Patent ID: 8025423

Claim:
An LED lighting system for retrofitting a fluorescent lighting system including a DC power bus, an inverter connected to the DC power bus for outputting AC power to a lighting bus, a fluorescent light, and a ballast-type unit that receives the AC power from the lighting bus and controls illumination of the fluorescent light, the system comprising: an LED lighting unit for replacing, in situ, the fluorescent light, the LED lighting unit including a housing configured substantially similarly to a configuration of the fluorescent light, and at least one LED in the housing; and a control module for replacing, in situ, at least one of the inverter and the ballast-type unit, the control module electrically connected to the lighting bus and the LED lighting module for controlling illumination of the at least one LED; wherein the LED lighting unit is configured to replace the fluorescent light and at least one additional fluorescent light adjacent to the fluorescent light, the LED lighting unit comprising: first and second circuit boards on which the at least one LED are mounted, the first and second circuit boards being oriented end-to-end; a nonconductive spacer for mechanically coupling an end of the first circuit board with an adjacent end of the second circuit board; and a jumper for electrically connecting LEDs mounted on the first circuit board with LEDs mounted on the second circuit board.