Electrical layout

[russm]

Been reading these forums in preparation of building my new 30X30 workshop

The time is drawing close to beginning the build and I would like some input please

Here is how I am going to layout my electrical; the lighting will be 4 foot t-8 lights with two 40 watt bulbs. This should provide me with approximately 1280 watts of lighting (my goal was to have about 1 watt per square foot)

Does anyone see anything that I may be missing or changes for improvement?

Thank you for your time
Russ

 

[Stuart in MN]

Looks pretty good. I assume the overhead door won't interfere with the fluorescent lights when it's opened? Don't forget to allow for the door rails in the lighting layout.

 

[carcruse]

i'd rotate the lights 90 degrees. I think that would give better lighting for the area between cars and also the work bench areas.

 

[RobSmith]

What's a T-8 light ? Are they 4 ft fluroescent tube fittings with a couple of incandesant bulbs incorporated into the fitting ? If they are MAN you'll need welding goggles to work in there !

 

[russm]

Thanks Stuart - forgot about that.....
Carcruse, I rotated the lighting and was able to add some additional 4' lights - thanks

Rob, yes they will be the standard 4' lights with 2 bulbs you get from Lowe's or Home Depot - think it is too much? I will not have any windows in the workshop...

 

[RobSmith]

Russm, I just wrote you a long explanation and the website rejected it and told me to log in again so it was lost. I will reply again soon I've got to go out on the job right now.
Dumb website !

 

[mmg440]

I don't think you can have too much light. Just make sure you make a few circuits so you can switch smaller groups of lights. That way you won't have to turn all them on for simple tasks or just to get a tool or something. I would guess about 4 switches would be good. .

 

[RobSmith]

Right, my shed is 20 x 30ft and I have four double fluroescent light fittings oriented lengthwise in the middle of each quarter of the floor. 8ft above the floor. There is also a double fluro above the work bench. The four main lights are two way switched. ie a switch at the pedestrian door at the back and a switch at the front between the two car doors. Each fitting also has a pull cord switch at the light so as to switch each light on / off when desired. One light is suspended by shallow hooks and is connected to the circuit by a short lead (6") and an extension lead plug into a recepticle on the ceiling. This light can be unplugged and taken down to be moved where I need more light ie- under the car. I think I have sufficient light in this shed. Where ever you go take notice of the lighting set ups in different situations....I think you will get the idea !

 

[cdent]

If there're going to be any workbenches or shelving, you might want to draw those in first and then supply power and lighting as needed. You may also want dedicated circuits to areas of the shop that'll have more or less permanent high electrical need tools installed. Congrats on the new shop.

 

[russm]

Thanks for the suggestions. I re-worked the layout and came up with this. The lights will be on separate switches.
Been saving for several years to build my dream workshop and it will finally begin in the next couple of weeks
I decided to build a 30X30 with 10 foot ceilings, 18X9 garage door with pull down stairs that lead to the storage attic.

I just want to make sure I do this right the first time and don't want to say to myself, dang I should have done this or that after it is completed

When pouring the slab (4 inches - I live in North Georgia), should I consider adding a 2-3 foot gradual concrete slope to the entryway for my vehicles? I will be putting down gravel for the driveway and around the workshop or just leave the concrete pad as it is? Hope that made sense LOL

cdent - my general work area will be on the right wall so when I changed around the lighting, I took this into consideration - thanks

 

[RacerX]

Russm - I built a similar layout to yours except I have front and back 16' x 8' doors in a 30' x 30' garage. I put in 8 - 4 bulb 4' T-5 units with electronic ballasts, chrome reflectors and daylight bulbs. I bought them from a local lighting supply house after researching the effeciency and color range of units. The electrical contractor didn't wire them exactly as I had asked, but I'll change that later.

There are 4 rows of 2 units each row. They are suspended from the ceiling about 8" from the ceiling. The area is VERY bright. They are wired as 4 units per circuit.

 

[RobSmith]

I'm still not clear on a T-8 light. I have four foot long fluorescent "tubes" do you blokes call them bulbs ? Down here we call a light a bulb that is shaped like a bulb. Usually an incandessant jobby in the house. What do these T-8 fittings consist of ?

 

[davetulk]

Suggestion. The outlet closest to the laundry tub should also be a GFI. just to be on the safe side.

Dave

 

[JohnK007]

Rob, a T-8 is a florescent tube, usually 4 or 8 feet long. The numeral indicates the diameter of the tube in 1/8 inch increments. Hence a T-8 is 8/8ths or 1" in diameter. A T-12 is 12/8ths or 1 1/2 inch in diameter. The common T-12 tube is being phased out in the U.S. for the T-8's which are more efficient. Hope this helps. And yes, many of us do call the tubes "bulbs". Just an old habit.

