Top 5 Highest Lumen Direct Wire 4′ LED T8 Lamps

It goes with the territory that many LED retrofit upgrades are done for energy savings and/or to maximize rebates. But sometimes you just need to brighten up a space, and that has made the very high lumen 4′ LED T8 lamps popular. All options below bypass the ballast and wire direct, as this has proven to be the most popular tube retrofit method over the years by a wide margin (for efficiency and long-term maintenance reasons).

Without further ado, here is the list:

#1 – Eiko 26W 3500 Lumens

Eiko 10467 LED26WT8-48-840-G8D
Eiko 10468 LED26WT8-48-850-G8D

Eiko leads the way with the most powerful LED T8 lamp at 26W 3500 lumens. This is the highest-lumen direct-wire LED T8 by 300 lumens. Available in 4000K or 5000K color temp, these lamps bypass the ballast and wire direct (single-end wired only). Only ships by the case of 25.

#2 – TCP 25W 3200 Lumens

TCP LPT825B230K
TCP LPT825B235K
TCP LPT825B241K
TCP LPT825B250K

TCP has always been known for having myriad lighting options for any application so it is no surprise they have a high output direct-wire LED T8 lamp that is near the top of this list. Their’s is listed at 25W 3200 lumens and the interesting thing about the TCP lamp is it is available in 5000K, 4100K, 3500K and 3000K. No one offers anything in 3000K that is remotely close to this light output. These lamps can be installed via single-end or double-end wiring.

#3 – Keystone 25W 3000 Lumens

Keystone KT-LED25T8-48G-835-DX2
Keystone KT-LED25T8-48G-840-DX2
Keystone KT-LED25T8-48G-850-DX2

Coming in at #3 is Keystone at 3000 lumens in 5000K with their 25W DX2 LED T8. Also available in 3500K (2800 lumens) and 4000K (2900 lumens). On that note, the TCP lamps above all list 3200 lumens regardless of color, but we can surmise that it may be a bit less than that for the 3000K version as opposed to the 5000K which generally carries the highest lumen figure. Anyway, Keystone gets credit for having the first high output LED T8 on the market in the 25W-3000 lumen range but has since been passed by the newer releases above from TCP and Eiko. This DX2 LED T8 from Keystone can be installed via double-end wiring (keep sockets how they are) or single-end wiring (re-wire the hot + neutral to one end with a non-shunted socket). It is also the most affordable LED T8 in the 3000+ lumen range.

#4 – Green Creative 20.5W 3000 Lumens

Green Creative 34956 20.5T8/4F/840/BYP
Green Creative 34957 20.5T8/4F/850/BYP

One could argue this Green Creative lamp should be #3 given it is more efficient than the Keystone. But Keystone maintains the #3 spot based on more color options, a bit more affordable cost and being first to the party.  This Green Creative bulb delivers 3000 lumens on just 20.5W, giving it a lumens per watt of 146, making it the most efficient of these high output LED T8 lamps. Available in 4000K or 5000K. Single-end wired only.

#5 – Keystone 18.5W 2600 Lumens

Keystone KT-LED18.5T8-48GC-835-DX2
Keystone KT-LED18.5T8-48GC-840-DX2
Keystone KT-LED18.5T8-48GC-850-DX2
Keystone KT-LED18.5T8-48GC-840-DX2 /USA
Keystone KT-LED18.5T8-48GC-850-DX2 /USA

Keystone’s 18.5W 2600 lumen LED T8 makes the list as it has been around for several years. However it remains the most popular linear LED on this list, thanks to a reasonable cost and a light output that will still blow away a fluorescent yet isn’t quite as powerful/niche as the lamps on this list tend to be. These lamps are designed as a DX2 lamp, meaning they can be installed via single-end or double-end wiring. They are also glass-coated/NSF rated (food-safe rated) for food production applications. Available in 3500K, 4000K and 5000K, and the 4000K and 5000K versions also are available as Made in USA which is rapidly growing in popularity despite the added cost associated.

Are we missing a lamp on this list? Let us know in the comments. This list was compiled by looking at all the offerings from high-end commercial-grade lighting manufacturers that have been in business for many years/decades. Interested in a quote on these lamps? Contact Premier Lighting today and we will help you find the ideal solution for your application.