Help with t8 light quantity

[Bedrok]

I have decided to install T8 lights in my 42 x 32 shop and I'm looking for advice on the quantity, brand, and recomends on two four footers per fixture or four four footers per fixture. Thanks Bedrok

 

[boosteddsm92]

My shop is 30x40 and I just did the lights in it. I did Lithonia TL232 fixtures, which are (4) 4' lamps each, T8, 8’. I did 16 of those which makes for a total of 64 4' bulbs. I wanted 8' fixtures because it was less to wire up and I wanted 4' bulbs for the easy transport and lower cost. I also got deflectors for them because I don't have a drywalled ceiling and didn't want to lose any light. Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[knipdm01]

I'm running 1.33 watts per square foot and its perfect in my 24x24.

so 1800 watts for you (56) 4' bulbs so (14) 8' fixtures using 4' bulbs. I definately recommend the type of fixture boosteddsm92 says.....although I've seem some other manufactures at lowes that can be alot cheaper....might be taking a risk on quality but to each there own.

 

[blaze_125]

As a point of reference...
I have a 11'x20' garage and used 5 fixtures of 2X4' and it's just bright enough.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I'm running basically the same setup as "boosted". My garage is 53' wide and 34' deep. I have Lithonia TLB 8' light fixtures with diffusers. The spacing is not even but I did it for a reason. I did my rows front to back and aligned with the posts and the center of each garage door so that the least amount of light would be blocked when I had the doors opened. The right side of my garage is shop space and I did an L shaped about 2' off the wall so there would be light over my workbench and still room for some 15" deep upper cabinets in the future. The one fixture that is cross-wise on the left side is where we plan on adding a room in the future. Otherwise I would have done two more in line to fill out the columns. Because the garage door guy needed clearance 9'6" back from the header the first row starts 15" off the header and the spacing is 32" between the fixtures.

 

[D KRAGER]

I'm at 1.75 watts/ sq'

Make sure you wire different switches for zones.

I have 5 zones for 13 4' 4 bulb fixtures (Shop is 30x32)

Zone 1 : 4 fixtures in the middle of the shop
Zone 2: 3 fixtures along east wall
Zone 3: 2 fixtures above the garage door (south wall)
Zone 4: 2 fixtures on north wall
Zone 5: 2 fixtures above the workbench

I got my hands on some old t-12 4' 4 bulb fixtures for free. I'm switching the ballasts over as they go bad to the T-8's. My wife works at the electrical supply house.