Garage lighting, would like some ideas please.

[ukiltmybrutha]

I have an 18x21 metal two door garage with 8 foot high walls and a 12 foot high center.

There is no existing lighting in the garage.

I have been searching around but could use some individual help. I find it pretty hard to see using my 500 Watt work light similar to this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Globe-E...MI5vLLu8mN2QIVxVmGCh3IPgdIEAQYByABEgKRkfD_BwE

I'd like enough lighting from the ceiling so that I don't have to use my LED headlight and that worklight if possible. Not sure it is since I would imagine it will still be dark under the car but curious about it all. When doing brakes it is super hard to see without dragging that light up right behind it and blinding myself in the process

My eyes aren't what they used to be at night in my mid 40's. I'd still like things to be as energy efficient as possible (stuck running a 75 foot 10 gauge extension cord from a 20AMP breaker to the garage for now until I can dig a proper ditch and bury the line) and would like to minimize internal wiring in the garage where possible. Yes, I disconnect the extension cord when not in use from both ends and yes I know that I need to dig a trench etc., but will get that done when I can.

This is kind of the current setup with the surge protector at the end fed by an extension cord:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/shop-tools/2177489-metal-garage-sound-control-dampening.html

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

No one has any ideas on how to light a garage in this case? Looks like 10 gauge extension cord @ 75 feet would be good for ~ 1875 watts?

What kind of lighting could I accomplish with say 1000 Watts? How many overhead lights might I require and will that take care of lighting under the car or will I still need flashlights and portable regardless?

Thanks!

 

[Ralphxj]

I have a 24x36 that I light with 4x lights with 4 t8 bulbs. So 16 bulbs total. I plan to swap them over to led at some point soon for more light and less power. Led bulbs only draw 16-18 watts each.

If it were me, I would install and wire the lights in how you want them once the shop is wired for good, and then just put a plug at the end of the light wiring for your temporary extension cord for power.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

As temporary lighting I have used a couple of 4' led units with cords so I can stand them up against a wall or slide them under a car or wherever I needed them. Clumsy but a lot of light for not much money.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Thanks so far! I have been poking around Amazon and had no idea that these units were so efficient. I want to do things backwards since I don't know how long it will be until I can get that wire in the ground and trenched. This will keep me busy in the meantime and allow me to work more effectively.

What lighting temperature do you all suggest that I run?

How much attention should I pay to Lumens? Do manufacturers tend to exaggerate their claim?

Ideally, how many total fixtures should I run? As many as possible or is there a science to this?

Do features like a pull string on the fixture prove helpful or do you find that to be something that can be overlooked?

Thanks again!

 

[Bretny]

Dont buy those 100-500w hallogen bulbes. There total **** for work lights.
You will get major shadows from a single light so spread some light out useing smaller watt bulbes.
Normal screw in sockets will allow you to change bulbes/wattage and bulb type very easily. Those screw in sockets are only about $2 each.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Either 4000k ( my favorite) or 5000k for shop use. I like 2700k in the house.

https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/store/p/35189-2-x2-LED-Flat-Panel-36-watt-120-277V.aspx

Mount 9ea 4 ft LED up in 3 rows of three . Or, mount 8ea 4 ft LED in 2 rows of four.
https://beeslighting.com/diva-light-led-strip-light/p/LS4-40L-50K-D10

Many, many choices.
https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/4-foot-plug-play-led-t8-shatterproof-tube-17-watt.aspx
https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/...xture-for-1-or-2-Single-End-LED-T8-Lamps.aspx

Are the overhead doors on the long wall? 3 row of 3 (or 3 rows of 2) one centered between cars. One row about three or four feet from each wall.

