Lighting for a little metal building

[Metro424]

Hey all I tried to read though all the pages of the lighting stickys but it seems like everything else much has changed over the past couple years and didn’t know if the previous recommendations were still relevant!

I just had a pretty simple 24x25LX9H metal building installed which I plan to be my general car maintenance/ reloading/ woodworking shop. I got a quote for electrical and he recommended less fixtures than I was thinking so the plan is for me to purchase the fixtures and have the electrician run the 100a subpanel and wire the outlets and lights. I have ~16,000lumens in my 2car garage using some of the pro lighting 8000 lumen 3bulb led fixtures and I really like them. That being said I don’t know how it would look with like 3 rows of 4 fixtures in there and the cost to run that many fixtures would likely bump my $4000 electrical quote up even more.

Wants:
1. Lots of light
2. Dimmable

I would prefer fewer fixtures even though it looks like the recommendation is more fixtures of lower lumen output to minimize shadows. It seems like the UFO style might be the easiest and cleanest looking.
I was thinking something along the lines of 4-6x https://www.prolighting.com/applications/warehouse-lighting/led-high-bays/pl-hb02-100w-40k.html spaced evenly apart might be pretty decent. Should be a ton of light and I can run them on a dimmer switch

Any other ideas? I’m all ears thanks!
I can get a picture of the building but it’s really simple with metal studs spaced like 60inches on center or something close to that

 

[BillK]

Is the interior finished ? Ceiling ? 9ft is low so more fixtures will probably be better. The light really cannot "spread" at that height.

 

[Metro424]

Interior walls and ceiling is like a white powdercoat. I found an article https://lamphq.com/beam-angle/#beam-angle-calculator and it states 120* beam angle at 8ft high produces a 27ft diameter circle of light I figured that would give light basically from one corner to all the others and with 3-5 other lights that would provide enough quality light.

I don’t plan on any crazy need for light but I do like it bright. I got a 2x2 pattern with 12ft spacing using 18k lumen fixtures in the interior lighting tool and still gives me 100fc. I would need (12) 8000 lumen low bay to get the same fc. I attempted to attach a picture of the inside as it currently stands

 

[cybrdyke]

Imagine putting a 400w Metal Halide highbay at 9' high directly over your head. That's what you're proposing with these UFO's. They'll be extremely uncomfortable. Not only will the lighting be horrible and contrasty, you'll have huge black shadows. Another huge problem will be the glare from them directly in your eyes. UFO's are infamous for being glarey.
That's why those who know lighting are saying that linear fixtures with more diffused light and wider beam angles are a much better solution. You'll have more even light across your space, shadows will be minimized, and you wont see spots for days after you leave.
Also, you're probably shooting for 100fc on the floor. If you shoot for 70fc or so on the floor, at 3' benchtop height you'll only be 6' from the light source. You'll probably have 120fc or more on the bench. That's still way too much. It's far better to use the big lights for general illumination levels around 50fc and then use supplemental light over the bench or over the machine.
Good luck,
CD

 

[Metro424]

Imagine putting a 400w Metal Halide highbay at 9' high directly over your head. That's what you're proposing with these UFO's. They'll be extremely uncomfortable. Not only will the lighting be horrible and contrasty, you'll have huge black shadows. Another huge problem will be the glare from them directly in your eyes. UFO's are infamous for being glarey.
That's why those who know lighting are saying that linear fixtures with more diffused light and wider beam angles are a much better solution. You'll have more even light across your space, shadows will be minimized, and you wont see spots for days after you leave.
Also, you're probably shooting for 100fc on the floor. If you shoot for 70fc or so on the floor, at 3' benchtop height you'll only be 6' from the light source. You'll probably have 120fc or more on the bench. That's still way too much. It's far better to use the big lights for general illumination levels around 50fc and then use supplemental light over the bench or over the machine.
Good luck,
CD

Fair enough, i came for expert advice it might be good to actually listen to the expert advice. Do the linear high bay leds like this: https://www.prolighting.com/applica...s/linear-led-high-bays/pl-ethbl-105w-50k.html offer less glare than the ufos? I’m not currently planning on insulating/drywalling at this time, that may change depending on how hot this building gets in the summer. Or these that were linked in a different thread https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN5QT11/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Or even these with adjustable wings to give me a wider throw on the light pattern: https://www.prolighting.com/applica...d-high-bays/linear-led-high-bays/l34-110.html

 

[cybrdyke]

Your ceiling is too low for any highbay, round or square, or for getting all of your light from a couple of fixtures. Use 9 linear strips in a 3x3 pattern, that are 5000 lumens in 5000K. Something like this... Linear Strip , for example.
Good luck,
CD

 

[78SC4X4]

3x3 or 3x4 4' linears are what you want. Kind of like this. I have 5 rows of 5 in a 24x40 space.

