Lights blocked by garage door

cm1seabee · May 29, 2013

Looking for ideas to fix a lighting problem. I often have the door open on my one car garage. With the door open the florescent lights are blocked. (Door does not have windows). Has anyone ever hung lights from the garage door channels. One thought I have is to hang 4 foot fixtures level with the door channels. as soon as I finish the drywall I will post pictures.
Thanks

DirtRoad · May 29, 2013

When my door is up it blocks two of my lights also.

I figured out a fix though, close the door.

Haha sorry had to say it.

Just mount lights on the walls is what i would do.

eljefino · May 29, 2013

What if you were able to run an extra long overhead horizontal track so you could shove the door in an extra foot or two? Then put lights on the door header that would miss the bottom of the door when it's up and well away.

What brand door is it, if it's common like Clopay you can pick up a "window module" as its own part.

twinscrewcaddy · May 29, 2013

get roll up doors.

gatchel · May 29, 2013

I positioned my lights over the Garage door so that when the door is fully open only half of the light is blocked by the door. The other half shines through the windows on the door.

Depending on the direction you want the lights to go, you could chain them down lower than the track, or use a length of uni-strut to mount them across the door width.
How wide is the door?

xtremek · May 29, 2013

Put the fluorescents on the wall on each side of the door? And cut the reflector down so that the bottom half doesn't interfer with the light. Flood lights in the ceiling. Build drop brackets that bolt to the ceiling and drop below the door. How much head room do you have when the door is up? I know I couldn't bolt anything to my door tracks, but I could weld to them.

Olliecampbell · May 29, 2013

If you have enough height you could hang the lights underneath the door...check out Jacks 12 Gauge garage, he did it there.

Falcon67 · May 29, 2013

In my old shop, I had 12 each 4' fixtures in rows of three. The row close to the door let the door covered one and the other two were turned parallel to the door track and just outside the track. Plenty of light with the door open, more with it closed.

BMWFatherFigure · May 30, 2013

Wall mount extra units

keithh2oskier · May 31, 2013

Check out the 12 gauge garage. He has some lights he made that hang below the garage door so even when its up he.still has light.

Jack Olsen · May 31, 2013

Yeah. I don't know if it will be helpful to someone who's already installed the fixtures, and is using traditional fluorescents. But I put some pendulum lights on arms that extends out from the side walls.

Here's a video that shows how the door goes above the light fixtures:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=gIepXrXrWIo

Here it is with the door closed:

Here it is with the door open:

bczygan · May 31, 2013

Jack,
I never tire of looking at the clean, uncluttered California-ness of your garage. It always makes me a little miffed that mine will never be so sparse and spartan and clean. Yours has a style like a renovated Airstream trailer. Smooth.

To the OP...why not just mount a couple of slimline fluorescent fixtures right on the garage door panels. Route the cord on a flexible whip so it follows the door movement.

g3integragsr · May 31, 2013

Alright, Here is what I did:

I have Four 8ft Light's in my garage, when I wired them they all ran off one switch (didn't previously put much thought into it). Problem being... when the door is open the one above the door would be blocked and rendered useless. Just wasting 220 watts of electricity. So I came up with a bit of a plan..

I re-wired the lights the other day using Male and Female plugs, then I used this (one on each of the three lights I'd like to turn on/off seperately when I don't need all four running: http://www.meritline.com/remote-controlled-switch-socket-bh9936-3---p-83446.aspx

Now I flip the switch, Only my first light is on, then I can turn on whatever other lights I feel is necessary for the work I'm doing

NUTTSGT · Jun 1, 2013

I have some 4 footers that are mounted along the side of the vehicle. They generally work for me on the rare occasion when the door is up and I need light.

Kevin54 · Jun 1, 2013

DirtRoad said:
When my door is up it blocks two of my lights also.

I figured out a fix though, close the door.

Haha sorry had to say it.

Just mount lights on the walls is what i would do.

Let me guess your profession.....Rocket Scientist :lol_hitti

I'd do the same thing, shut the door or move the light. :lol:

Other than that, not too much you can do really. It's really simple. Really it is :lol:

OJ Bartley · Jun 4, 2013

I have been wondering about vertically mounted lights (like xtremek mentioned), one on each side of the garage door. I thought it would look pretty cool, and if you don't have shelves or anything installed in that space, it could be a good way to get light with the door up or down.

Lights blocked by garage door

cm1seabee

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