How bright is your shop?

[fnieto]

T5 HO six lamps per fixture. 18 fixtures total for 3200 sf. independent switched (per bay) and three way at both ends. Each fixture is rated at 33,000 lumen with the upgraded lamps.
I can't confirm the data but then again I have no reason to. Plenty of light. upper parts of walls white and ceiling as well.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I like that - I switched from T-12s and T-8s to 4-per T-5 HO's, originally because it's too cold in the winter to have my lights fire off well, but I really like the excessive light these babys throw. I still have t-12's in the corner where the forge sits (on a separate circuit) for less light, but normally, the more light the better!

Nice shop, BTW!

 

[Compy222]

3x 85w/300w cfls ceiling mounted
4x 45w/150w cfls ceiling mounted
8x 23w/90w cfl floods wall mounted in 2x adjustable fixtures

680sqft 3 car, nearly 2k watts of lighting...its pretty bright.

 

[ezover]

How would one measure this? I am curious because mine is very bright.....I like working with a lot of light.

--Joe

there is a tool for testing light levels, just not sure what it is called.

 

[SALIV8]

For those interested:

On my iPad I downloaded the free app "Luxi" which is a lux meter. Throughout my apartment I was able to check different light levels. Then I take that lux level and multiply by 0.0929 to get footcandles.

I have my shop lighting design ready for me to install now, and hope it delivers in person the same as on paper.

We shall see.

I'm using visual-3d.com as my design program.

Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[TJG]

I have a 30x34 garage. 2/3 has 10ft ceiling while the remaining 1/3 has vaulted for a lift. On the lift side, I have eight 48in fixtures (4 on each side of ceiling). I also have three fixtures mounted on the side wall (provide additional light as well as being walk-though lights). On the 10ft ceiling side I have 11 fixtures (4 rows - one row missing a fixtures due to attic ladder placement).



All fixtures are two-bulb t8. It's quiet bright, we've had no issues working under the lift, pulling motor, transmissions, etc.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

I am building a shop with apartment on top. The shop is 28 x 30, but the staircase cuts into the width by 4'. I installed 12 4 bulb T-8 fixtures, 32Ws each. I used the arctic white bulbs as they were half as expensive as the natural daylight bulbs, and it is nice and bright. I don't find the color is overly blue, and it is very, very bright, which I need.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Bay size is approximately 30 x 62. The lights are approximately 10ft apart end to end. Fixtures are from Lowe's $39.99 with 5000K rated bulbs. Each light can be switched on/off individually and are controlled my a motion switch that has "walk-through" programmed into it. The sensors control a RIB relay that actually carries the load. I also have a manual On timer that is paralleled to the sensor so I can override them cutting off for up to an hour without having to reset the dip switches when I'm on the far side of the shop standing in one stop for too long. One sensor controls the front 1/2 of the shop and the other controls the back 1/2 the shop. I can walk into the shop and go in the office and 3 minutes later they cut off.

 

[JordonMusser]

I am using a LED high bay (Flextronics Lighting Solutions 4M) mean't for 20+ft mounting heights, so my optic is not wide enough for my low ceilings (10ft).

I have a high of 230 under the lights, and 130 or so between them. in the "dark corners" i am at about 75FC. This is at night, so no contribution from windows.

I may fiddle with some wider optics as soon as I have some free time.. still trying to finish the house!

This is a 43x36x10, with 12x of the above lights.

 

[SALIV8]

Thanks for measuring Jordon!!

 

[Zrxpilot]

I have qty 3 - 8' dual lamp T-12 H0's in my 18'x 60' bay and its just about perfect. Had my last shop lit up (half the size) with the same amount of lighting and it gave me a headache to be in there more than a couple hours.

Don't forget walk thru lighting and sidewall lighting. I have 5 normal fixtures along the sidewall (incandescent?) on its own switch by the entry door. I recently installed 2 very cheap 4' fluorescents along the right sidewall (under a shelf 6' up from the floor) and was amazed how much it lit up the effort (like doing brakes on a car). This lighting is also on its own switch.

