Lighting for new build

[morrillm06]

Hello everyone,
I am getting close to finishing my garage and am in need of lighting suggestions. I have read many threads on here and the problem is anything that has to do with lighting is like reading Spanish to me. all I am looking for is a suggestion on t8 fixtures and led bulbs. I can play around with how many and location so im not that worried about that. If it helps my garage is 32x40 with 13 foot ceilings.

Also it seems some bulbs can drop right into a standard fixture and others need the ballast changed? could someone explain this to me?

THanks in advance

 

[k-os]

The LED bulbs that require the ballast to be removed will use much less energy than ones that work with existing ballasts.

 

[morrillm06]

Thanks for the help K-os can I use any T-8 housing and remove the ballast and use LED?

 

[American Locomotive]

IF you don't have any lights at all, It'd probably be cheaper just to get dedicated LED fixtures, then buying T8 fixtures and gutting them.

What do you plan on doing in the garage?

 

[73RR]

Costco and Sam's club have had the 4' LED on sale recently.
Shop around, bound to be some good deals.

You might also look at econolight

No, not cheap, but extreme quality.

 

[morrillm06]

American,
Most of the work will be automotive based, I race a couple different cars and circle tracks around the area. other than that normal maintenance on my truck and the wifes car

 

[Bert_]

If you want to use LED lamps in a strip, some manufacturers offer a strip with no ballast.

 

[American Locomotive]

American,
Most of the work will be automotive based, I race a couple different cars and circle tracks around the area. other than that normal maintenance on my truck and the wifes car

You'll probably want around 50 foot-candles of light then. Do you have any idea what kind of fixture's you'd like to use?

 

[morrillm06]

I would like flush mount t5 or t8 no preference really is one better?

 

[American Locomotive]

T5 isn't ideal for ceiling heights below 15 feet or so.

When going T8, be careful of bulb selection. There are bulbs on the market that put out near 100 lumens/watt and have 80,000 hour life spans, and there are bulbs that hardly 70 lumens/watt and only last 20,000 hours.

 

[morrillm06]

Good to know American, the ceilings are 13 foot so I will stick with T8