22 x 22 needs lighting, help me on fixtures.

[iadr]

I was semi active on this forum several years ago (maybe longer and read then to know occasionally), and I remembered the quality of lighting advice, so now I need it, I'm here.

I've a little more basic lighting requirement than many here.
So, I have what the realtor documents call a 22 x 22. I have 1 single working light in there right now! There's a socket for 1 more, and two sockets that appear to be blanked off when the door openers were put in. (!)

My plan is to do 7 48" ~5500 lumen fixtures as the main lighting, and see how it goes (Just keeping to a 3 switch format).
But with the knowledge base here, I can skip at least most of the trial and error.
I do plan later to add some task lighting. I do believe that won't change the basic answers here.
Bluntly, what mistakes do you see me making? If I'm causing face palm level reactions- either by layout or fixtures, then just politely send me off to do research.



I'm a big high-CRI guy, and plus not 100% sure what I'll like for colour temp in the garage. I'm surprisingly fussy for a guy with not a very big budget.. lol
For that reason, t5's offer some flexibility to change up both, so one of those type fixtures is 3rd on my list (plus I also could reballast a couple of them to HO as an incremental adjustment when I'm up and running).
The logistics of ordering? Obviously Amazon delivers to me in Canada and I am a regular at Home Depot... Lowes, too. OR I could mail order given reason to. Or there are electrical wholesalers to go to locally with a part number.

To start, fixtures I considered (note prices are in CDN$):
#1 https://www.homedepot.ca/product/me...with-4760-lumens-4000k-unv-voltage/1001654137
#2 https://www.homedepot.ca/product/lithonia-lighting-48-led-linear-strip-light/1001525029
#3 reminder I can go 95-96 CRI here: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/li...le-fluorescent-mini-t5-strip-light/1000663281
#4 https://www.homedepot.ca/product/sy...ated-led-white-strip-light-fixture/1001718533
-- Fact sheet for above: https://www.google.com/search?q=sylvania+61454
#5- would be maybe #1, but exactly double the price vs the rest given this is in US$ https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/northlux-95-cri-led-shop-light-fixture also IDK are the shades a major benefit given the low cieling? not a drawback are they?
#6 kind of killed by the 80CRI https://www.homedepot.ca/product/li...d-2-light-strip-light-energy-star-/1001041580
#7 also likely to have poor CRI, though settable colour temp https://www.homedepot.ca/product/co...ct-integrated-led-wrap-light-white/1001668049

So I've seen advice on low ceiling- I think this is 8' something, could be better, given the older area, it could even be worse. Note: it is going to be a ceiling painted in full-gloss white. I noted that on #5 lamp- I'm not sure how much I can count on the ceiling itself to spread light. Or will that just be glare with an open fixture like the t5 example having direct sightlines to the bulb? I'm not keen on having to walk around head down, wishing I had a baseball cap shielding my eyes.

 

[sparky 1971]

I'm not going to look at all of the links. I'm just going to tell you what I would do if it were mine. Use the style in the best light fixture ever thread and since it's a !ow ceiling, use 40k frosted lamps. 50k would be ok also, just make sure they are frosted. I might even be inclined to use an 8' and a 4' or maybe even two 8' for each row as well as over the bench.

What I like the most about those fixtures is that when a tube goes bad, just throw it away and install another. No screwing around trying to find a driver or a matching fuxture.

EDIT: I would also turn every light on with one throw of a switch. You can switch them from as many places as you like using three and four way switches, but whenever a switch gets flipped, they all either turn off or on. I've wired many garages where the customer wanted to switch different lights with different switches, I did it the way they wanted, then six months later get called back to make everything turn on with one throw. My own shop has a bunch of fixtures, I can turn every one of them off or on from three different places. Also, one switch for all the outside lights, but make them dusk to dawn and leave the switch on. I live in the country and was always pissed when I'd get home at O"dark-thiry and couldn't see to get to the house. I put a photocell on every light- four on the house and three on the garage.

 

[eegger]

This is how I would do it 4 switches,

put one switch for the bench lights by bench ( more of a task area)

1 switch for the bench lights by bench ( more of a task area)
2 switches for the bay lighting, a switch for row of 3 and a switch for a another row 3 across (do a 3 way switch, one by service door and another between the garage doors or to one side.
1 switch for outside lights.