Put lights where you think you want them and build it from there. Took me a year to get what I have now. Plus...having the walk thru lights, the workbench light and the sidewall lights lit up it makes for a very nice entertaining light. Not too much...not too little.

 

[Ainsley]

I'm shooting for 150fc in my 12-25' shop. some quick modelling has me looking at 6 fixtures that are 8', 4 lamp, T8s. I like lots of light so I'm also going to do some LED strip lights under the shelf I'm putting along the top of the wall to eliminate the shadows it will cause.

 

[rburke65]

My shop is 32'x56 for close to 1800 sq. ft. I have 16 eight foot, 4 lamp T-8 fixtures. That 64 - 32 watt lamps for a total of 2048 watts. White ceiling and light colored walls. Love it

 

[fred d]

Not sure what style "T" lights I have but, I have a 20x24 garage
I have 5-8ft double bulb fluorescent lights

I agree that you can't have too much light, as you get older its not a luxury it is a necessity

 

[wagzilla]

I guess I need a lot more lights!!lol

 

[SALIV8]

I've got 1/4 of my lights installed so far. I'm goin with plug in types so I can move them around if needed, as I first thought. You can only plan so well and layouts may change/shift in the future I've come to believe. As bczygan agrees. Nuttsgt shot from the hip and was dead on. I won't be so lucky. Lol.

the switches will control outlets on the ceiling I'm installing now.

I'm planning to use task lighting, when needed, and shooting for 35 footcandles at 2.5' high, similar to deeddudes.

Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[superspec]

My 2 car garage has enough walmart LOA fixtures that you cant cast a shadow. My wife hates it because its really bright at night when i leave the lights on but IDGAF. They hardly ever get turned off.

 

[26 Flatrod]

My old shop was 24 x 24 w 9 ft white ceilings and wood paneled walls. I had 10 dual bulb 4 ft T12s and 4 Dual bulb 4 ft T8 fixtures and I thought the lighting was great. This figured out to about 125 lumens/SF.

The workshop area in my new garage is 36 x 26 with 13 ft white ceilings and plywood walls. I am applying the same Lumens/sf to this garage so I will tell you what I think when it is done. Figures out to 12 quad bulb fixtures (48 4 ft bulbs)

To light the general use area I cut the LSF in half to approx 62 and then the storage area is at 31 LSF, I figure that is a good way to figure it since the lumens are the actual light output.

 

[26 Flatrod]

My shop is 32'x56 for close to 1800 sq. ft. I have 16 eight foot, 4 lamp T-8 fixtures. That 64 - 32 watt lamps for a total of 2048 watts. White ceiling and light colored walls. Love it

That is about 88 Lumens/SF for comparison.

 

[itsvegas]

I try to keep mine about as bright as the Apple store.

 

[Norcal]

Not a very good photo.


The lights in the center are Kenall Millennium series vandal resistant fixtures, prewired, programmed start T8 ballasts & the ballasts are single lamp models so each lamp in each fixture can be switched separately, the fixtures along the walls are 2-lamp F96T12/HO & 3-lamp F48T12/HO's.




These are 2-lamp F96T12/HO fixtures, have the parts to convert all of them to T8 HO & it may happen.....

 

[warner41]

40'x40' with 16' ceiling. White steel on the ceiling and off white steel on the walls. I put up (12) 8' dual T12 fixtures. 110w per bulb = 2,640 watts and 206,400 total lumens. It is set up on 6 fixtures per circuit, 1 circuit in each bay. It's really bright, I also put a switched outlet on each wall at 10' in case I needed more light or wanted to add wall mounted fixtures. I don't, it's almost too bright.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

40'x40' with 16' ceiling. White steel on the ceiling and off white steel on the walls. I put up (12) 8' dual T12 fixtures. 110w per bulb = 2,640 watts and 206,400 total lumens. It is set up on 6 fixtures per circuit, 1 circuit in each bay. It's really bright, I also put a switched outlet on each wall at 10' in case I needed more light or wanted to add wall mounted fixtures. I don't, it's almost too bright.

