Which way to mount garage lights?

[CJM8515]

So I went to horrible freight and bout me 6 of the 5500w LED shop lights.



I hung one up over my bench as a test and liked it, decided what the heck ill go grab me the 2 of the 10k watt ones and hung one of them in place of the 5500w over the bench. Its brighter but not that insane over the 5500w..maybe 7000w


anyways I have a 24L x 18W garage and cant decide how to mount the rest of them. Id mainly be working in the center of the garage or at the bench. do i mount them width wise and hang 4 towards the back to clear the door? or so I mount them length wise and dot he same 4 but 2 hidden when the doors up?



I cant figure out which way would be better and dont feel like hanging them up to try multiple times


i also figure I might want to put one on the door itself so when its up i have some more light. think i might put the other 10k watt one there. how would you hook it up since the door moves, you cant leave the thing plugged in all the time id suppose

 

[KansasArt]

So you called them horrible freight and yet you bought their lights? Why?

 

[CJM8515]

So you called them horrible freight and yet you bought their lights? Why?

It’s a joke. We’re not here to debate what I call the place.

Do you have any real advice on how to mount the lights?

 

[matt_i]

You could hang the lights on a crossbar, just an inch below the raised garage door. Then you always have lights whether the door is up or down.

Its hard to have too much light, the one exception being where you weld (or where you develop film I guess ), it can get distracting to have glare bouncing off the inside surface of the lens.

 

[CJM8515]

You could hang the lights on a crossbar, just an inch below the raised garage door. Then you always have lights whether the door is up or down.

I didn’t think of that. Good idea. What sorts material would make a good cross bar?

 

[matt_i]

I'd try unistrut (strut channel, many manufacturers of essentially same product) as a possibility or you could probably go with EMT, but my opinion is you're going to have to get a bigger size, like 1-1/4 or 1-1/2" EMT to be rigid. Square tube also up there as a possibility.

Do you have a single(s) door or a double ~18' door...? It might get challenging to span the 18' width simply and economically.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Just to be clear, they're 5500 lumens, not watts.

 

[CJM8515]

Just to be clear, they're 5500 lumens, not watts.

Yes that’s what I meant. Whoops

 

[nadogail]

How many lumens per watt do you get from those lights?

 

[Monza Harry]

For the lights in my garage I've started hanging them in box shapes (? I guess you'd call it) I have a row mounted cross ways down the center and a row flanking them mounted longitudinally. I did this so that I shouldn't end up with shadows from the light placement or my fat head blocking a singular source. The shop is 14' wide by 48' long [outside dimensions] with a low ceiling at 7'4",so this was a consideration for sure, a higher ceiling will be a little more forgiving with the shadows but may need more power to achieve
a desired light density. I like Matt's suggestion for the door but that too can be a problem if you have a lower ceiling (or door) height. As for getting power onto a overhead door you can, source a "Curly Cord" but that may still have issues to control its' path, this can be done with a straight wire with a little planning as well, I am considering a retractable extension cord to add a light to my door. Yes I am struggling with a door up shadow, I've resisted a light there as I do want to change the door sometime and I will have a window in the top of the door and will adjust a light position to shine through, I'm doubting this will fix everything but it should be supplemented by "Sunlight" during the day. Harry
https://www.google.com/search?q=Cur...hUKEwjdza655brwAhXSB50JHeLWCawQ4dUDCA4&uact=5
https://www.google.com/search?q=Ret...&ved=0ahUKEwin77TE5brwAhWBGs0KHUF_AVIQ4dUDCA4

 

[CJM8515]

For the lights in my garage I've started hanging them in box shapes (? I guess you'd call it) I have a row mounted cross ways down the center and a row flanking them mounted longitudinally. I did this so that I shouldn't end up with shadows from the light placement or my fat head blocking a singular source. The shop is 14' wide by 48' long [outside dimensions] with a low ceiling at 7'4",so this was a consideration for sure, a higher ceiling will be a little more forgiving with the shadows but may need more power to achieve
a desired light density. I like Matt's suggestion for the door but that too can be a problem if you have a lower ceiling (or door) height. As for getting power onto a overhead door you can, source a "Curly Cord" but that may still have issues to control its' path, this can be done with a straight wire with a little planning as well, I am considering a retractable extension cord to add a light to my door. Yes I am struggling with a door up shadow, I've resisted a light there as I do want to change the door sometime and I will have a window in the top of the door and will adjust a light position to shine through, I'm doubting this will fix everything but it should be supplemented by "Sunlight" during the day. Harry
https://www.google.com/search?q=Cur...hUKEwjdza655brwAhXSB50JHeLWCawQ4dUDCA4&uact=5
https://www.google.com/search?q=Ret...&ved=0ahUKEwin77TE5brwAhWBGs0KHUF_AVIQ4dUDCA4

Yea that’s my issue the main work area is past the door but the light may cast a shadow depending on where I put them.

I decided I’m going to try and mount them width wise. Worst case I move them I guess

I think I will also mount the 4 bulb 10k lumen light in the center to provide as much light in the main area in addition to the other lights which I like your idea to mount in a box type pattern to avoid shadows. Or in this case an I pattern

Door is about 8ft high when open and ceiling is only about 9.5ft high

 

[no704]

Mount them @ 45 deg

 

[danfromsyr]

and if it's warmer than that?

Mount them @ 45 deg