lighting for a 40X60x12 Machine Shop?

[conceptmachine]

Hello and thank you.
New build 40x60x12 machine shop, looking for good lighting possibilites. Old age getting to me and can't see very well in dimmer environments.
There will be a 12x25 office with a bathroom. So will be different lighting there. The rest will be open, with only 2 small natural light windows What do you all suggest in such an environment, mid price range, with good lighting.
Thank you in advance.
JIm

 

[conceptmachine]

Has anyone had any experience with these? https://www.highbaylowbay.com/product/0/3/9/400-watt-pulse-start-metal-halide
How should they be spaced to give good lighting? I see according to the calculator, I would need 6, 400W lights. Seems kinda low. Does that seem right to you guys? I would want it brighter in there. Should I go to 8? Also, would it be cost effecient to go with another style light? I see there is a thread here where the fella uses reflectors and a 105W bulb and it looks great. Maybe I'll dig there

 

[BillK]

CM,
My shop is 30 x 60 and I am getting ready to upgrade the lighting too. Along with 6 8FT 2 tube T12 fixtures I have two of the large metal halide lights. I would not recommend them. The business next door to me is an electrical contractor and he suggested getting 6 or 8 of the 6 tube 4 ft T-8 fixtures. These are the ones he suggested:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ging-Fluorescent-Fixture-IB-632-MVH/202193185

I think I am going to buy one and put it up temporarily to see how it does. My ceilings are 14FT a little taller than yours.

Hope this helps,

 

[Slimmeh]

If you want good high bay lights that last Phillips makes an amazing high bay led fixture so does lightline.

 

[conceptmachine]

CM,
My shop is 30 x 60 and I am getting ready to upgrade the lighting too. Along with 6 8FT 2 tube T12 fixtures I have two of the large metal halide lights. I would not recommend them. The business next door to me is an electrical contractor and he suggested getting 6 or 8 of the 6 tube 4 ft T-8 fixtures. These are the ones he suggested:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ging-Fluorescent-Fixture-IB-632-MVH/202193185

I think I am going to buy one and put it up temporarily to see how it does. My ceilings are 14FT a little taller than yours.

Hope this helps,

thank you for the info, I'll look into those!
I only have 12' ceilings, so i probably can't use those philips or light lines

 

[Goncutn]

Look at T5 lights, very bright, I replaced all my T12 8' units with them and it is like daylight now. Also look at LED bulbs, brighter and last longer, no flickering and instant on.

 

[lavoieyan]

how about big *** LED's ??? i have 25x26x14

 

[robertlynk]

I put 8- 6 tube X 4 ft t8 fixtures in my 40x60 garage and they produce a lot of light. I ended up disconnecting 3 tubes in each fixture and still have plenty of light. I used day light tubes I want to say 6500 Kelvin

 

[goatsnhogs]

I just put up 6 8' t5ho fixtures in my 32x32x16 shop with white walls and ceilings and a shadow has nowhere to hide in there. I probably could have gotten by with 4 fixtures but went 3' off the 2 side walls with 2 fixtures and 2 down the middle

 

[pftwhftb]

refer to this thread, there are a lot of good ideas. I like all LED myself

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=269983

 

[Showkey]

Many places are replacing Halide fixtures with T5, T8 or LED.
Halide light output degrades with time and are not cheap to run. Our shop replaced 50 halide light with T5 auto on and off, management was sold on power savings alone.

LED right now is going to be more $$$$$$..... Three to five years from now LED will be main stream and lot cheaper. Some of those super long live claims of LED bulbs and fixtures maybe optimistic......especially with the price drops and so might quality.

T8 vs. T5 debate is alive and well. T8 is still cheaper in most situations lumens per $. Bulb temp is also a personal preference, try before you buy cases of the wrong color bulb.......and make a huge mistake.

 

[BillK]

I put 8- 6 tube X 4 ft t8 fixtures in my 40x60 garage and they produce a lot of light.

Robert,
What height ceilings ? Any chance of a couple of pics to see how bright they are ? Bright enough to work on small stuff on a work bench ?

 

[BillK]

Look at T5 lights, very bright, I replaced all my T12 8' units with them and it is like daylight now. Also look at LED bulbs, brighter and last longer, no flickering and instant on.

True but it seems like right now the best bang for the buck is T-8's, especially in a commercial environment where they are on for 10 hours a day and bulb replacement plays a pretty big part in the costs.

 

[BillK]

New build 40x60x12 machine shop, JIm

Jim,
Just curious, what type of machine shop and where are you located ?

 

[wniemann]

50x60x16 here. Used 9- 6 bulb T8 fixtures by metalux from Menards. Very pleased with the light from them. We also are just running the junk box store bulbs. Will order good ones next time around


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[Fueler]

I have a similar building and older eyes also. I started out with the Halides.
Seemed like a good idea at the time. Over the last yr I have been switching everything over to Daylight LEDs.
Pricey? Perhaps but for machinists they absolutely rock.
Over the benches I gave away the 4 ft FLs and switched to 1 100w Cree Daylight LED every 5 feet.

The other thing about the Halides. They buzz which is annoying during the quiet times and they put out significant heat which runs up the air conditioning bill.
Then there is the wattage. Leds have cut my power bill considerably and immediately and I am not done yet.
I did do the math. As much as these lights are running each day my breakeven point is 5 years give or take.
I chose to ignore the payback times often touted here for a better working environment. No regrets.

I don't see a loss with the LEDs. I converted my home inside and out 4 years ago to LEDs. It is a 50s ranch and it ate regular bulbs like candy every year.
Tried the CFLS. Better life but I hated them. Slow and the light sucked in my opinion. Went with the Cree LED bulbs purchased from Menards and have not had one single failure to date.

By the way. For you machinists with vertical mills pick up one or two of these.
They kick **** for eliminating shadows while working with the mill. I have one mounted each side of the head.
http://www.menards.com/main/p-2238716-c-7546.htm