How much light do I need???

[oldbones]

Ok, I'm not really asking the question, but trying to help provide the answer. I'm sure many others have wondered the same thing at one point during their build, so let's pool our experience here to help them decide.

Here's what I found...

My building is 36'x40' with 12' 6" ceilings. Floor is dark grey epoxy, walls up to 4' are painted dark grey, from 4' on up the walls are gloss white and the lid is flat white. I installed 8 total fixtures, they are the 8' T8 fixtures with four 4' bulbs each. They are arranged in three rows, one with two lights, two with three. I wired them on two circuits, half on each. As for bulbs, I bought Sylvania 4100K bright white.

Results?



Holy ****, it's bright. There is adequate light for just about any project, although if you were performing open heart surgery, you might just go out and buy a halogen shoplight on a stand for that pinpoint light right where you want it.

I built this shop as much to have a cool place to hang out in as for a work space, and the truth is, these lights are too bright for drinking beer. I had some friends over Friday night, and once I noticed everyone was pulling their hat down low and putting on their sunglasses, I turned off half the lights and it was still a little too bright.

My advice? This lighting scheme is just fine for when you are working, and I wouldn't want less. I would, however, do something a little different if I were starting over from scratch. I would either break the lighting circuit up differently, like with 1/4 of the lights on one switch and the rest on the other, or just add a third circuit with a couple of larger incadescent type fixtures on it spread around the shop.

 

[Burl]

I don't know how old you are, but the older I get the more I appreciate a bright room. I have just built a garage a little smaller than yours, also with 12' ceilings, and was discussing with a few buddies how much lighting I should put on the ceiling. The answer was a resounding "as much as you can".

 

[rocco]

wait about 6 months, your lamps will depreciate by about 15% and the amount of light will decrease as well.

 

[burger]

Here's my experience:

24x23 garage with 10' sidewalls and a cathedral ceiling.
(12) 2-bulb 4' T-12 fixtures in four rows of three.
Not quite bright enough, though not too bad.

Plan to add another light at the end of each row for (16) total as well as adding fixtures as-needed over workbenches, etc.

 

[chad pickens]

I went a little different than most.I have a 30x60 11' ceiling shop.I put in 8 400 watt pulse start metal halide low bays an 3 8' 110 watt high output fluorescents. 75% of the time when doing minor work I use only the 3 8' fluorescents. and then for typicall detail work I use only 4 of the mh lights.When i need to see under the car or delicate work I use all 8 mh lights .I dont think I could be any happier with my lighting.Not for everyone but it makes me happy

 

[Synergy]

I understand your dilemma.

My garage build is 20x20 with 8' ceilings, I am running 5 (4'-4 bulb t-8) troffers. 3 troffers at the back on one switch, 2 troffers front on a second switch. During the day when the garage door is up those front lights are blocked, no point in wasting juice. Then I added a 3rd switch to 3 outlets in the ceiling for track lighting above cabinets. Cabinets will also have under-cabinet lights on a 4th switch. That way when I am not doing open heart surgery or working on my sun tan. I can relax with "mood" lighting.

 

[jtillery]

Here's what I found...

My building is 36'x40' with 12' 6" ceilings. Floor is dark grey epoxy, walls up to 4' are painted dark grey, from 4' on up the walls are gloss white and the lid is flat white. I installed 8 total fixtures, they are the 8' T8 fixtures with four 4' bulbs each. They are arranged in three rows, one with two lights, two with three. I wired them on two circuits, half on each. As for bulbs, I bought Sylvania 4100K bright white.

Results?



Holy ****, it's bright.

I appreciate the post, your shop looks very nice. I was wondering if my shop was going to have enough light, now I am wondering if I have too much

My shop is twice the size of yours, but I am going to use 27 of the same fixtures you have and (6) 4' 2 bulb T8s. Mine are in 2 fixture wide rows throughout the shop. I have each of the 2 rows on a seperate circuit/switch. With all the lights on you are at .71 watts/sq ft I will be at 1.3 watts/sq ft. It is a little scary thinking with 1/2 my lights off they will be almost as bright as all of yours being on

I am using RaceDeck for the floor, the majority will be graphite/alloy checker. My walls/ceilings are going to be painted very similar to yours.

 

[oldbones]

So, if I read it right, the smallest amount of lighting you can turn on at one time is something like 15 fixtures? I do think that is overkill. You will love how bright your shop is with all that firepower turned on, but if you still can, I would add another circuit for "mood lighting". Just turning on half of my lights (which would be about 1/4 of yours!) is still certainly brighter than it needs to be for just hanging out and watching a game or drinking beer.

 

[jtillery]

Here is the link to my lighting plan (it is a PDF)

Lighting Plan

There is essentially 6 rows of light fixtures. Row 1, 3, and 5 are on the same circuit/switch and row 2, 4, and 6 are on the same circuit/switch. We are going to start insulating/drywall tomorrow so I need to make a decision quick. I could still add 2 more switches and either have the fixtures alternate, or put 4' of the fixture on 1 switch and the other 4' on another. I will probably do this to be on the safe side.

