Lighting options

[Full Size 66]

This spring I will be building my new shop. The footprint is 28x32, walls are going to be 15'6" inside (due to funny height restriction). The doors are 12ft wide, 14ft tall. There are options for small windows in the doors. I also could do some small windows in the upper wall sections. I would like to hear options from people who have used other lights than the T-8. I like those but they cause radio reception problems, they will take some height out of the overhead. Anyone do can lights? Any other options?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I would like to hear options from people who have used other lights than the T-8. I like those but they cause radio reception problems, they will take some height out of the overhead. Anyone do can lights? Any other options?

T8's generally do not cause interference with radios, etc. Some of the earlier electronic ballast might have, but generally, they do not and from GJ members experiences, if you have one or more that do cause interference, call the ballast manufacturer and they will make good (different model, type of ballast, whatever)

While some members on here have used can lights effectively, is sounds like you are planning on a working shop, judging from the ceiling height, (as opposed to a storage or a polishing and show garage) and if that is so, you want lots of bright light and good coverage, something you probably won't get from can lights, unless you put in zillions of them. Just my take on it.

Charles

 

[fefarms]

Fluorescent strip lights give the most light for the buck. If you can't bear to lose 4 inches of headroom, one alternative is troffer lights mounted between the trusses. You see these used in schools and office buildings everywhere.

Radio reception has not been a problem for me, but I've used hardwired metal fixtures. Maybe you've had problems in the past with cheap plug-in "shop lights"?

 

[Steevo]

I don't really think you'd miss the 4 or 5 inches you'll lose to surface-mounted T8 fixtures on a 15'-6" ceiling.

Since you longest dimension is 32', I doubt this is a motor-home or big-rig shop, so more likely for cars and trucks. If you put a 7 foot tall vehicle (lifted pickup truck) on a hoist, and raise it until the roof is at 15', the bottom of the tires are 8' off the floor, and the undercarriage is at 9'. You'd need a ladder to change the oil. At a comfortable above head working height of 6.5' to the undercarriage, your roof is at less than 13' from the floor, or 2-1/2' from your ceiling.

 

[Full Size 66]

Hey, thanks for the consideration. I have a dump truck that is 10ft with the box down. Not quite sure what it is with the box up. So this is one consideration and the possible loss of four inches could be a problem, I'll get out a tape and see soon. I was going for 16 inside the walls based on other truck shops. I want to be able to get anything in there that can fit... Log truck, dump truck, motorhome, ETC. The city got me back down to 20ft total outside height. The T8 fixtures I used to have were Lithonia or whatever you call it, I thought they were the good ones 3-1/2 years back. I got crapy reception when they were on, yes they were hard wired.

 

[Steevo]

Well, for a truck shop, you will need all the height you can get. That 32' deep is gonna be problem with a log truck though.
When I worked for a county road dept. shop, our workshop bays were 40' deep, and the 10-wheeler dumps were a snug fit to work around the front and back. When you tipped a hood forward, you couldn't walk around it, and you couldn't get any kind of shop equipment past the back (hoists, forklift, etc.)

 

[Full Size 66]

Thanks I only need to get the front or back in, the door is not required to be closed. The hieght is the main deal. Anyway back to the lights what could I use? T-8 4 bulb fixtures are what I use to have.