Lighting a new shop.

[CMcAllister]

Hello all,

We have a new building, 40x52x12. White steel ceiling and walls. I am in the process of working on the lighting for this shop. With my old eyes and the kind of work we'll be doing, I need this place BRIGHT. I can always turn some off, but I can't turn 'em on if they're not there.

I have some questions. Once I come up with a watts/sq.ft. number, the next decision is how to distribute it. Does the cost to operate change depending on the number of fixtures and the size of those fixtures? Would fewer 8 footers be less expensive to operate than twice the number of 4 footers? What about 2 bulb vs. 4 bulb fixtures? Do we want 4 bulb-4 footers or 2 bulb-8 footers? How would you distribute the lighting? What kind of watts/sq.ft. number would you be looking at?

Any answers, explanations and recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

 

[pattenp]

The power consumption is relational to the watts of light. One 4 tube 4' fluorescent fixture will use the same amps as one 2 tube 8' fluorescent fixtures given that all tubes and ballast are of the same total watts and amperage. The watts to use per sqft is a personal preference, I like no less than 1.5 watts per sqft.

 

[jimp]

I can only tell you what I did. I am getting older and need the extra light also. This is more than enough

I use these for general lighting. http://www.e-conolight.com/high-bays-low-bays/highbay-prismatic/prismatic-cfl/e-pb1f70u.html

One for about every 180 ft^2 and I have them mounted at 16ft. and 20 ft off the floor (sloped ceiling). It's enough light for most needs and split 8 and 8. If you have a flat ceiling, they might not work as well at 12ft (might need more).

I use something like these over my work benches ( T8s not T12, but could not find a T8). http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 Along the entire length about 9 ft. off the floor, mounted on the wall.

I use these over individual machines. http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

All work benches and machines lights are individually controlled.

The CF do require a few min. to come to full brightness when it's cold (shop never colder than 40 F). I really like the CF for general lighting and at less than 1 amp per they are cheap to use (less then 100 watt ic light each)

 

[DustynF]

Hello all,

We have a new building, 40x52x12. White steel ceiling and walls. I am in the process of working on the lighting for this shop. With my old eyes and the kind of work we'll be doing, I need this place BRIGHT. I can always turn some off, but I can't turn 'em on if they're not there.

I have some questions. Once I come up with a watts/sq.ft. number, the next decision is how to distribute it. Does the cost to operate change depending on the number of fixtures and the size of those fixtures? Would fewer 8 footers be less expensive to operate than twice the number of 4 footers? What about 2 bulb vs. 4 bulb fixtures? Do we want 4 bulb-4 footers or 2 bulb-8 footers? How would you distribute the lighting? What kind of watts/sq.ft. number would you be looking at?

Any answers, explanations and recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

I used this tool and it worked out really well. I am just a tad under 1.5 watt per sq ft. I am around 60FC per sq foot. You really don't want less than 50 foot candles per sq foot in a shop environment.

http://www.visual-3d.com/Tools/Interior/Default.aspx

 

[CMcAllister]

Very interesting tool. I tried some different combinations and I was able to come up with 18 8' 2 bulb fixtures providing 76fc with just under 1 w/sf and also 12 4' 6 bulb fixtures providing 77fc at 1.38w/sf. Stepping up to 24 8 footers brings the numbers to 101fc and 1.29w/sf.

Am I correct to assume that the lower the w/sf, the less energy is being used and the less the cost to operate would be? Conversely, the higher the fc number, the brighter the space, correct?

Am I making the correct assumptions from this information?

 

[DustynF]

Higher the foot candle the brighter, correct. I finished my garage this weekend with 2900 lumen t-8's I used 7 8' footers and 2 4' foot double bulb t-8's. Lower wattage means less power being used. The objective is to make sure you have sufficient light to do your work. I am satisfied with the light I have now using the tool. I changed the orientation of the lights so that they were not directly over the vehicles but between them.