please chime in on lighting layout

dkitt10 · Dec 4, 2015

hey guys looking for some input...ran this by a friend and he says way overkill

but he is also running 4 2 bulb t5 fixtures for a 30x40 haha

my garage inside dimensions are 24' x 31'

right now i have a wall running whole width where my stub walls are with lots storage in back with one incandescent bulb

and 3 old fluorescent which are all between work bench and man-door on left so my lighting is HORRENDOUS especially up front by garage doors

my attached image shows the wall removed loosing some storage but gaining a lot more space and the blue rectangles are my proposed lighting

thinking 2 bulb 4' t8 fixtures

please chime in with any advice you could provide also image is drawn to scale and I have 8 foot ceilings and spacing of lights isnt exact but idea is there left and right side closer to walls where bench and drill/box task lighting and other two rows spaced for filler

encantofred · Dec 4, 2015

i personally think as much light as you can get as long as you control it in separate switches so you can turn it on bank by bank.

there are a nmber of online wholesale lighting suppliers that will do a lumens/ft candle calc on a simple layout like you have. i would check around.

i targeted 100 ft candles at waist height and got a bit more than that and am happy with it. i used t5ho but they are usually used in 20 ft or higher ceilings. t8 is a great choice for your ceiling height.

tom

dkitt10 · Dec 4, 2015

i am planning on running these on one 15 amp breaker

fixtures I am looking at have 0.7 Amp per fixture netting me 65% draw of 15 amp breaker about 10 amps

easy to wire banks to switches but is there advantage to that in a small space...??? i am just not sure i would be in a position to not want all lights on...unless to grab something quickly

Shiftless · Dec 5, 2015

dkitt10 said:
i am planning on running these on one 15 amp breaker

fixtures I am looking at have 0.7 Amp per fixture netting me 65% draw of 15 amp breaker about 10 amps

easy to wire banks to switches but is there advantage to that in a small space...??? i am just not sure i would be in a position to not want all lights on...unless to grab something quickly

Honestly, how often do you go in to grab something and how often do you need operating room levels of illumination in your entire 700 square feet?
I would have one switch with lights on your storage shelves area, one to switch on work bench lights, and one other switch to get all the other lights on for when you are doing detailed work out in the middle away from your benches.
Would that work with your wiring set up?

dkitt10 · Dec 5, 2015

I'll be rewiring it anyways. Easy enough to fish wires where every I need!!

I do want to keep switchs to minimum though i like idea of main switch bigger bay. Switch by bench for those two lights and switch for back storage

Should I axe some fixtures or my amount good to go?

Shiftless · Dec 5, 2015

dkitt10 said:
I'll be rewiring it anyways. Easy enough to fish wires where every I need!!

I do want to keep switchs to minimum though i like idea of main switch bigger bay. Switch by bench for those two lights and switch for back storage

Should I axe some fixtures or my amount good to go?

That switching plan is how I have mine set up.
Many guys say you can't have too much light. If your eyes are accustomed to darkness walking into a dark garage at night and then hit the switch and have 70,000 lumens on all at once, it will just about knock your socks off for the first few seconds. Conversely, when your eyes get accustomed to such brightness and then turn them all off at once to leave the building, you will be blind in the dark for a few seconds until your eyes readjust.

Only you can decide how much is too much.
Good luck finishing your build.

bob_mp · Dec 5, 2015

encantofred said:
i personally think as much light as you can get as long as you control it in separate switches so you can turn it on bank by bank.

i targeted 100 ft candles at waist height and got a bit more than that and am happy with it. i used t5ho but they are usually used in 20 ft or higher ceilings. t8 is a great choice for your ceiling height.

tom

Good advice.

I have 22 dual T5HO fixtures on three circuits in my 940 square foot garage. The lights on each of the circuits are, more or less, uniformly distributed on the ceiling. The first switch gives me about 85 ft candles, the second and third switches each add about 75 ft candles.

I am really happy with this setup. Most of the time, I only use one group of lights. This also reduces the amount of heat generated. When I'm doing fine work or machining, I turn them all on and it gets really bright.

In my old garage, which had 8' ceilings, I had switches for the lights in the front and back halves of the garage. It was weird having bright light in one part of the garage and what approached darkness at the end of the other.

T8's are a good idea. I have T5HOs on 13' ceilings and they are OK at that height -- they would be really harsh on 8' ceilings.

Bob

dkitt10 · Dec 5, 2015

Thanks guys. I went and bought bulbs had them on sale 6500k name brand 8$ for 2 pack normal 12$

Just watching for fixtures

Platonic Solid · Dec 20, 2015

Recommended fixture type = F32T8 Wrap similar to Layout Collection post #14 (linked). I reduced your garage size to 28' x 24' to cut the shelving out of the picture (just less work for me).

This makes it basically the same as post #15 options (linked).

Here's an ~80fc option: (linked to larger image)

Dialux 80fc option PDF (link)

Dialux 90fc option PDF (link)

G20-Budo · Oct 25, 2016

Dkitt10,

So how did the lighting situation turn out?

please chime in on lighting layout

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