Garage Shop Lighting

[Hellrazor]

I get the 48" T8 flourescent fixtures at BORG that have the wire squirrel cage protectors.


http://contractorservices.homedepot....8-569e1a62a74f

[gimpy]

In my 24 X 28 foot garage, I have 8 of the twin four footers for lighting. They are the t8 w/electronic ballasts. They come on immediately, even in sub freezing weather. I have the bluish lights also. Only problem is the guy who installed them installed them in the wrong direction (due to the garage door opening brace being in the way of a couple of them). I also have the lights on its on circuit, so if the tablesaw and/or other trips the circuit, I will not be in the dark.

Another thing I had done was putting outlets up high at about 4 feet off the floor and spaced around the building every 4 feet. I have twelve total outlets, only missing outlets where I have windows. I also divvied the garage circuits up in halves. Again, the only problem is it was divided up front half to back half. If I had it to do over again, I would have done it right side/left side. (just mentioning this so others can learn from my mistakes)

[Rich P]

Others replying to this topic must have much better eyesight than I do. As I get older my motto on light is (like clamps) you can't have too much. My shop is a two bay two car garage that is completely sheet rocked and painted white. Natural lighting is minimal, one 2 x 2 window on the side of one bay and some small high windows in the two garage doors.

In each bay I have 4 8 foot fluorescent bulbs running length wise and two four footers and the end of each bay. It is bright but I still get shadows, especially a problem working with dark wood (lately ipe).

I do find that the daylight rated bulbs are better for me but I guess the wattage is the same. The higher the kelvin rating the better.

If I could figure out how to have task lighting at each machine that really worked I would also add that. For me, a goose neck 60 watt incandescent bulb fixture at the band saw just does not cut it when trying to follow a scratch line.

I live in the SF bay area so start times are not a problem. Usually everything settles down within a few minutes or less.

[LarryG]

Rich, I'm with you. My shop is currently housed in a two-car garage that measures 22 x 24 (about 8" less each way, net). I have a total of 26 two-tube, four foot fixtures. Four are directly above and parallel to the cabinets that run across the back wall, and don't get switched on unless I'm working at that counter (and sometimes not even then).

The others are split between two different switches and circuits. I usually only turn on one bank at a time, but there are instances when I want the maximum amount of light and turn on both. Also, the area above my workbench and assembly table (i.e., where I spend most of my time) has the fixtures circuited such that this area gets the maximum light level at all times, equal to the rest of the shop when both banks are turned on.

One reason I have so many is because the ceiling is only 7' high, and had to increase the fixture count in order to get an even light spread at benchtop height. I also had to fit the fixtures between the ceiling joists, which again meant adding more in order to avoid dark spots. IIRC, had the shop had a flat, 8' ceiling that allowed the fixtures to be placed anywhere, I could have gotten the same footcandles with 18 fixtures.

Most of the fixtues are T-8s, fitted with the high-temp daylight bulbs. I have sometimes joked that with all the lights on, I can fry eggs on my jointer tables.

[davebil]

My shop is the back end of 24x36 garage. I did my lighting in a rectangle (6 - 2 bulb, 8 foot fluorescent) around the walls with two large fixtures 4 bulb 8 footers)in the center over the workbench/table saw. Here's an old link...


http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=29895&page=5

[radhak]

I see all your posts with the number and length of flourescent tubes, but what is the wattage of each of your lamps? How much total is recommended?

I have a 18x19 garage, and only have 3 100-watt CFLs as the main source of lighting, and I have not found major reasons to complain. Sometimes (I suspect when it is relatively cold) it's less bright than usual, at which I switch the garage-opener lights on (2 100-watt CFLs). So 300 watts mostly, upto 500 watts of 'daylight bright' (or white) CFLs.

I am wondering, do I need more? I have never felt the need for it yet, but whaddya say?

I have a 10 ft ceiling and everything is painted white.

[JR]

I have just completed new wiring in my 12' x 20' space. In preparation for that effort I painted with white latex, including the finished ceiling. Four 4-footers (two T-8s and two T-12s) are providing good lighting now.

The new wiring allows for four more fixtures, which I may add as I get used to things. I expect to add task lighting pretty much right away. For instance the middle of the shop currently has the least llight. An air cleaner there will provide a good spot to hang a cheap HF magnetic-base lamp for use at my OSS and assembly bench.

JR

[dbhost]

I see all your posts with the number and length of flourescent tubes, but what is the wattage of each of your lamps? How much total is recommended?

I have a 18x19 garage, and only have 3 100-watt CFLs as the main source of lighting, and I have not found major reasons to complain. Sometimes (I suspect when it is relatively cold) it's less bright than usual, at which I switch the garage-opener lights on (2 100-watt CFLs). So 300 watts mostly, upto 500 watts of 'daylight bright' (or white) CFLs.

I am wondering, do I need more? I have never felt the need for it yet, but whaddya say?

I have a 10 ft ceiling and everything is painted white.

I think that would be mostly up to you and your eyes...

[tribalwind]

this is something i really need to tackle too !!!!

i've only got 4 fixtures in there now and the cold really kills them.
(2) 2x48"ers and (2) 2x24"... sometimes they work fine,sometimes they take a while to warm up,or they flicker, or i have to twist the bulb and it works...i've had it with em.

the choices get me confused,im not sure whats not-enough and whats overkill.. T5,8,10,12 etc, 35,40,60,70watt and so on...
i know i definitely would like to put "daylight, sunshine, full spectrum,High output" type bulbs in,but all the variables in specs and price make me wary to buy anything on my own

it's a 10x20' or so garage.gabled roof,half the ceiling area i store plywood and long boards etc...just ran some 2x4's across the joists@ about 7' from floor.
i'd like to mount some fixtures in the joists where its open area,others ill put over workstations...just need to figure out what i should be getting