At the LED/OLED Lighting Technology Expo in Tokyo from April 15 to 17, 2009, a number of exhibitors had introduced their LED fluorescent lamps that can be installed in existing fluorescent lamp sockets.

Products of Korea-based Teklux

LED fluorescent lamps being rented by KFE Japan

Among these companies, KFE Japan Co Ltd. exhibited the Taiwan-made LED fluorescent lamps which it began renting from March 2009. The lamps currently come in 40 and 120cm long models. And the company will extend the line and offer 30, 60 and 240cm long models later this year.

Different from LED fluorescent lamps already available in the market which need electric works to remove the existing sockets and reconnect wires for installation, the increasing number of new LED products can be used without removing the existing fluorescent lamp sockets, which makes it very easy to install.

The LED fluorescent lamps from TriGem Japan Corp. are compatible with about 200 kinds of sockets in Japan and Korea and can be installed without electrical work if the fluorescent lamp sockets are glow or rapid start type. They also support some inverter type sockets, according to the company.

The products exhibited by Korea-based Teklux Co Ltd which are to be released by Japanese limited liability partnership Eco-Consortium LLP, can fit the existing sockets except those for HF type fluorescent lamps. The 23W TL120 and 13W TL60, which are equivalent to 40W 120cm-long lamp and 20W 60cm-long lamp respectively, will be priced at ¥18,000 and 10,000, separately. The products have now begun entering full-fledged sale in Japan.

In addition, Koha Co Ltd is also to release a 20W-equivalent glow start type product and a 40W-equivalent rapid start type product for ¥17,000 and 10,000, respectively. And Toshin Electric Co Ltd has already released a 40W product that supports both glow and rapid start sockets.