 

[IBEW]

You want the best lighting for your shop... sure you do. Use HO 8' fluorescence dual lamp light fixtures. HO stands for high output. Everyone suffers from lack of light from traditonal 4' fluorescence fixtures in cold days. It takes forever for them to heat up to work properly. With HO fixtures they are made for cold temps and are bright from the get go. Lowes has them for 55.00 each, lamps 7 bucks each. they are worth the extra cost. You built your dream shop, now put the best lighting in. 24 8' HO fluorescence fixtures draws aprox. 22 amps. I am a retired Elec. If you have any questions... fire away....

Sparky

 

[chad pickens]

You want the best lighting for your shop... sure you do. Use HO 8' fluorescence dual lamp light fixtures. HO stands for high output. Everyone suffers from lack of light from traditonal 4' fluorescence fixtures in cold days. It takes forever for them to heat up to work properly. With HO fixtures they are made for cold temps and are bright from the get go. Lowes has them for 55.00 each, lamps 7 bucks each. they are worth the extra cost. You built your dream shop, now put the best lighting in. 24 8' HO fluorescence fixtures draws aprox. 22 amps. I am a retired Elec. If you have any questions... fire away....

Sparky

I agree 100% I use 3 of these as my quick in and out lights in my 30x60 and you would be surprised how well they light.Even when I have my 8 400 watt m/h lights on It makes a difference to have the 8' ho lights on

 

[BoydS]

I did a bit of research on the Lowes light fixtures and see they sell Metalux. I may be wrong, but the only 8' HO fixture I could find on the Lowes website for 55 bucks was this Metalux, model STN-296HO-120V-4WP-U. Then I check the web for Metalux and to my surprise they are a product of Cooper Lighting. At the Cooper Lighting site I find the fixture sold at Lowes http://www.metalux-lighting.com/com...ail&brandName=Metalux&category=Strips&id=1044.

At this site they have a simple calc you can run for determining the number of fixtures required for a specific area. You select the IES file and enter your building specs along with the FC you want and the calc will give you the number of fixtures and spacing.

I ran this calc for a 30x30x10 shop, using the Metalux fixture stated above. The results were a total of 4 fixtures to give 35 FC at a workplane of 30" off the floor. This is the first time I've used this calc as I usually use Visual for determining fixture numbers. http://www.cooperlighting.com/specf.../ies/Metalux/STRIPS/STN/STN-296HO.ies?index=1

You may want to take a look at the website and run your numbers for your specs. Hey, it's free.

 

[chad pickens]

Heres a pic of the 3- 8' ho lights in my shop.This was taken at night with no flash

 

[RobSmith]

Rob, a T-8 is a florescent tube, usually 4 or 8 feet long. The numeral indicates the diameter of the tube in 1/8 inch increments. Hence a T-8 is 8/8ths or 1" in diameter. A T-12 is 12/8ths or 1 1/2 inch in diameter. The common T-12 tube is being phased out in the U.S. for the T-8's which are more efficient. Hope this helps. And yes, many of us do call the tubes "bulbs". Just an old habit.

Thanks for the explanation...Generally, down here, the 'old' style tube is 1" dia but now the most common tube is a much smaller diameter, about 3/4 " they call them energy efficient and are rated with a wattage value and colour.

 

[russm]

Been out of town for a week and just got back....

RacerX - so I guess all of those lights are just a little overkill will consider reworking my lighting setup - thanks
Dave - will make the outlet a GFI - thanks
IBEW & Chad - I will check those out - thanks
Boyd - I played around with that program and it told me I only needed 6 STN-296HO lights - I will be checking into this further - thanks

Chad if three lights are that bright in your 30X60...then maybe I only need four total for my 30X30...some more to think about

Don't know if anyone has seen this link but it explains foot candles and lux in simple terms and has some very informative information when it comes to lighting
http://www.mts.net/~william5/library/illum.htm

 

[RacerX]

Nah, I've always wanted good light when I built this garage and now I finally have it. It's great to be able to see the little things when you're working on them without trouble. The lights are the best efficiency available, as well so they'll be easy on the electric bill as well.

Onl shadows in the garage are under a car and that's what drop lights are for.

Been out of town for a week and just got back....

RacerX - so I guess all of those lights are just a little overkill will consider reworking my lighting setup - thanks

 

[StangRacing]

TT I am doing my 30x30x12 as we speak a two post lift will be in a bay and cover some light if a car is up so trying to make a good choice on light qty and placement

 

[autoclassicnut]

I put 10 sets of the 8' t8's in my 30 x 80 shop. 5 sets on each side...Shop is 15' at the center. 7' on the walls. It works great!
I have 4 on 2 circuits, and 2 on the circuit by the big door. I can control the south and middle set from the first door. And as i walk through I can control all 3 sets in the middle of the shop. (on both sides or the shop). Then I can control the middle and the north lights from the north end of the shop.
Here's a link to see the lights.( halfway down the page) http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15772&page=5

I think I paid $43 a 8' set of 4 t8's 2 years ago at HD. Hope this helps