I went with 9 of these in my 32X40, you could do a 2 tube version , or leave a tube out, or use the 3 tube if you want it even brighter.

Techbrite 48"

 

[Solpainter]

I would move the lights by the workbench closer to the wall, a foot away. You will have shadows from your body on the present location.

 

[iadr]

I would move the lights by the workbench closer to the wall, a foot away. You will have shadows from your body on the present location.

Good point. Primary excuse here is my hurried MS Paint drawing wasn't to scale, and I hope I wouldn't have missed putting them in a little better position than that. But agreed!
Mind you, there are plans for two task lighting fixtures there. In fact there's already a bulb/socket over the bench, so I guess that's 3.
My idea putting the major new fixtures backed out a little was to turn around and be working under the hood of a car and have good light over my shoulders- your words make me realize that's a somewhat impossible goal. Hmm. Regardless, tighter to the window does that, too, I think. I may be more dependent on the light coming from the sides. Still visualizing it, but thanks for getting the thought process started.

As far as dedicated vs "retrofit" fixtures- I did read up on that thread. I'm on about page 15 rereading. The jist of it was written in 2015 and updated in 2019, and it was sort of all over the place, so I wasn't ignoring the conclusion as much as.. well, finding the ideal- of a shaded lamp in choice of colour temp, with ultra high CRI - was going to cost me at least as much time and money piecing together, as buying the dedicated units. Serviceability remains an issue, though.
I'm going to work and making a mental note to check the colour temps of two different lampsets we have there. I think I may be able to come to a conclusion and get something ordered before the weekend.
Updates to follow and I am definitely reading your comments, all! Thank you!

 

[cybrdyke]

Hard pass on #3, 5, and 7.
You're way overthinking on CRI. You dont need to be in the 90's for garage work. Heck, 99% of the people cant tell the difference between 75 and 90 anyway. Even the IES is thinking about switching away from using CRI as an evaluation criteria. Plus, as you've found out, it costs a ton more to get fixtures that produce 90+ CRI.
Use one of the integrated linears, either #1, 2 or 6. Switches on one circuit for outdoor, 1 circuit for general illumination (22x22 isn't big enough to worry about dividing it into two sections) and 1 for bench lighting. Bench lights should be over the front edge of the bench.

What happened to fixture #8 in the bottom right corner?

Good luck!
CD

 

[iadr]

Re: Fixture #8 being missing - that's where gardening/seasonal/storage will be.

Being the resident expert here, can I trouble you for a few words on the, Why, of the hard pass on fixture #5? Besides curiosity/learning it was kind of my choice...
Is it no, because of the shade? Glossy white ceiling wouldn't end up dark, and felt I'd be less going around looking at my feet like I wished I were wearing a ball cap. I'm not big on glare. OTOH it seems it has no frosting where in effect the others mostly do? Is that it?

And as far as colour rendering, well northern climate, SADS, and the fact I've spent an entire weekend changing out bulbs in a rental suite until I got it right (for me)... Granted I ended up living there for 14years (and fighting every darn time there was a bulb availability change), but light colour and colour rendering are a big thing for me. I used to mix autobody paint. I'd look a what our painter was struggling with, walk across the shop, talk to people along the way and without a sample "per se" (just took dip of the starting point) and usually nail the re-tinting.

 

[cybrdyke]

Bare diodes are a non-starter, especially in low ceilings. If you hate glare, you'll hate these.
They're "shop lights" so you'll have to either have receptacles in your ceiling or you'll have linking cords hanging all over your ceiling. Receptacles require GFCI protection per NEC. Both ways are deal-breakers for me. I see no approval for surface mounting these, so they're going to hang down from your already low ceiling.
Not dimmable, which is odd these days because it's so easy to do. It must have to do with the operation of the specialty diodes.
The shade doesn't bother me so much. It will add slightly to the "cave" effect, but that greatly depends on how reflective your floor and wall surfaces are. The light cast onto the ceiling is an integral part of smoothing out the contrast and eliminating shadows. Shades reduce that influence, but these aren't really that deeply recessed, so they're not so bad in that regard. However, the shallow recess also isn't enough to reduce the glare across your field of view.
For me, the high CRI in this application isn't worth the extra cost. Your example of a space used for painting is a good use of high CRI lights. Most garages dont fit that description. You've stated that you like high CRI, and it's your garage, so go for it. I can respect that.
Hope that helps.
CD

