LED Gear Tray Basics: Name, History, Uses

May 29, 2025

Customers often ask us about our LED Gear Trays – what they are, and more specifically, why they’re called ‘gear trays’. If you’re in the market for a gear tray, and even looking at replacing older fluorescent tubes, this article will cover all the basics of LED Gear Trays.

For years, LED technology has offered clever, efficient alternatives to regular lightbulbs, but many people are only familiar with general LED Lights. For commercial and industrial locations, LED Bulkheads & Gear Trays offer a robust lighting option that provides plenty of bright light across wider areas. 

In this article, we’ll cover the basics of LED Gear Trays – what they are, why the strange name, and some advice on finding the right one for your location.

What Are LED Gear Trays?

A Gear Tray, to put it simply, is an assembly that houses all the electrical components needed for the LED light to work. This includes transformers, wiring, sensors, control units, and more. 

Gear trays are often fitted into a bulkhead, the casing which holds the light, and have a simplistic design that allows them to be installed virtually anywhere with convenience, and maintained without major hassles. 

Depending on the type of lighting, Gear Trays will have different components and layouts. Typically, Gear Trays are divided into the following categories:

  • Standard: a metal tray with LEDs and an LED driver. These usually sit in the 8-15W range.
  • Emergency: similar to the Standard, but with a Ni-Cd battery and a charging or change-over unit. These are frequently in the 8-15W range. 
  • Sensor: similar to the Standard, but with a Microwave sensor. 
  • Emergency and Sensor: The ideal combination of a Sensor and an Emergency unit. 

Gear Tray History

While LED Lighting was invented way back in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the late 2000s that LED Gear Trays started to hit the market as an efficient alternative to traditional lighting. Since around 2010 many UK businesses have been replacing older lighting products with newer LED Gear Trays.

Name Origins

A lot of people wonder where the name “Gear Tray” comes from – but it’s actually very simple. “Gear” refers to the mechanical and electrical components necessary for the LED lights to work. These are housed inside the “Tray”, which, in turn, is mounted onto the bulkhead. That’s it! There’s no more to it. 

How Are LED Gear Trays Better Than Fluorescent Tube Lights?

LED Gear Trays are better than fluorescent lightbulbs for many reasons. Some of the main advantages that LED Gear Trays have over traditional fluorescent lightbulbs are:

  • Increased Energy Efficiency: Compared to regular fluorescent lightbulbs, LED Gear Trays consume less power while delivering the same, or even a better light output.
  • Easier Maintenance: Since many LED Gear Trays are modular, it’s easier to replace faulty components without having to change the entire fixture. 
  • Better Lighting Quality: One of the main problems with fluorescent lightbulbs is that they degrade over time, resulting in flickering and dimmer lighting. This isn’t as much of an issue with LED Gear Trays. 
  • Longer Lifespan: In most cases, LED Gear Trays are much more durable than fluorescent lightbulbs, requiring fewer replacements over time. 
  • Eco-Friendliness: As opposed to fluorescent lightbulbs, LED Gear Trays do not contain mercury, which makes them much more eco-friendly when disposed of. 

Overall, LED Gear Trays are a far superior choice when it comes to power efficiency in the long run and saving yourself the hassle of constant and complicated component replacements. 

What’s the Best Gear Tray Wattage?

Depending on your specific needs, some Gear Tray wattages and models will be better than others. Gear Trays with lower wattages are ideal for small office buildings and commercial settings, whereas those with higher wattages are best for warehouses, industrial facilities, and parking garages. 

Our LED Gear Trays range from 8 to 15 Watts, and we have models like the EB-R-8-N 8W LED Standard Gear Tray. A Gear Tray like this is equivalent to 16 Watt fluorescent lightbulb, and with a diameter of 180mm x 27mm, it can fit anywhere without taking too much space. 

If you need to light a larger area, our EB-R-15 15W LED Microwave Sensor & 3hr Emergency Gear Tray is ideal for the task. With an equivalent fluorescent wattage of 28W, a dimmable corridor function that goes from 10-100%, a Lumen output of 1700lm, a diameter of 244mm, and a price tag of £45.60, this Gear Tray is very convenient and cost-effective in the long run. 

Best Uses for Gear Trays

LED Gear Trays are extremely versatile, as they can be used for a wide range of purposes across various industries, including: 

  • Commercial buildings
  • Warehouses
  • Office Buildings
  • Retail stores
  • Factories
  • Production facilities
  • Car Parks

These are only a few places where our LED Gear Trays can be installed to make lighting simpler, more cost-effective, and considerably more durable. However, there are many more possibilities.

So, Should You Opt for LED Gear Trays?

The short answer is yes, due to the considerable increase in energy efficiency, durability, and ease of maintenance compared to regular fluorescent lightbulbs. While an argument could be made against LED Gear Trays due to their higher upfront cost over fluorescent lightbulbs, the investment is well worth it. 

In the long run, you’ll save considerably more money with an LED Gear Tray, all while spending more time doing what you like – instead of having to replace broken or degraded lightbulbs.

Check out our variety of LED Gear Trays with an estimated lifetime of 35,000 hours to find the right one for you. We offer a 4-Year Warranty and a 28-Day Money Back Guarantee, so you can shop with confidence knowing that you’ll be purchasing a product that will outlast your regular fluorescent lightbulb.

Go to our contact page for information on where to find us, our email, and our telephone number, so you can give us a ring. We’re open Monday through Friday, from 9am-5pm.

Updated: 29-08-2024

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