 60 cm 18 W and 120 cm 36 W, three selectable colour temperatures, white or black body, sensor option.

Lamptime models are available from 2700 to 6500 K. ENGN sells Lamptime and Braytron at its store in Nilüfer, Bursa (Türkiye); write to us if you need help choosing.

• → Batten lights
• → Lamptime BP12 T8 LED tube
• → Lamptime BP11 T5 batten
• → Braytron Proline LED batten