 

[nygarage]

What did you end up going with? Any pics of the result? Would you have done anything differently? I'm a little OCD like you and have the same size garage looking to upgrade my lights. Thanks

 

[iadr]

Pretty much followed the plan.
Used https://store.waveformlighting.com/products/centric-daylight-95-cri-led-shop-light-fixture - back at what must have been their pre tariff price!! I hate to say it but they are worth it any any price. I still notice the fantastic colors 30 months later. They do not make a cave effect where the upper ft of the garage is dimmer than the lower 7 ft . It's an 8ft ceiling, so as prone to this as could be, and there is no negative to their light distribution that way or really any way.
(I suppose if you detail black cars with polished wheels you'll want supplementary lighting down low. but I can't recall the last time I needed supplementary lighting, even for underhood work. And then I use my $6 LED forehead lamp)
A small downside is it is impossible to shorten the cords. I ended up using desk pass throughs and, against code and maybe good practice, went up into the attic & down feeding each one. I suppose a small pack of white zip ties and keep them neat would be good enough for most? They make zip ties with a screw mount hole. You know the ones I mean? Using those, and a neat wrap up- consistent each time- would be good.
The lights are supposed to hang on chains. I ended up shortening the chain to a couple loops, and I still hate that part. I had opportunity to take one apart (it failed within hours, was replaced under warranty by supplier), and examining the internal component lay out, seems I *could* do little L-brackets, now that I know where *not* to drill. But I haven't done so.
I recent hit the lights hard a couple times getting my ladder out (storm in progress and in a panic to unplug gutter spout) so it's on my radar again to maybe do so.
But... fixtures are certified for hard mounting or not. These are not, ie Ok'd and sold only for "loose mounting".
So if I had major work done in the future which needed to be inspected, I'd have then two code issues- the cord routing, and then add the fixtures not hanging loose.

As far as total Lumens- I think I added one more so 8? If you are active in all areas of the garage you'd need 2 more. The right bay is long term storage with racking and another bench on the wall & my drill press is there on the added bench. But referring to the diagram in post one, right lower corner is dim. I have a light meter so I can tell you the lux throughout, if you like.

And I did the split switch in an L including all down the left hand hand car and across the bench (not just single as shown), then the remainder of the garage on the other switch.
I do use that feature. I got a comment I likely wouldn't find it worth the hassle. At the relatively low cost of LED, I could have lived with everything on one switch, but in fact I do use the split often.

Not sure what else I can add.
My life went for a bit of a tilt right then. I got on the wrong side of a local family, who fired me (lay off with 8 weeks pay, no fault, but in my books fired) & the son has basically tried/succeeded to keep me from getting a job in my industry again. It has been 14 months since I drew a paycheck, officially, and the 10 months before that were a contract gig that didn't pay as well, and my boss there retired.
So... I haven't advanced major projects, .... and in fact have, on priciple as much as necessity, but a bit of both... taken on small jobs for friends of friends and in my immediate neighborhood.
And the new kind of came off the house and garage and while still in good headspace, stopped taking pics.
I found a crazy couple pics from the first year- when I was still actively modifying the house to suit me and to suit renting a portion of it- which was then priotized.
Sooo... don't laugh. Haha.
I have several distinct "trades" going on here, the one car backed out, and the other still off site in storage.
Makes me smile to look back on that crazy period of time illustrated in this pic.
This was before the desktop "computer cord" passthroughs got used to tidy up the cords, I see.
Creative mess, but a mess, lol
Lights were off in some points because this phone was famously difficult about glare.

 

[iadr]

Found a pic of the passthru wiring as it stands.
Also my I think unique to me, shelve units that I can see from the bottom (!). Redirod up to a 2x3 in the attic.