Help me pick my interior lighting

[spschroeder]

Hi GJ members,

My 30'-wide by 40'-long garage is up and weather-tight now (will get a thread going on the build shortly).

Help me decide on my interior lighting.

9' walls
Roof trusses
OSB sheathing on walls and roof

I'm currently thinking about three banks of light fixtures running the 40-foot length of the building. One down the center and two spaced equally on either side of the center. Each strip would have 5 fixtures supporting a simple CFL or LED light bulb. The center strip would be on one switch and the two outer strips would be on a second switch - that way you could have:
- lights off
- center lights on, outer off
- center lights off, outer on
- all lights on

From your experience, what do you think of this plan? Enough lighting? Too much? What would you change?

Thanks!
-Steve

 

[spschroeder]

No suggestions for the best type of light or layout for them?

 

[Angelfire]

I went with T8 fixtures. I also recommend you search the lighting forum on this site as many of your questions have been asked and answered. As well, you should find resources to help with the layout, fixtures, color, etc....

 

[TooMuchHair]

I just got started on my 60'x60', so lighting hasn't been purchased yet. But i am determined to go LED all the way. I will have 10'-6" sidewalls with vaulted trusses, 16'-1" in the peak. I'm going to find 6 or 8 of the high bay fixtures (about 200 watts, I think), and find a deal on conventional LED bulbs for my lower ceiling areas. With as many individual switches as I can manage. Take a look on E-Bay.

 

[spschroeder]

I went with T8 fixtures. I also recommend you search the lighting forum on this site as many of your questions have been asked and answered. As well, you should find resources to help with the layout, fixtures, color, etc....

Thanks! I guess I didn't even notice there was a lighting/electrical board...oops! No wonder why I didn't get many hits searching this forum...

 

[mikec35]

I used 4ft 2 lamp t8 flourescent fixtures that plug in. Wired outlets in the ceiling so that I could add/delete and change defective fixtures as need. They are only $11 each at Walmart. Comes with chains and hooks, just hang and plug in. I would suggest instead of wiring just 2 rows with separate switches, how about wiring 3 rows. Where you plan on using lights now and where you will end up using lights in the future may change.

 

[Angelfire]

You may come across the link below in the Lighting forum, I've posted it numerous times. I found it to be very useful in designing my lighting. I also found a free online layout program (which I don't have a link to at the moment) and I'm sure you can find one online to help with the layout. One of my objectives was to eliminate shadows and give my aging eyes enough light to see. Many say 100 lumens/sf is too much....I say it's just right for my eyes!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/content.php?146-Lighting-the-Small-Workshop-by-Jack-Lindsey

 

[regguy1]

26' x 30' / 20 2 tube 48" T8's / 16" apart / 6500K tubes.

 

[ddawg16]

Depends on what you're doing.....

I do a lot of wood working....I don't want **** hanging down....so I have 6" cans....

 

[Chitown_hillbilly]

I have 6 4ft long 6 lamp T5ho units in my 30x40 shop and it's like daylight in there. I purchased them at Cors lighting. https://www.corslighting.com/product/8/54/506/t5-6-lamp-mirrored-reflector

 

[ACDNate]

I really wanted to go LED but budget wouldn't allow it. LED run about 4-5x the cost of the T8s I went with. Set your budget and go from there. Lots of options.

 

[jlckmj]

Pretty good read on the CFL bulbs in this thread

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658

Jim

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I used Tandem T-8 fixtures from Lowe's, $39.95 each, with 6500K rated bulbs. Fixtures are 8 feet apart end to end 10 feet between at the parallel.

 

[dirttracker18]

I'm 30 x 36 and at 12' vaulted ceilings.

I went with 20 2 bulb T8 fixtures at 5 rows front to back. Rows 1,3 and 5 on one switch and the rest on another.

No shadows anywhere when working in my shop.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I'm 30 x 36 and at 12' vaulted ceilings.

I went with 20 2 bulb T8 fixtures at 5 rows front to back. Rows 1,3 and 5 on one switch and the rest on another.

No shadows anywhere when working in my shop.

I put my lights on Motion switches to control power to the lights and can switch each light individually if I desire. I used 3/4 conduit and a common neutral and ground, so all I had to do was run the "control" wire for each light. It cuts down on the light bill with the motion switches.

 

[tomphot]

I have 6 4ft long 6 lamp T5ho units in my 30x40 shop and it's like daylight in there. I purchased them at Cors lighting. https://www.corslighting.com/product/8/54/506/t5-6-lamp-mirrored-reflector

Which bulbs are you using?

 

[zipnsplat]

I'm the Operations Engineering Manager at Cree Lighting, so my garage currently consists of Cree Prototype lights...

/Dan

 

[Turbo900rr]

I'm the Operations Engineering Manager at Cree Lighting, so my garage currently consists of Cree Prototype lights...

/Dan

Well come on...pics at least.

 

[ADCS]

16x20' with 3x 4ft with 4x32w t8 + 4x 200w eqv CFLs in standard bulb fixtures.

 

[zipnsplat]

Well, I can't show the prototype lights, but I can show you other Cree LED lights I have throughout the house.

1st pic is a 4' troffer that is currently in my garage (5 of them).
2nd and 3rd pics are LED bulbs that I have through out my house
3rd pic are 4" downlights that I have in my kitchen.

I have 6" downlights that will go in my bedroom when I find the time to install them...

/Dan

 

[dcmus]

Are these 4 ft or 8 ft fixtures?

 

[GYPSY400]

Mine is 24x36 x 12 high.. I have only 6 96" t8 tandem fixtures and it's plenty bright. Try to orientate your lights so the doors don't affect them.




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[fwillison]

A critical point, often overlooked, is the type of ballast and it's impact on radio/TV interference. Ballasts labeled "commercial" will cause marked interference and static due to the lower requirements for RF on "commercial" ballasts. They sound like they might be better but they are not.
I found the right ballasts at the right price at Home Depot. I used Lithonia lighting tandem 8 ft fixtures (4 4 ft T8 bulbs). $40 each at HD. The important thing is the GESB ballast.

 

[eastbaysubaru]

A critical point, often overlooked, is the type of ballast and it's impact on radio/TV interference. Ballasts labeled "commercial" will cause marked interference and static due to the lower requirements for RF on "commercial" ballasts. They sound like they might be better but they are not.
I found the right ballasts at the right price at Home Depot. I used Lithonia lighting tandem 8 ft fixtures (4 4 ft T8 bulbs). $40 each at HD. The important thing is the GESB ballast.

THIS! I can't listen to the radio at all when I'm in the garage due to the interference from the ballasts on the fixtures. I bought the lights before I found out about this issue (on this forum) so I'm going to have to either replace the ballasts with commercial ballasts or replace the fixtures altogether. Not looking forward to either scenario. For now I have a spare battery-powered radio that isn't affected by the interference that I use to listen to ball games.

-Brian

 

[fwillison]

Brian,
maybe a typo, but you want a "residential" approved ballast NOT a "commercial" ballast.
Residential ballasts are required to have adequate RF and EM shielding to prevent radio and TV interference.
The GESB ballasts in the Lithonia lighting units are excellent.

--Fred

 

[Kneehi5253]

I would go with LED T-8 Lights for sure!!! They'll last you 20 years before you change them out, use much less electricity so will save you money each month. I believe they now make LED T-8 Lights that you can install into old CFL fixtures so you don't have to bypass the ballast (make sure you confirm this about the LED's you buy). I believe Sylvania makes a T-8 LED that will work in the old CFL fixture if you already have them.