I did 12 on the 32 x 64 bay area of my shop, I usually just run the center row for general lighting unless I'll really doing something. Tandem T-8's switch individually, motion controlled. I'm like warner41, it's almost too bright.

 

[Jeep51]

30' x 40' with 12' ceiling
7 fixtures: T5 HO units with 4 bulbs per fixture
5000 lumens per bulb so that equals 140000 lumens in 1200sq/ft
The white metal ceilings make a huge difference.

 

[marzo91]

I just finished my 36x48. I have 4 rows of T8s end to end running lengthwise. I have (20 4 lamp fixtures) 80 4' lamps with 5000K bulbs at 2900 lumens. Each row is switched as needed. Comes out to a little over 100 footcandles at the bench tops. I wouldn't change a thing.

The cell phone picture doesn't do it justice. It is actually very bright.

 

[hoyt]

A 30x44 room in my shop illuminated by 30 32-watt T-8 lamps. When that IR heater is on, it's really bright in there.

 

[SALIV8]

I have about 40% of my project completed so far. I designed it for 38 footcandles at the 2.5' plane.

I have outlets installed for the lights so I can move them around if needed. I really like it so far, and don't think I'll be moving them. I have each bay on a switch and also (3) 105w cfls on their own switch to provide low level general lighting, when needed.

I am planning on using task lighting to supplement the bay's lights but not sure how much ill need as it's great lighting for my taste.

 

[Georgia71]

I was thinking about some T5 HO fixtures in my shop. I have an unfinished ceiling. It's a ten foot ceiling. I tried one 4 foot fixture with 2 bulbs and don't like it. The thing is too bright! If I go with these lights I will need to wear a visor at all times! I didn't think you could get it too bright. But it is. I will probably just put some LED's in for now with a dome shade.

 

[Tronyadorable]

I was thinking about some T5 HO fixtures in my shop. I have an unfinished ceiling. It's a ten foot ceiling. I tried one 4 foot fixture with 2 bulbs and don't like it. The thing is too bright! If I go with these lights I will need to wear a visor at all times! I didn't think you could get it too bright. But it is. I will probably just put some LED's in for now with a dome shade.

Too bright ??? #3 shade safety glasses.

 

[SALIV8]

Update: 85% of lighting project completed, finally. I'm very happy with the light levels and not sure I'm going to move any fixtures around. I'll get a measurement of fc's or lux soon. Thanks again for everyone's help and input.

Low level general lighting:

South Bay lighting:

Full lighting:

Exterior low level security lighting:

I'm burning 46watts total for the exterior lighting controlled by a time clock.

 

[Ray916MN]

24x48x13.5

Shop lighting was designed to provide 200 lumens/sq. ft. 4 rows of 11 4' T8 twin bulbs strip fixtures for a total of 88 bulbs on the ceiling.

4 over the work benches and 8 under the decking of the same fixtures and bulbs to provide work lighting.

Don't have a light meter to measure the end result, but after losses to the ceiling from using strips without reflectors and to the shelving I was aiming to get 100 lumens/sq. ft. on the floor.

 

[Ch3No2]

I went with the More is Better and put it on a leash...main bay is 20 x 44 15 4 tube fixtures with double ballasts for split switching and also seperating the center row from the outer rows....4 switches

 

[SALIV8]

To update:

I designed my lighting for 38 footcandles with the free program visual-3d.com. It turned out to be bang-on. It measured 427lux which = 39.** footcandles. I'm super happy with the lighting.

 

[curtrnev]

20x20 with 8 foot ceilings I have 5 6 bulb fixtures with high output t5's 5000k

it's bright enough you can't see outside when your in the garage at night with the door open and I can play shadow puppets on my neighbors garage door across the street