LED strip lights for garage ceiling?

[thebings]

I am thinking about installing LED strip lights for garage lighting. I am planning on covering the ceiling with white steel and then running LED strip lights connected directly to the panels. I would run several strips the whole length of the ceiling (30 x 60 x 16 garage). Has anyone done this. I have converted my RV interior lights using these strips and very satisfied with them, they are cool, cheap and energy efficient. Any thoughts?
Don

 

[GCncsuHD]

With the 16' ceiling, I don't think you'd be pleased with the light output. It would work great for accent light, but wouldn't provide enough for working on projects unless you absolutely cover the ceiling with them.

I have some of those in a little accent table in the garage, and over my work bench. They work great for that, but I can't imagine that being my sole light source.

 

[Higgins]

I've used LEDs in several applications, but nothing that large!

I'd try a test and tape a section to the ceiling, as I'm not sure there is enough light intensity to provide useable light in a garage setting, vs a "Bar" setting!

 

[matt151617]

I have those for under cabinet lights. You'd need to cover literally every square inch of the ceiling to get good light output, which wouldn't be cost effective.

 

[thebings]

I have those for under cabinet lights. You'd need to cover literally every square inch of the ceiling to get good light output, which wouldn't be cost effective.

These light strips put out 780/900 Lumens/meter. So each strand of 5 meters would put out 3900/4500 lumens. Don't think you would have to cover every square inch. But like Higgins suggested, I will try a test strip and see how it works. Again, I have converted my florescent motorhome light using these strips and very happy with the results. Way more light than I had with florescent. Unfortunately I am not building the garage until Spring so will have to wait awhile. Just wondering if anyone else has ACTUALLY tried it.
Don

 

[jmiller_2308]

They would be nice for walk through lighting.

 

[2ManyProjects]

I am thinking about installing LED strip lights for garage lighting. I am planning on covering the ceiling with white steel and then running LED strip lights connected directly to the panels. I would run several strips the whole length of the ceiling (30 x 60 x 16 garage).

I concur with the general consensus: While those LED strips MAY be useful for accent lighting or task lighting in close proximity to the work surface, in order to provide enough total output to meet your general lighting needs you're going to need so many of them that it just won't be practical (or affordable).

I have converted my RV interior lights using these strips and very satisfied with them,

That is a VERY different (one might say "night and day") application from what you are currently contemplating. Your RV doesn't have a 16-foot ceiling; and you're not trying to light up 1,800 ft.^2 of floor space.

they are cool, cheap and energy efficient. Any thoughts?

They may well be cool (in both the literal and figurative sense of that word); but I have to question "cheap", by the time you buy enough of them to do the job here. And as for "energy efficient", that may or may not be the case. Just because it's "LED" does NOT mean it is necessarily all that efficient.

These light strips put out 780/900 Lumens/meter. So each strand of 5 meters would put out 3900/4500 lumens. Don't think you would have to cover every square inch.

Pretty damn close.

Using your "best case" figures:

900 lumens/meter / 39.39 inches/meter = 22.85 lumens/inch.
22.85 lumens/inch * 12 inches = 274.2 lumens/foot
274.2 lumens/foot * 4 feet = 1,096.7 lumens per four-foot strip

Compare that to a run-of-the-mill F54T5HO fluorescent tube, which puts out ~5,000 lumens and costs about $3.00:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/search/?q=F54T5HO

So just to reproduce roughly the same raw lumen output of one four-tube T5HO fixture, such as:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/93811/BSS-HB4T5.html

you'll need more than 18 four-foot strips of LEDs in close proximity. But even this won't REALLY produce the same light intensity at working height, because you'll lose the optical "gain" of that "high-bay" fixture. Rough guess: Figure on 6-8 LED strips to replace each F54T5HO tube, or 24-32 of them to replace each fixture.

Sounds pretty close to "cover every square inch" (and WAY past "affordable"), to me.