Just two 40 watt LED fixtures is as bright as what you have now. Mount them with an extension cord hanging. Plug and unplug as needed for temporary lighting.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Either 4000k ( my favorite) or 5000k for shop use. I like 2700k in the house.

https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/store/p/35189-2-x2-LED-Flat-Panel-36-watt-120-277V.aspx

Mount 9ea 4 ft LED up in 3 rows of three . Or, mount 8ea 4 ft LED in 2 rows of four.
https://beeslighting.com/diva-light-led-strip-light/p/LS4-40L-50K-D10

Many, many choices.
https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/4-foot-plug-play-led-t8-shatterproof-tube-17-watt.aspx
https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/...xture-for-1-or-2-Single-End-LED-T8-Lamps.aspx

Are the overhead doors on the long wall? 3 row of 3 (or 3 rows of 2) one centered between cars. One row about three or four feet from each wall.

Just two 40 watt LED fixtures is as bright as what you have now. Mount them with an extension cord hanging. Plug and unplug as needed for temporary lighting.

Hey thanks for this. I thought that I'd have to just take a guess but luckily I just waited around. The overheat doors are on the short wall though.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Hey thanks for this. I thought that I'd have to just take a guess but luckily I just waited around. The overheat doors are on the short wall though.

I guessed the doors were on the long wall. The idea is to shine between the cars, try not to wash too much light down the wall, and not let the overhead doors get in the way too bad when open. With kinda low ceilings, try for more fixtures of lower wattage.

LEDs are even more efficient than you think. Fluorescents dim to a third or half their output quickly. All bulb types except LED depend on a reflector to bounce wasted light to a useful direction. LED puts all the light in a 120° arc and stays at the same brightness (pretty much) for 5 to 50 years.

I can't build my own garage yet. I have just read everything Cybrdyke and Platonic Solid have written here on GJ. (They do this for a living.) Then, I visited every warehouse, high end retail, office building, garage, and public space I could. I thought back over factories I have been in in the past. I looked for the flaws the above two guys mentioned. I tried to figure out why I liked some better than others. (That is harder than it sounds.)

The ballast bypass fluorescent replacement tubes are efficient and pretty reasonable. I would roughly copy 1/2 of one of Platonic Solids recommendations from his sticky. 3 rows of three four foot ballast bypass two tube fixtures. One row of three down the center of the long dimension. Two rows of three each spaced 3 ft from each long wall.

The fixtures are from free to $20. The bulbs are $4 to $15 each. So, expect somewhere between $100 and $450

One man's opinion. Good luck.

 

[ukiltmybrutha]

Hey thanks for circling back. Very useful info. Lots of pointers in your post. I appreciate your time.

 

[Sanmiam]

I have these in my garage. Lots-O-light, very efficient, look great. I surface mounted using some spring clips I got from China. All in it was about a 1K expense - but I went a bit overboard with 12 units and a triac to 10V dimmer converter.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GEYUQ36/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mbrew]

I don't know if you settled on a solution yet, but I encourage you to do something as soon as possible to enhance your lighting. As an Aircraft mech I always knew lighting was important and I knew it had psychological value too. I was aware of studies where work suffered because of poor lighting. None the less, I accepted bad lighting in my shop for years. I had temporary lights that weren't adequate at all. Recently I had to make some changes because the cheap light strings I used were shorting and blowing breakers. I'm still using temp lights, but I put a bunch more in and used a higher quality product and my happiness factor is up hugely. I'm trying to spend more time in the shop now instead of avoiding it like I was.

Two of these from Harbor Freight With some 12 watt cheap ebay LED bulbs will light up that space pretty well and draw less than 300 watts. You wouldn't want to leave them up forever, but if it will be a year or more before you can do a more permanent solution, I'd go for it.

I'll post a picture of the lights in my shop in my thread tonight or tomorrow.

 

[muncie21]

I installed motion activated LEDs from Amazon in my garage and LOVE them!! Easy on the pocketbook and eyes

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0777BVMCH/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

 

[Oldbear]

I have a 32x28 with 12ft walls and 14.5ft centre (cathedral ceiling). White walls and white metal ceiling help to reflect the light. I have three rows of four LED fixtures. THey are Keystone 5000 lumens, cool white. I have lots of light to do normal stuff, but I still have underhood light (clamps onto the underside of an open hood) and use LED trouble lights to work under something.

As we get older our eyes will need that extra light.