Are High Bay LEDs too bright for a 10' ceiling?

[Mainiac Mat]

I'm looking at 14,700 lumen 2'x1' LED high bay shop lights.



My finished ceiling height is 10' 8"

Garage is 26' x 30' and I'm thinking of putting a pair in the back where there will be a work bench and one in-between the OHDs

My concern is that (even though these lights come with diffusers) the glare will be really hard on the eyes.

Can anyone who has used similar BRIGHT lights please comment?

 

[tarmy]

I used T5HO on a large 10’ garage/shop. A lot of folks said the glare would be terrible...they are perfect for me. They are also great over my bench...

Buy 1 and try it...

 

[HAP]

I use the same style 18,000 lum fixtures at 12' and don't see any big deal. They do have more light concentration under them but that fits my needs.

R,
HAP

 

[Mainiac Mat]

did you set them up with a dimmer?

 

[b-boy]

did you set them up with a dimmer?

Yup - A dimmer is the key. I run mine at about 40% power, and they are perfect.

If I ever want to perform surgery in my barn, I will crank them up to 11.

 

[Cryptic1911]

We have 18k lumen high bay led's from home depot on 12'6 ceilings and it works awesome. I have 4 in a 30x30 and it's like daylight in there. I love it

 

[ducksface]

It's not a brightness thing.
It s a reflector coverage thing.
Mine cut off like lasers and if they aren't high enough they blast light patches instead of light coverage.

 

[ctgoodman]

I have almost the same fixtures as you pictured. I have a 14’ ceiling. I don’t think I’d want them too much lower. They seem to spread out pretty well at that height but feel I’d start loosing spread bringing them lower.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Any one ever use LED canopy lights?

$/lumen is more... but if I'm dimming the 14,000 lumen fixtures that is mitigated.

I'm thinking I might be better off with an array of say 6 of 55 wat canopy lights.

 

[cybrdyke]

14,000 is harsh from that low. Canopy lights are for canopies.
No need to force a square peg into a round hole.
Your best bet will be linear fixtures of whatever style you want. That's the best way to spread the light out evenly and get the best assistance from the walls and floor to reflect the light around. It softens shadows, reduces contrast and makes things much easier on your eyes.
Good luck,
CD

 

[PWC Repair]

Any one ever use LED canopy lights?

$/lumen is more... but if I'm dimming the 14,000 lumen fixtures that is mitigated.

I'm thinking I might be better off with an array of say 6 of 55 wat canopy lights.

Me and 2 buddies all have canopy light. We all have 12ft sidewalls.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Thanks for all the insightful comments.

After a lot of deliberation and study, I decided to go with an array of 60W 4' strip lights for the ambient light. Very unexciting, I know

Read a bunch of reviews and ordered the hykolity brand ones off of amazon for $35/ea.

They have 3 LED strips mounted at angles and a curved frosted lens, so I'm hoping for a wider angle coverage of a softer light.

Once I build work benches along the back wall, I'll put in task lighting in as well.

 

[jabelding]

Hey Mat fellow Mainer here!
I used 6 of these in my 28x36 13' white ceiling and I keep the dimmer on 70% most of the time only crank them way up if I need to so some under car work. I think you will be much happier with the longer units on that ceiling height.

 

[Treasure]

Yup - A dimmer is the key. I run mine at about 40% power, and they are perfect.

If I ever want to perform surgery in my barn, I will crank them up to 11.

How did you wire up multiple lights to one dimmer switch?

 

[pbon]

I have 4 dimmers for 20 lights, each one 50 watts but I think the dimmers I have are rated for something like 600 watts.

 

[like2wheel]

Those lights are not dimmed using a rheostat type dimmer.
They use a 0-10 volt DC dimmer to a seperate (purple?) wire.
I have 1 dimmer controlling 6 lights, but I'm sure it could do more.

 

[b-boy]

How did you wire up multiple lights to one dimmer switch?

as mentioned above, the dimmer is a 0-10 volt dimmer. You run 14/2 for the lights and low voltage wire (I can't remember the gauge) for the dimmer. The lights need to be compatible as well. They're just wired up like any other lights on a single switch. the low voltage wire run parallels the 14/2. Everything hooks up to the dimmer.

I have 4 lights on one dimmer and 2 on another. The dimmer can handle more.

The dimmer is similar to this one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUZ6A4E/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[dscheidt]

For the record, I have four of these https://www.homedepot.com/p/Metalux...e-Lensed-Dimmable-Highbay-LCHB1240R/309019588 in my 20x20 garage with 8'6" ceiling. Works great, it's way better than the twin tube fluorescents they replaced. I'd like to get some dimmers, but haven't sprung for them yet.

 

[aggie113]

I used some 30k lumen high bay led lights with diffusers. Dimmers can be very useful for such a setup but I find no issue running them 100% as they are 18" up. You can probably get away with your setup but be sure to wire it properly for the dimmer. It's probably a specific line that runs the dimmer signal and not the main power line.