Best lighting for 40x60x18 shop

[gs_adventure]

What are your opinions regarding lighting a shop that is 40'x60' with 18' ceiling? It can get cold in the winter here and our elevation is 9500'. I have access to some Gardco metal halide 200 watt lights. Just wondering if they would be good and efficient?

 

[Danglerb]

How much light do you like to have, and what kind?

Place that big I would also be thinking about several lighting circuits, but a lot would depend on what you pay for power etc.

My own preference is for a minimum safe to walk around level, and plenty of high quality for work areas. Those high efficiency blue and pink lights are only good for outside IMHO.

 

[gs_adventure]

I like to have a fair to good amount of light. I also plan to have some over hang areas with extra light pointing down at the work areas. Right now I'm just trying to figure out if these Gardco metal halide light model GP1A would work in my shop and if they would be efficient. I do plan to have many light switches that control 2-3 lights. Then I can control the lighting and power consumption.

 

[AGBill]

I took a quick look at the Gardco site to see what application the Model GP1A fixtures were designed to work most efficiently. They are designed for mounting in parking garages that typically have ceiling heights of 8-9 feet. Theses fixtures have a significant amount of light coming out the side of the fixture. When you are mounting a light fixture at 16-18 feet high, you want most of the light directed down for best efficiency. Search "Metal Halide low bay" in e-bay and see what fixtures are best for this application.

I found some 320 watt metal halide low bay fixtures used off e-bay for $65 each including the lamp. I have not mounted them yet, but we have similar ones at work that provide excellent lighting.

 

[W-Cummins]

At 18' you want high bay fixtures.

William...

 

[1320stang]

Get me the photometrics on the light and I'll see if I can get someone to run it thru one of our lighting programs.

 

[gs_adventure]

Thanks for all the replies and help! After reading through others posts I passed on the Gardco metal halide lights. I think I will probably go with the 8' T8 electronic with the 4 4' bulbs. Was at Home Depot yesterday and noticed this is basically what they have in there stores for light. I will not be ready for another 2-4 weeks since I need to first sheet rock the cap. Also, need to find someone to do it for me. I definitely do not feel like rocking the ceiling my self.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

At 18' you want high bay fixtures.

William...

Most lighting web sites and info I've found lead me to believe that anything below 20 ft would be low bay. In a few cases they do consider above 15 ft high bay. If he has an 18 ft ceiling and hangs typical MH light fixtures that are nearly 2 ft tall. it puts the bottom of the light in the 15-16 ft range.

You really have to look at the photometrics for a particular light to see what it will do at a given height.

Charles