I used a couple different lighting calculators to arrive at the number of fixtures I have planned. From what I was reading it seemed like 1.2-1.3 watts per sq ft is ideal, which is right where I am at with all the fixtures on.

Right now there is 200' of temporary lighting strings throughout with 2000 watts of bulbs. That puts me at .625 watts per sq ft. It is too dark in there, but I am presuming it will brighten up significantly once the drywall is hung.

 

[oldbones]

Before hanging the lid and walls, and with insulation and studs showing, I had two of these fixtures hung temporarily. It certainly wasn't bright, and the corners were dark, but it was plenty of light for hanging out and you didn't have to squint or wear shades. Now that the walls and ceiling are finished and painted, I think two of the lights would be adequate for hanging out, and turn on the other 6 when you want 'em. Not gonna happen now!

 

[hotrod_garage]

Well I might as well chime in. I'm on a rather tight budget, like $0. My shop is only 18x 33. It was a storage rental that the previous owner had built to rent out. I live in La Crosse, Wi which has like 54,000 people so I feel lucky to have found this plce in town. I tore down walls between 3 of the 4 stalls. I use the 4th stall for storage. I live in Wi and it's too cold here about 1/2 the year for florecent lights. I do have a few cold wheather lights. To start out I went to my local Habitat for Humanity resell store and picked up 8, 6-8 bulb vanity lights at .50 each. I use about 1/2 the sokets with 100w bulbs and on 2 different circuits. It will be nicer when I can get more florecents. I've seen alot of nice shops here, makes mine look like a dump, but the house was affordable (after leaving my wife) and this is what came with it.
I use one bay as my welding and fab area and in the other 2 bays are were I'm building my 67 Beetle Rod.

 

[bigg502]

I'm building a 40x 60 x 14 I,m going to put 20 8ft fixtures with 2 bulbs each and I was also wandering If I was going to have enough light because there's nothing worse than having a dark shop. well plus they were all free so what the hey

 

[M. MYERS]

40X 60 X 14 EAVES going to 26' at peak.

Layed out my lighting this way.

4 rows of t-8, and three rows of 400 watt low bay

Each row of t-8 are divided into 2 switches, 2 4 bulb 8' fixtures 2x8=16 bulbs per switch times 2 sets per row = 32 bulbs per row.

Each 400 watt low bay on it's own switch. 3 rows of three 9 total.( thumbnail doesn't show center bay light on each row)

Each row is on a separate 20 amp circuit.

With this setup I can have as much or as little light in my shop as I want.

Also have switch by front door that controls 2 separate wall circuits on each wall and 2 switches for air compressors.

If this doesn't make sense follow the webb link to photobucket.

Mel

 

[FunfDreisig]

The answer to the question "How much light do I need???" depends on a lot of factors including:
Design - the number and location of windows and doors,
Timing - when you use the space, and
Activities - how you use the space, etc.

I am struck by how many garages on this site are essentially caves with little or no natural light. Even though they are wonderfully outfitted with storage, tools, cool vehicles etc. I would find working in them very depressing. I need natural light, natural sounds (e.g. birds), natural air flow, etc.

FWIW I designed my 25'x42' 3 bay garage for principally day time usage in a temperate climate where I expect to be able to keep most doors open when working in the "garage". I focused on providing abundant natural lighting via a north facing clerestory and large sliding door openings. In the "mechanic's" double bay the clerestory provides over 40 sq ft and the sliding doors provide 226 Sq Ft of natural light. Oh I'll install a few T8s for gloomy days or use at night but... Lots of honkin' general overhead lighting is simply unnecessary. Task lighting at the work benches and UNDER cars etc is much more important.

The sliding doors at the corner of the third bay provides 216 Sq ft of natural light. even so, this bay will need additional lighting in the back of the bay. So i'll put a few T8s there.

The garage also includes a 12x24' attached "carport bay", open on three sides, that will probably be my principal work space.

Funf Dreisig

 

[burger]

Funf,

I agree with you on the advantages of natural light..... BUT windows and open doors not only let in natural lights, they let in nosey neighbors, thieves, and other things I'd rather keep out of my garage. I thought about skylights, but they're not cheap and they're another place for the roof to leak.

Anyway, just wanted to point out that I don't have anything against natural light, but windows have some inherent drawbacks that I wanted to avoid.


Ed

 

[FunfDreisig]

Funf,

I agree with you on the advantages of natural light..... BUT windows and open doors not only let in natural lights, they let in nosey neighbors, thieves, and other things I'd rather keep out of my garage. I thought about skylights, but they're not cheap and they're another place for the roof to leak.

Anyway, just wanted to point out that I don't have anything against natural light, but windows have some inherent drawbacks that I wanted to avoid....

I hear you. windows do have some drawbacks. I don't mind the "nosy neighbors" as long as they're just looking. But I'll be using hardware cloth as screens on the clerestory windows to keep the ***** and squirrels from moving in

We only lock the front door at night. And that's just to keep a visitor from walking in unexpectedly. But we do lock up when we are away from the property, because there is always the first time.

FWIW the clerestory windows are 12' off the ground; the mechanic's double bay can be isolated (read locked separately) from the third bay, etc. It is possible to have both reasonable security AND natural light.

Funf Dreisig