Another shop light question

[supratreo]

I'm beginning to wire my shop and need to get light in there before anything else.
I was pretty set on getting those hexagon lights because of the brightness and the look. i also figured they'd get me good coverage because of the design but after reading posts here I'm reconsidering.
the shop is 37' wide by 34' deep with 16' ceilings. I'd like to do 3 rows of lights going the depth of the building. I was told i should look into "high bay" lights or UFO lights. my only real experience with shop/garage lights are fluorescent tubes, led converted fluorescent fixtures and the flat panel LED lights that Costco sells.
maybe I'm overthinking this but i don't think those would be bright enough. It would also be nice to have something that looks decent, i do want it to have a shop/man cave feel but have good, even coverage.
could someone point me in the right direction?

 

[drmarkr]

My big bay is 45 deep and 38 wide, with about 16ft ceilings. I have 9 100w UFO's, evenly spaced and each row is on it's own switch. The light in there is awesome. The bay with my lift is 15x30 and has 4 of the same. The light in there is even more than awesome. I put boxes on the ceiling and instead of hardwiring them I just plug each one in. I've only had one of these go bad in the 5 years they've been up, and changing it was simple.

You could even go a big more lumens and grab the 150w version? Amazon has these for great prices, cheaper in bulk.

Here ya go: https://a.co/d/gNOSifC

 

[supratreo]

Thank you for that. do you think it would be smart to get the brighter one and use dimmers?
I was going to have 1 switch or dimmer per row (3).

 

[drmarkr]

Thank you for that. do you think it would be smart to get the brighter one and use dimmers?
I was going to have 1 switch or dimmer per row (3).

Hell, I'd just put the 150's up and see how it works/looks. If you need the dimmer you can always add it later. You might not even want it.

My 68 y/o eyes really appreciate great light, and these things provide it.

If you look around in the lighting subforum here, you'll find lots of "formula's" on what lighting layouts/lumen/ect "should be" for your space. I confess I didn't do any of that stuff....I just drew out some plans and put the lights up, and kind of lucked out, I guess? All I can say is, I fugging smile every time I walk in my shop and flip those switches, and it lights up like daylight in there.

 

[BurtEggley]

I might ask myself why one would you want a dimmer in a shop. It isn't a dining room or theatre room. It would seem to me that one would want the amount of light to get the job done. I would put lights in different parts of the shop on different circuits, so that I might turn on the area(s) I am working in. Power is pretty expensive in California, especially PGE areas, which I think Elk Grove is. The advantage of a conventional 4' fixture is that when the bulbs go bad, new replacements will be available for years to come. The disadvantage of UFO lights is when they go bad you may have to replace the whole fixture with ones that do not match.

 

[supratreo]

maybe ill try out 4x 150s. is there a way to hang these from the box or is that not allowed?

 

[Codyboy]

I hung 10 suncos 200W , 5000k lights in 2/3rds of my 40x60. Have to order more.
It is like daylight in there. Almost too bright.
They're on separate switches, 5 each.

 

[dscheidt]

I might ask myself why one would you want a dimmer in a shop. It isn't a dining room or theatre room. It would seem to me that one would want the amount of light to get the job done.

Dimming solves problems entirely orthogonal to the ones solved by banking lights together.

Light fixtures should be installed to evenly illuminate the space. That requires a certain number of fixtures with pretty specific locations, based on their beam angle and mounting height. That is very likely to put more foot candles on the work plane than needed, but if you install fewer lights, then you have dark spots. Dimmers allow you to adjust that to the correct level. It’s entirely possible that the dimmers are never adjusted after installation, but so what?

Dimmers are also great for space that has natural light, so you can fill in as the light varies.

 

[dave*99]

Hell, I'd just put the 150's up and see how it works/looks. If you need the dimmer you can always add it later. You might not even want it.

My 68 y/o eyes really appreciate great light, and these things provide it.

If you look around in the lighting subforum here, you'll find lots of "formula's" on what lighting layouts/lumen/ect "should be" for your space. I confess I didn't do any of that stuff....I just drew out some plans and put the lights up, and kind of lucked out, I guess? All I can say is, I fugging smile every time I walk in my shop and flip those switches, and it lights up like daylight in there.

A dimmer is best planned for at project start. Many fixtures use 0-10V dimming over an additional pair of wires. This system works well, but you need the extra conductors.

I have that dimming system in my wood shop. If's the TV is on and I'm cleaning up, no need for full brightness. I use the dimmer more than I expected. 8 fixtures on 1 dimmer in a 24x28 space with 11' ceiling.

 

[supratreo]

I might ask myself why one would you want a dimmer in a shop. It isn't a dining room or theatre room. It would seem to me that one would want the amount of light to get the job done. I would put lights in different parts of the shop on different circuits, so that I might turn on the area(s) I am working in. Power is pretty expensive in California, especially PGE areas, which I think Elk Grove is. The advantage of a conventional 4' fixture is that when the bulbs go bad, new replacements will be available for years to come. The disadvantage of UFO lights is when they go bad you may have to replace the whole fixture with ones that do not match.

sorry i missed your post. i personally like it bright and i use all the lights when I'm in there. not too worried about the electricity cost, lights are only for night use, i prefer working in natural light so i have 14x14 doors. i figured I'd install dimmers for anyone else that doesn't like it as bright as i do.

 

[supratreo]

I've heard of the 0-10v dimmable lights but have never used them. i was under the impression that those were for use with light sensors. I'm assuming they can still be used with wall dimmers?

 

[dave*99]

I've heard of the 0-10v dimmable lights but have never used them. i was under the impression that those were for use with light sensors. I'm assuming they can still be used with wall dimmers?