But like Higgins suggested, I will try a test strip and see how it works. Again, I have converted my florescent motorhome light using these strips and very happy with the results. Way more light than I had with florescent. Unfortunately I am not building the garage until Spring so will have to wait awhile. Just wondering if anyone else has ACTUALLY tried it.

If you are bound and determined to be on the bleeding edge, go for it, and be sure to report the results. But don't say you weren't warned.

 

[Dustball]

I have a couple rolls of 5050 SMD LED strips that I was going to experiment with by applying it to an existing T12 cheapie fixture I have.

 

[thebings]

2ManyProjects, thanks for your in-depth review of my proposal. What you say makes sense. I thought I had a good idea. I still may string up a section just to satisfy myself (when I get the garage built). Thanks

 

[thebings]

I have a couple rolls of 5050 SMD LED strips that I was going to experiment with by applying it to an existing T8 cheapie fixture I have.

Dustball, that is what I did with my RV. I converted the fluorescent F8T5 fixtures. They had two 11 inch bulbs, I took those out and installed 4 led strips, each 12 inches long. Better light, less energy, and cooler operation.
Don

 

[70C-10]

I still may string up a section just to satisfy myself. Thanks

Accent lighting on the wall perhaps. Maybe hide it under a trim piece so its not exposed. My .02

 

[NewShockerGuy]

I used 16' of 5050 smd LED strip lighting in my shed for my solar project. Mind you on a MUCH smaller scale than a garage but for my needs it worked out quite well. I have 5 batteries wired up in parallel with the solar panel and controller topping off the batteries.

My she is only 8x10 and about 9' high at the highest point. It lights up the entire shed nicely. Mind you it's small space but if you wanted to light up a garage I don't think it's worth it and you won't get the light out put you are looking for unless it's just "accent" lighting, then it would look good... usable light in a large space, not so much.. You simply need MORE and higher wattage leds. I can take some pictures and post them later (more likely in the weekend when it hits 50 degrees outside) just to show you.

-Nigel

 

[thebings]

Thanks NewShockerGuy, I appreciate your input. Guess I will drop this idea and stick to what works.

 

[norcaljr]

I'm looking do uses something like this for my pantry shelves. I have 5 shelves that's 7 1/2 feet long each. How do I wire these ? I have a switched outlet that I was going to use to turn them on and off.

 

[thebings]

I'm looking do uses something like this for my pantry shelves. I have 5 shelves that's 7 1/2 feet long each. How do I wire these ? I have a switched outlet that I was going to use to turn them on and off.

Easy to wire, they are polarity sensitive however. Just connect a hot wire and ground wire, if they don't work, reverse the wires. I think most are 12v so if using on a 115v circuit you will have to have a 12v adapter. You can cut the strip to any length you want and solder new connect wires to them. They can also be dimmed.
Don

 

[67carl]

I'm looking do uses something like this for my pantry shelves. I have 5 shelves that's 7 1/2 feet long each. How do I wire these ? I have a switched outlet that I was going to use to turn them on and off.

I bought some these for my undercabinet lights;

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ST2I9O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Look towards the bottom of the page at the section called "frequently bought together". Notice there are connectors and a transformer, which you will need. I believe the transformer listed there is not rated for the double density LEDs but look a little lower and you'll see some other options. Fairly inexpensive and they are double density, so pretty bright. But not garage ceiling/main light bright.

I'm going to install a receptacle, make the top switchable, connect the transformer to that and wire in a single pole switch.

 

[Dustball]

I have a couple rolls of 5050 SMD LED strips that I was going to experiment with by applying it to an existing T12 cheapie fixture I have.

I ended up using 3528 600 LED strips as the 5050 300 LED strips I received were too blue for my liking. The specs for what I'm using is 540-600 lumens per meter and there's about 4 meters worth of LED strips in the fluorescent housing I used which gives me roughly 2100-2400 lumens.

