Lighting up a shipping container

[fred d]

LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS AND OR ADVICE

Recently purchased a 20' shipping container. Want to add lighting.

Thought of putting 3-4' LED lights down the center of the roof

Wasn't planning on adding electricity to container, but just running an ext cord out of the container and plugging it in when needed.
Will need lights when setting everything up, and on occasion when looking for something.
Thought of adding a plug outlet in line with the lighting to run a fan in the summer time when working in there.

My mig has. 25' cord I can reach about half way into the container to weld a stud or clamp if needed

 

[LXCam]

Well it sounds like you know what you want, so why the question?

I thought maybe you were going to ask how do I hang them without penetrating the roof, but I guess not. And I was gonna tell ya what I did, but you didn't so I won't and there ya have it.

 

[The Cobbler]

your plan sounds reasonable

 

[shortykorte]

Look into the LED rope lights, Christmas tree lights or low voltage landscape lights. Of course the Christmas lights would light it up like a Christmas tree. While at Costco, I saw a string of LED patio lights that would be perfect. Use Command Strip hangers and string the lights around the perimeter. Would take all of 15 minutes and you're done.

When I had my 20'er, I use the blue HF LED flashlight with the hook and magnetic. Kept it right in side the door, work great to get things out of the box.
A friend has the better HF LED solar light in the back of his 40'er and works good enough to go in, get something and back out. You wouldn't want to work with that light but works good enough for quick in and outs. Maybe two or three would give you decent work light.

Post a picture with you get lit.

 

[sberry]

If I was going to keep it would consider running a wire to it first thing and be done with it. Put a switched light and an outlet. Put a power strip on the outlet for another switch and hang some lights along the way. Put it on gfci before it leaves the house. A cord is temp, fix this and get rid of it forever.

 

[nsula_country]

LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS AND OR ADVICE

Recently purchased a 20' shipping container. Want to add lighting.

Thought of putting 3-4' LED lights down the center of the roof

Wasn't planning on adding electricity to container, but just running an ext cord out of the container and plugging it in when needed.
Will need lights when setting everything up, and on occasion when looking for something.
Thought of adding a plug outlet in line with the lighting to run a fan in the summer time when working in there.

My mig has. 25' cord I can reach about half way into the container to weld a stud or clamp if needed

Outfitted a 40' about 10 years ago. It was my 1st "shop".

Installed a 100 amp subpanel, ran EMT for receptacles, a 50 amp by doors for welder and a conduit along the top of wall with switched receptacles. Used cheap 4' shop lights, hung them with the included chains by the tie down loops existing where the wall and roof meet. Seems they were spaced about 5'-6'... Think I had 4 or 5 lights.

Later, cut out and framed for a louvered intake on wall by doors. Also framed for a powered vent on opposite wall, opposite end with a temp switch. This has helped with humidity issues... You are in Houston area, very similar climate.

I bought our container from Coastal Container around Houston.

CT

 

[dnelson60]

I just used an old (but still decent) tractor battery and 2ea 12 volt flood lights. Hung the lights from the side wall tie downs and ran wire back to the battery at the front of the container. Yea I have to charge the battery but only every other month or so. FYI, I had to do it this way as at the time, I had no electricity on my property (just installed yesterday but nowhere near the 40' container). Total investment = $25 for the lights on Amazon and already had the battery and wire.

 

[sberry]

If this is something that is going to be there a wile bury a wire to it.

 

[Dragfluid]

OP,,,, you're in Houston and are going to be working in a shipping container?
The wife is going to come out there and find a pile of greasy sweat!

Like others said, bury a run a 12 or even 10 ga UF to it. That way you'll have enough to run the 50,000 CFM fan that you'll need.

 

[fred d]

OP,,,, you're in Houston and are going to be working in a shipping container?
The wife is going to come out there and find a pile of greasy sweat!

Like others said, bury a run a 12 or even 10 ga UF to it. That way you'll have enough to run the 50,000 CFM fan that you'll need.

Not working in it other than during the setup.
Assembly of shelving and the loading of all the things in my detached garage that will now reside in the container to give me more space to maneuver in my garage

 

[couch67]

I put in a battery powered system in my 12x16 shed last year and have no regrets.

12volt LED lights (2 x 60 watts), fed by a utility battery and topped by a small solar panel. So far so good.

Link: (pictures disappeared no thanks to photobucket)

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=341085

couch

 

[kenlip]

I just used an old (but still decent) tractor battery and 2ea 12 volt flood lights. Hung the lights from the side wall tie downs and ran wire back to the battery at the front of the container. Yea I have to charge the battery but only every other month or so. FYI, I had to do it this way as at the time, I had no electricity on my property (just installed yesterday but nowhere near the 40' container). Total investment = $25 for the lights on Amazon and already had the battery and wire.

How do you ensure that you don't over discharge the battery?

 

[nadogail]

Back in the day I built a complete microwave relay site that was placed on a mountain top by delivering it by helicopter. Basically it was like building a shipboard radio room. It was simple for a Marine Electrician. Neatness really counts, not only is all your work exposed to the world, trouble shooting is easier when all the cables are labeled and installed exactly as the prints indicate.

 

[Bigbandguy]

I would run # 12 UF to it just because it wouldn't be hard to do and if you wanted to plug in a charger or drill it would be convenient. I have two of the HF shop lights in my above garage room and they make it daylight in there, but the ceiling is painted. If you give the inside of the container a coat of cheap white paint two of those will light the place like Times square. 20 bucks each on sale and done.

 

[GabeC]

I didn't want to weld on my container, so I used those T&B 25lb magnets to hold up lights and conduit. Worked great and they are really strong!

 

[MrBreeze]

I used magnets to hold Feit LED shop lights from Costco. Have a "foot control" switch near the door to turn on an off. Used heavy extension cord from the house exterior GFI outlet. Obviously, this is a short-term solution. If this was permanent, I would have mounted ridged conduit on the interior. Pics attached.

 

[Ralf11]

you could put in a battery near the door with LEDs running off that

then you only need to hook up the AC extension cord when you need to re-charge

spray white paint to up the light level with reflections

 

[rburke65]

Unless the container is 4 miles away, run a permanent circuit / feed@n$ do it right....in my opinion

 

[MatBirch]

Done lots of container conversions...
I recommend keeping all lighting and such on the walls. Any penetrations through wall are much easier to seal, and mech less consequential if there’s a small leak.
10-24 SS carriage bolts seal themselves quite well for all but the most severe environments.
Of course the upper corner is a tube, so Tek screws work well for holding conduit and such.

 

[bad_idea]

Quick and easy - get some light strands. The extension cords with a light bulb socket every 5' or so. You hang them on the hooks already in the conex along the top of the walls.

Little more effort - weld angle iron between the square tubes at the top of the walls across the ceiling. Then tie the angle together and mount the lights to that. I don't like to weld to the overhead of the boxes - thin and easy to cause leaks.

 

[Dustball]

I know it's an old thread but for shipping containers, I'd recommend Magdaddy magnetic mounts to hang lights.

https://magdaddyusa.com/products/

You could attach these plates to the light fixtures-

Or hang from these hooks-

 

[cybrdyke]

Yeah, magnetically mounted strip lights are readily available. Linkable, too.
No need to drill holes.
CD