Lighting a New Garage

[psychorugby]

I'm looking for advice on how to light my garage (picture below with some notes). I do a lot of work on my cars in the garage, so I need it to be bright. I also don't want to spend a ton of money, so I need to come to a compromise. I am thinking that 4' T8 fixtures might be my best bet, but I am not sure what the best layout is.

Ceilings are 9'8"

 

[The Frisco Kid]

I would add lighting like this. Keep the cans/fixtures in place for lighting when you just need to run out and grab something...

You could double the amount of lighting easily, but dual 4' T8 fixtures would be pretty good for your use, IMO.

 

[sands35]

Mount the tube so they are outside the car's footprint. Not right over the car. Light doesn't do much good when shining on the roof. (so I'm going to disagree with Frisco - really only 2 extra fixtures).

Also think about where the lights will be when the hood is open. Likely you will need a trouble light anyway, but if you put the tubes a little further away, the hood will not cast a shadow.

Assuming the left hand door is a double door, I'd put two 4' fixtures along the left side, 2 sets in the middle of the double door and 2 sets between both doors. If the right bay is a non-car work area, then 2 fixtures in the middle, if car area, move them to the right. All running up and down on your picture. Basically 4 sets of 2 fixtures rather than 3 sets of 2 in Frisco's drawing.

Then 4 or six fixtures in the upper bay. Two down each side and maybe one at each end over what would be an engine bay. Blue would be optional.

Again - lights over the roof aren't going to do much good.

Perhaps put the lights that may be over a garage door on a separate switch.

I'm also a fan of putting a couple of edison lights on a separate switch so you can run out there and grab a screw driver without turning all the lights on. Also helps coming into the garage on a dark night - you won't blast your eyes with all that light.

Having said all that, I used CFLs in a car/woodworking garage. 25 in a 26'x32' garage. More than enough in with task lights on tools.

 

[psychorugby]

Wow, thanks guys! For some reason, I was stuck on mounting the lights at 90° to what you have suggested. Will a single junction box handle 4 fixtures (I assume it would)? I'd love to wire in a switch to all the lights in order to turn on different sections, but the ceiling is finished, as are the walls, and there is living space above the garage. I guess I could run external conduit to a switch?

 

[The Frisco Kid]

I guess I should add a little clarification, I always assume the only bay for turning wrenches is the middle of the double bay... it's the only place that my truck will fit! I agree with don't put lights over where the cars will park.

I like the plans, either way. Just watch overall load on the circuit.

 

[Hesketh]

And I would suggest the most important bit is if not done already is to get the roof and walls painted white.

I had a single T8 4' light in my garage when we moved in and the difference painting the place made was huge.

More lights are going up tonight

 

[soapii]

Mount the tube so they are outside the car's footprint. Not right over the car. Light doesn't do much good when shining on the roof. (so I'm going to disagree with Frisco - really only 2 extra fixtures).

Also think about where the lights will be when the hood is open. Likely you will need a trouble light anyway, but if you put the tubes a little further away, the hood will not cast a shadow.

I agree with this 100%. My first garage I just kept the lights in the center and while there was tons of light in the garage, I had horrible light for actually working on vehicles.

My current garage I kept the lights mounted "between" where you typically park and closer to the walls...........huge difference. I seldom ever use a trouble light.

--Joe

 

[psychorugby]

I need to determine how much load the 4 light fixtures can take. They're on the same circuit, controlled by one light switch. I feel like to add that many lights, I would have to add a circuit. At that point, I am starting to get out of my league.

I'm going to have to do this in stages too since the cost of that many fixtures creeps up really quickly unless I get the $20 T8 fixtures from Home Depot.

 

[ripperd]

The tip about having the lights parallel to the cars and on the sides of them rather than over them is important. It makes a big difference.

The suggestion about retaining a couple regular bulbs for the quick run-ins is very good too. I actually have 2 regular bulbs on a motion detector so I don't even need to flip a switch if I'm just popping in to throw something back in the toolbox.

The 4' dual T8 lights don't take much power. 64 watts per fixture. So 12 of them is 768 watts. You can easily have them all on one 15A circuit. And with all 12 on, it will be very bright! Upper half of walls and ceiling a white color makes a huge difference as well.

 

[psychorugby]

Thanks for relieving some concern with the load on the circuit! Forgot to mention that the garage door openers have two 60 watt bulbs in them and are on motion detectors. They provide plenty of light for quick trips to the toolbox or freezer. Walls are going to be a light tan on the top half, and olive green on the bottom half. With so many T8 fixtures planned, I don't think light will be a problem any longer; certainly better than the three 6 watt bulbs I currently have.

 

[600SL]

I need to determine how much load the 4 light fixtures can take. They're on the same circuit, controlled by one light switch. I feel like to add that many lights, I would have to add a circuit. At that point, I am starting to get out of my league.

I'm going to have to do this in stages too since the cost of that many fixtures creeps up really quickly unless I get the $20 T8 fixtures from Home Depot.

I have 11 8' T8 fixtures on one circuit its not a problem. I have these on a 20 amp circuit with 12 gage wire. I could have used a 15 amp circuit with 14 gage wire if I didn't have two circuits in one EMT.