Nothing to do with sensors

This is my dimmer. You need fixtures that use this method

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Leviton-White-Decora-Smart-0-10-V-Smart-Slide-and-Push-Dimmer-Switch-LED-and-Incandescent-Bulbs-Wi-Fi-Neutral-Wire-Required-D2710-1BW/335914698

 

[u2slow]

I'm beginning to wire my shop and need to get light in there before anything else.

I got a long ways with temporary (used & free) wall lighting first. Used the shop for 10 years that way. As I got shelving and mezzanine installed, I got more permanent lighting installed on the edges and beneath. Still don't have anything done on the ceiling.

Maybe you want to trial a couple fixtures on extension cords and see how the light casts. THEN decide how many and where.

 

[supratreo]

I got a long ways with temporary (used & free) wall lighting first. Used the shop for 10 years that way. As I got shelving and mezzanine installed, I got more permanent lighting installed on the edges and beneath. Still don't have anything done on the ceiling.

Maybe you want to trial a couple fixtures on extension cords and see how the light casts. THEN decide how many and where.

Thats the plan, i just ordered 4 UFO lights so i'll put them up and see what it looks like and go from there.

 

[supratreo]

Nothing to do with sensors

This is my dimmer. You need fixtures that use this method

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Leviton-White-Decora-Smart-0-10-V-Smart-Slide-and-Push-Dimmer-Switch-LED-and-Incandescent-Bulbs-Wi-Fi-Neutral-Wire-Required-D2710-1BW/335914698

I'm doing a 3 way switch, if i don't use the 0-10v dimmer, i assume they can still be used with a regular dimmer since the lights are dimmable?

 

[dave*99]

I'm doing a 3 way switch, if i don't use the 0-10v dimmer, i assume they can still be used with a regular dimmer since the lights are dimmable?

Bad to assume. Read the specifications. It will state what type of dimming is compatible

The 0-10v dimmers are compatible with 3-way switching.

Some lights on regular dimmers flicker and do not dim smoothly. Some work fine. Some specify which dimmers are compatible.

0-10v is smooth and reliable.

 

[supratreo]

quick update. i got 6 of the 150W Onlylux lights. i installed 4 and its pretty damn nice. i think I'll be perfect with all 6 and no dimmer.
i'll give that a shot this weekend and report back.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

Keep us updated, I am thinking about getting the hexagon lights as well, my ceiling is only 12.5 feet which is too short for the high bay lights but within range of the hexagonal lights

I am just starting to research it because I would like a cool effect with the lighting in my garage but not sure which way to go

 

[markietas]

For anyone curious you can dim 0-10v fixtures with a simple potentiometer (usually 10k ohms), you can even put a ton of them in parallel and do it with just one or do each fixture individually.

You also do not need to use regular wire for the dimmer wires, I use cat5 (make sure you are complying with code where you run that respective to your power wires).

I have a pair of 300W LED Street lights on a 30ft pole in my barnyard area. Normally I have them dimmed all the way down and it's still very reasonable light to walk around and carry stuff in from the truck (measured as 75w total power draw).

But if I need to actually do some work or unload some large equipment, I can turn them all the way up and it's like being in a stadium, I love it.

I also got a ton of nice fixtures for inside the shop that I haven't installed yet, and the idea is if I'm just hanging out in the shop, or running in real fast to grab something I don't need or even want operating room levels of light.

 

[u2slow]

My lighting is currently split into 3 banks. Something to turn on at whichever door I enter.

Don't feel I'm missing anything not having dimmables.

 

[dave*99]

For anyone curious you can dim 0-10v fixtures with a simple potentiometer (usually 10k ohms), you can even put a ton of them in parallel and do it with just one or do each fixture individually.

You also do not need to use regular wire for the dimmer wires, I use cat5 (make sure you are complying with code where you run that respective to your power wires).

I have a pair of 300W LED Street lights on a 30ft pole in my barnyard area. Normally I have them dimmed all the way down and it's still very reasonable light to walk around and carry stuff in from the truck (measured as 75w total power draw).

But if I need to actually do some work or unload some large equipment, I can turn them all the way up and it's like being in a stadium, I love it.

I also got a ton of nice fixtures for inside the shop that I haven't installed yet, and the idea is if I'm just hanging out in the shop, or running in real fast to grab something I don't need or even want operating room levels of light.

Yes you can. But there are details. If you want to dig into them it’s possible. But not the most common solution. As it is a variable resistor in this application it’s actually a rheostat.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.inventronicsglobal.com/am/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Setting-Output-Current-with-Resistance-3.9.2018.pdf&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwjcwKGFidqRAxVLv4kEHaxRD30QFnoECGIQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0MEn-5NpO4OS2rmSme8-yX

 

[rsparks64]

Dimming solves problems entirely orthogonal to the ones solved by banking lights together.

Light fixtures should be installed to evenly illuminate the space. That requires a certain number of fixtures with pretty specific locations, based on their beam angle and mounting height. That is very likely to put more foot candles on the work plane than needed, but if you install fewer lights, then you have dark spots. Dimmers allow you to adjust that to the correct level. It’s entirely possible that the dimmers are never adjusted after installation, but so what?

Dimmers are also great for space that has natural light, so you can fill in as the light varies.

I have dimmers on my two best ceiling panel leds in my garage. When I am working in the garage I turn them app and may also use the specific task lights I have over each work bench and area, depending on what I am doing. Otherwise, because the big led panels are 5000 k and high lumen, I keep them on 1/2 to 3/4 brightness with the dimmers when I am not doing work requiring a lot of light.