What are LED HID Retrofit Bulbs?
LED HID retrofit bulbs are high-efficiency, solid-state lamps engineered to replace traditional High-Intensity Discharge sources—including metal halide bulbs, mercury vapor bulb types, and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps—within existing light fixtures. These LED replacement bulbs allow facility managers to modernize indoor high/low bay lighting and outdoor area fixtures without the high cost of a total luminaire replacement. By performing a professional HID retrofit, you can achieve customizable light output while maintaining your current infrastructure.
HID to LED Wattage Comparison: See the Savings
Transitioning from legacy HID bulbs to LED results in immediate power reduction, often achieving energy savings between 70% and 83%. The following comparison illustrates typical savings when replacing traditional HID replacement bulbs with modern Performance Class LED systems:
| Traditional Source | Traditional System Wattage | LED System Wattage | Energy Savings |
| 50W Metal Halide | 60W | 10W | 83% |
| 70W Metal Halide | 84W | 20W | 76% |
| 100W Metal Halide | 120W | 25W | 79% |
| 175W Metal Halide | 210W | 60W | 71% |
| 250W Metal Halide | 300W | 75W | 75% |
| 400W Metal Halide | 480W | 120W | 75% |
| 1000W Metal Halide | 1200W | 450W | 63% |
Types of LED Retrofit Bulbs
Modern retrofit technology offers specialized designs tailored to specific fixture optics and mounting requirements:
- LED Corn Bulbs: Featuring a 285° to 360° beam angle, these lamps are ideal for omnidirectional illumination in post-top fixtures and bollards.
- High Bay Retrofit Lamps: Optimized for vertical installation in warehouses and industrial settings, these lamps often replace up to 400W–1000W HID applications.
- LED Shoebox & Expandable Retrofits: Specifically designed for horizontal area lighting and wall packs, these lamps feature rotatable bases (up to 320°) and unique expandable sides that open to deliver a 180° beam angle exactly where light is needed.
- High lumen LED bulbs: These ultra-high-output lamps, including ED28, ED37, ED17, ED23, A21, A23, and PS30 bulb shapes, provide a brighter scale of efficiency for venues requiring significant output. These high-lumen filament and SMD options provide a professional-grade solution, replacing up to 200W incandescent or equivalent HID sources.
Key Performance Benefits: HID vs LED
When evaluating HID vs LED, the performance advantages of modern LED technology are definitive. Legacy systems suffer from long warm-up times, whereas LED replacement bulbs offer:
- Field Selectable Technology: Many models allow you to select from three wattage levels and three color temperatures (3000K, 4000K, 5000K) via physical switches on the lamp.
- Exceptional Longevity: Rated for 50,000+ hours (L70), these lamps last up to 5X longer than traditional HID lamps.
- Intelligent Controls: "Controls Ready" models feature Smart Sensor Ports for plug-and-play motion sensors, photocells, and WiFi modules.
- Extreme Efficacy: Advanced drivers deliver up to 157–195 lumens per watt (LPW), maximizing brightness while minimizing energy draw.
Maximize Facility Efficiency with an HID Retrofit
Upgrading to LED HID bulbs is the most effective way to reduce operational overhead and improve lighting quality in any industrial or commercial setting. By choosing a high-quality HID retrofit from Bees Lighting instead of replacing the entire fixture, you utilize your current infrastructure while gaining advanced features like tunable CCT, wattage selectability, and smart port connectivity. With significant energy savings and a lifespan that far exceeds traditional metal halide bulbs or any legacy mercury vapor bulb, these LED replacement bulbs provide a reliable, long-term solution for modern facility managers. For expert assistance with your retrofit project, call Bees Lighting today at 855-303-0665.