Turning it on inside a completely dark garage shows me that it's about equivalent to roughly one T8 fluorescent tube in terms of output. I'm not going to be using this for overhead lighting but I now have a worklight I can use for hanging from the underside of a hood or sliding it underneath a car. I won't have to worry about breaking a bulb and it hardly has any weight to it.

Pictures show the modified fluorescent light housing (stripped down to only the outer shell), the light output against a ceiling, and the light output over an engine when hung from a hood.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Funny i stumbled upon this thread, I just put led strips in the bed of my truck.

Im hooked, love the led stips . I used the cheaper 3028 strip in my truck.

heres a pic,

Now for the workbench, I have a 5050 cool white strip I plan on running around my workbench .

Cant wait to get it done

 

[jhelrey]

Max, what did you use for the bed of the truck? Been looking to do that but I want battery powered.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Max, what did you use for the bed of the truck? Been looking to do that but I want battery powered.

its battery powered, runs right off the trucks 12v

I have it wired to a small push style switch in the bed.

This is the strip I used, http://www.ebay.com/itm/181285200192?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

but I learned now the 5050 is even brighter and contains more leds

 

[eyeballengineer]

Just did my new box. 1 roll 5 meters. Double density cool white. 2 lengths on overhead door and 1 under bottom edge of top to shine down. I love em so far. Used an old pc power supply to get 12 volts for free.

 

[msk59]

I have recently used 8, (5M long 3528 SMD 300LEDs/strip) and a 600W, 50 Amp transformer to light up my 21x23x8 foot garage and the outcome is a super bright garage. I have joined two 1X4x8 foot wooden planks to make them a 16 foot long plank and bolt them to the ceiling joists in a U configuration (16x16x16). The I taped 3, led strips per board on the two boards running from front to back and 2 led strips on the board that is running sideways (front of the garage). The Transformer I used is a 600W DC 12V 50 A regulated power supply ($49.95 on eBay). This power supply has a built-in fan and has 3 separate +tive and -tive outputs and 120 Volt input. It has a wattage adjustment to turn down the intensity of light. I can now see the dust particles on the floor. If anyone plans on doing this, please calculate the total wattage and amperage for total strips used and buy the power supply accordingly.

 

[msk59]

Max, what did you use for the bed of the truck? Been looking to do that but I want battery powered.

I did the same to my Frontier bed. I used one LED strip and ran it all around the bottom of the inside of the bed and connected it through a magnetic switch. When I open the tailgate the light comes on. Never been happier. I have a tonneau cover on my bed so super easy to see things at night. magnetic switch hooked directly to battery via a relay is how I wired mine. It has been over a year and it is running flawlessly. Most LED strips on ebay are 12 volts.
hope this helps.

 

[msk59]

Here are some pictures of my setup: the garage is actually much brighter than the 3rd picture is showing.

 

[cybrdyke]

I am thinking about installing LED strip lights for garage lighting. I am planning on covering the ceiling with white steel and then running LED strip lights connected directly to the panels. I would run several strips the whole length of the ceiling (30 x 60 x 16 garage). Has anyone done this. I have converted my RV interior lights using these strips and very satisfied with them, they are cool, cheap and energy efficient. Any thoughts?
Don

thebings-
of course it's your garage and you can do what you like, but understand that these types of tape lights are not designed for general illumination of large spaces. Essentially, in the lighting world, these are accent lights or decorative lights. When you add in color changing and pulsing with the music features, they are basically gizmos or toys. There's a reason that they are so inexpensive. There are no thermal considerations when making the tape lights. There is no secondary optic to make the light scatter in a logical pattern. There is no thought put into the quality of the diode, so color consistency and longevity is out the window.
I think it's great that folks are using these types of light strips in their projects and that they are finding ways to use all of their cool tools to make things out of them. As long as we understand that these are not serious lighting products, then it's all good fun!!
Good luck,
CD

 

[Ava_Garcia]

Go ahead with Strip lights as it will give you the control over luminance, color, and warmth of the lighting.