Due to the potential hazard associated with this application type Con Edison has decided to revoke program eligibility along with A/B Hybrid LED tubes that are also internal drive LED tubes designed primarily as a Type A ballast compatible “plug & play” or “instant fit” solution that could then be converted to a Type B and direct wired if the ballast failed.
Eligibility for all Type B & Type A/B Hybrid Light Emitting Diode (LED) tubes that replace fluorescent tubes and LEDs that replace compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) from all programs immediately . Given that there are so many Type B LED options for pin based CFLs and biax lamps, the lack of rebates will impact customer purchase decisions beyond the LED tubes. Type B LED tubes are those with an internal driver that require the bypass of the existing ballast with line voltage wired directly to the socket “tombstones” in common troffer, strip, vapor tight, or high bay fixtures.
This is a bellwether indicator of trends for potential other utility companies regarding incentives to replace the ubiquitous fluorescent tubes that illuminate the majority of commercial real estate around the world.
Industry insiders knew that this Con Edison change was coming for the past few months, and it is now official.