LED Strip vs LED Flat Panel - garage layout with 8 fixtures

[evoluzione]

Hello everyone,

Planning on installing 8 lights that I have wired on 1 circuit in the garage. The switch should be a 3 way switch (so a potential 0-10v dimmer is close to $100).
Garage is drywalled and painted including ceiling. Looking at calculations I did, I should aim for 35,000lumen. Garage is 20x25, and has a bump out. About 400sq.ft.

I was planning on going with led strip 4ft, like this:
PLT 4ft 5940lumen - color and wattage selectable - $55/each

45W Max, 5940 Lumen Max, 4 ft. Wattage and Color Selectable LED Strip Fixture, 34-38-45W, 3500-4000-5000K,120-277V, PLT Solutions PLT-90267 | 1000Bulbs.com

Install this PLT Solutions 4 ft. Selectable LED Strip Fixture for energy-efficient shop lighting. Go to 1000Bulbs.com for LED light fixtures ready to ship!

www.1000bulbs.com

or

Lithonia 4ft 5000lumen - color and wattage selectable - $72/each

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZNQXH8G/?tag=atomicindus08-20

But now I'm torn if I should consider the 1x4 flat panels. The only problem is the surface mount ones don't have selectable wattage, only color. So I would have to get a dimmer switch.
Something like this:

Lithonia 1x4 4000lumen - color selectable - $90/each

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098RG9VH2/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Here's the layout below. Garage door is at the top of the image. I know some people recommend having the fixtures set in the opposite direction that what I have them above the 2 car spaces (to match the bottom two fixtures). Is there a benefit over this layout?


Thanks for looking

 

[cybrdyke]

A few things...
Are the fixtures in your sketch way out of proportion, being only 4' long?
Total lumens doesn't mean anything, so you cant make any valid calculations using square footage and fixture lumens. In a happy coincidence, 6 of them in the main section is pretty average.
The strip fixtures will perform better than the panels for your garage.
Most people prefer seeing the ends of the fixtures when they enter the garage, rather than seeing the entire 4' across their view. Less glarey when pulling the cars in.
I'm not sure you understand "selectable". It's a function that you only use when you install them, not for dimming or changing at your whim. It's more of a "set it and forget it" thing. Same with the CCT switch. Choose which color you like, set it and forget it. All the dimming is done via the 0-10VDC circuit, so if you want dimming, you would have to sort that out.
PLT Solutions is not a real brand, but is the "house name" for fixtures sold by 1000bulbs.com. Who knows who actually makes them?
Hope that helps.
CD

 

[evoluzione]

Hey CD,

Thanks for your feedback. I’m not sure what you mean by the proportion. I designed it on sketch up so the measurements should be correct, 4’ fixtures, and more or less laid out where the j boxes are.


That makes sense about seeing the ends.

I understand what the selectable means, I was just saying that if I see I can’t install a dimmer, then at least I can dim the lights when they get installed if it’s too bright, or vice versa. Same for the color. It’s a nice feature.

I’m leaning towards the lithonia led strip as at least that seems to be a better known product.

Just need to figure out if I can install a dimmer with my current switch box and cabling.

Thanks!

 

[yyc_ranger_4x4]

I've got a 29x20 with 9' ceilings.....I'm putting in 15x 4' 4000k strips ( https://www.cooperlighting.com/global/brands/metalux/867561/slstp-series/4slstp4040dd-unv ). They're going to be a 3 x 5 pattern and will be switched with two switches, which will evenly turn on/off half the lights. I like bright work spaces and not afraid to add extra...but for when you don't need it, just turn on one bank of lights. These aren't dimmable...but it's a garage so I'm not concerned.

 

[Dmm698]

Hey CD,

Thanks for your feedback. I’m not sure what you mean by the proportion. I designed it on sketch up so the measurements should be correct, 4’ fixtures, and more or less laid out where the j boxes are.


That makes sense about seeing the ends.

I understand what the selectable means, I was just saying that if I see I can’t install a dimmer, then at least I can dim the lights when they get installed if it’s too bright, or vice versa. Same for the color. It’s a nice feature.

I’m leaning towards the lithonia led strip as at least that seems to be a better known product.

Just need to figure out if I can install a dimmer with my current switch box and cabling.

Thanks!

Not sure which Lithonia fixtures you're looking at, I bought 15 recently from Lowes on Discount at about 45$/per, I think they're listing them about 90 bucks now per fixture. They're the Adjustable lumen output (4-6k lumen), 4000 on the temp. They do have a dial switch inside the fixture to alter the lumen output, but also a separate lead internally if you wanted to wire to be able to run them on a dimmer.

15 of them at 6k lumen output put me at about 50 foot candles or So IIRC for a 30x54x10. I'll run task lighting if I want more in certain areas.

 

[cybrdyke]

15 of them at 6k lumen output put me at about 55 foot candles or So IIRC for a 30x54x10.

Hmmm....doesn't sound right. How did you get that figure?
CD

 

[Dmm698]

Hmmm....doesn't sound right. How did you get that figure?
CD

Used the lighting calculator / software, its linked in that monster lightning thread right here. The lights are available from the catalog to select. just went back and looked and its just shy of 50.
30x54 w/ 10' ceiling, sheetrocked, using 30" IIRC as the working plane , with the actual fixture selected by model number (6k lumen, 4k temp, 4' long integrated fixtures) yielded about 50 FC at the working plane. If i wanted to get to 90 it was something like 24 fixtures IIRC.

EDIT : Also it was 28 Fixtures to get in the 90 FC region.

 

[cybrdyke]

48fc sounds about right at 30". How you use the space would determine your "work plane". Commonly, in garages, folks put zero in there so they measure foot candles on the floor. But, if you have a bunch of machines and benches, the 30" target makes sense.
I only mention it so that folks who are trying to figure out their lighting have an "apples-to-apples" reference.
CD

 

[dave*99]

I used the 2'x4' panels @ 6000 lm. each. And 0-10V dimming. I'm very happy with the results. Especially the dimming. Smooth, no flashing no problems.

Lighting for 24x28 shop

So I think I'm off to a rocky start..... I've been reading the best light fixture ever thread for a long time. And I still think I need some help. The basics: Woodshop above garage. Under construction. I have some woodworking machinery to go in the shop. It will have drywall finished...

www.garagejournal.com