 

[Metro424]

3x3 or 3x4 4' linears are what you want. Kind of like this. I have 5 rows of 5 in a 24x40 space.

That looks great, I’ve been convinced. I’ll start with 3x3 4ft strips and go from there! Thanks y’all.

 

[Steve W.]

... it states 120* beam angle at 8ft high produces a 27ft diameter circle of light ...

I am thinking about those numbers. I'm not in the mood to do any serious math, but simple figuring tells me that if you are working on a table that is 3ft off the floor, your "circle of light" is only going to be 5/8 as large, or just under 17ft.

Add in the fact that your eyes will only be 2-3ft below the lights, that will be a LOT of spotty glare.

.

 

[Metro424]

I am thinking about those numbers. I'm not in the mood to do any serious math, but simple figuring tells me that if you are working on a table that is 3ft off the floor, your "circle of light" is only going to be 5/8 as large, or just under 17ft.

Add in the fact that your eyes will only be 2-3ft below the lights, that will be a LOT of spotty glare.

.

Yeah I guess my rational was 4 circles at 17ft would more than cover a 24x25 building’s footprint but I understand that quality and quantity beats more lumens from fewer fixtures.

 

[Metro424]

Okay all,

Im ready to hit the buy button on 9x https://www.prolighting.com/applications/warehouse-lighting/led-strip-shop-lights/syl-65216.html


If these look good to go? The plan is to direct mount them instead of cable mount. See the attached picture of my location plan. The 6 on the sides will be at an angle the same as the roof pitch unless I decide to suspend them from cables.

 

[billconner]

How many fixtures lighting how many sq ft? And how light or dark are walls? And what work is being done with just this lighting with no other task light?

 

[Metro424]

How many fixtures lighting how many sq ft? And how light or dark are walls? And what work is being done with just this lighting with no other task light?

9 fixtures@5700 lumen. 24x25@9ft ceiling shooting for 80fc at 30" for when I work on the JL or other cars and dimmable for other times that I don't need the brightness. Walls are an offwhite color. I don't have anything specific in mind work-wise other than some reloading and finishing up my cnc router/woodworking and general storage.

 

[billconner]

You should be fine. I would expect fall off around edges and corners in particular to maybe 50 FC . It's a guess.

I think if I were laying it out, I would probably rotate fixtures 90 degrees, evenly space them on ridge and lowest purlins. You'd probably loose a little brightness in center but get more even to edges.

Don't forget the extra wiring for 0-10 dimming drivers, the purple and grey - or pink - wires. I'm too removed to know what products make this simpler. Seems like someone would make a NM wire with the purple and pink built in.

 

[Metro424]

You should be fine. I would expect fall off around edges and corners in particular to maybe 50 FC . It's a guess.

I think if I were laying it out, I would probably rotate fixtures 90 degrees, evenly space them on ridge and lowest purlins. You'd probably loose a little brightness in center but get more even to edges.

Don't forget the extra wiring for 0-10 dimming drivers, the purple and grey - or pink - wires. I'm too removed to know what products make this simpler. Seems like someone would make a NM wire with the purple and pink built in.

Awesome thanks! I have shelving for storage that I plan on putting on the left and right sides so I’m not super concerned about brightness over there. I just checked my old order and I installed 2 of the techbrite 7800 lumen 3lamp fixtures (https://www.prolighting.com/t443ssubcxx00p0-18w5k.html ) in my 2car garage and it’s sufficient for parking cars. These new lights should be a little over 3x as bright and more evenly spaced out! If I don't want dimmable I guess I could order 9 of these 7800 lumen fixtures again instead?

I already got a quote for a 100amp sub panel,12x receptacle, and a 230 wired in emt conduit for the building with me purchasing the lights for them to install

 

[Metro424]

Okay they're ordered, 9 of the Sylvania 5700 lumen fixtures that I linked above! Power washed the concrete in preparation for some TS210 that is also on order. Thanks for the help ill try to update this thread once I have electrical and sealer on the floor.