500 Watt Halogen Security Lighting as Shop Lighting

[tshetter]

So I was in Lowes and found outdoor security lighting that uses a single 500watt halogen bulb for about $22.

My shop is 14x28 with 12ft ceilings peaking to 14ft in the center.

I was thinking about putting either 8 or 12 lights in there.

While I cannot find lumen specs for these lights specifically, the replacement bulbs that lowes has are listed at 9500 lumen.


Any thoughts or exierience with this setup?

 

[Jeff Ivers]

I would not do that myself. Halogen puts out a lot of heat.

 

[tshetter]

Fixture


replacement bulbs

 

[tshetter]

It is more of a pole barn construction with one wall completely open on the 14ft side. No insulation, just framing and exterior corrugated panels.

 

[tshetter]

The wet location t8 fixtures wre $70 so I'm thinking even if there are some heat or color tempurature issues the cost savings will offset that.

 

[nehog]

Is your shop that bad that you need wet location fixtures? The cost to operate will be huge, the light quality may be too poor (glare and shadows), and of course the heat mentioned above is a real factor.

I use a similar light for task lighting and I can tell you that the light is harsh, and the heat intense (somewhat like having a radiant heater, but in the summer that is not desirable!)

 

[frankush]

They won't be cheap to operate and those bulbs don't last very long. You would also need multiple circuits. If the fixtures are indoor, you shouldn't need fixtures rated for a wet location. Damp location maybe. Regular T8's would work and you could hang them off chain if needed. How wet does it get?

 

[paranoid56]

yea, for power cost alone i wouldnt run those.

 

[tshetter]

My main reason for wanting some better sealed fixtures is because of the insect pressure here in FL. There are sugar ants, carpenter ants and various spiders EVERYWHERE in my shop.

I've tried spraying overly concentrated killer concocted of various mixtures, ortho granular stuff, etc. But to no avail. Think 50yr old barn, but its been only 3yrs since I have last removed everything and pressure washed it all down and resprayed.

Additionally, there are some leaks in the roof and sideways driven rain fairly often in the summer which makes its way in pretty well.

I haven't really thought about the power requirements, but I guess 8x500w will be pretty large...hmmm. 4kw.

But honestly, I don't spend too much time in the shop after dark, maybe 4-8hrs/wk.


Maybe florescent is the preferred choice for a reason. Thought I might be on to something here.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I built my 60x60x16 steel building in the fall of 1999. It was a couple of years before I was able to afford the wiring project, and up until 2008 the only light in the building were two 500 watt halogen lamps similar to what you are considering. I mounted them 30 ft apart on the upper wall girt, about 12 ft off the floor, and adjusted them to give me light about 5 ft up on the far wall, 60 ft away. The building has white insulation inside so a fair amount of reflectivity, but this made, and still does, a very good general area lighting. If I was doing work at night, I would use trouble lights or halogens on stands for more localized lighting, but the two 500 watters are still there and I still use them when I walk in the building. You can turn them on and off like a regular light and not have to wait on them. I have a dozen 400 watt Metal Halides for when I really need some light.

Do not hesitate to install a couple for general area lighting.

Charles