Lighting with CFLs or incandecents

[firehawk356]

Hey guys, I have been a lurker for awhile and will post pics of the new to me shop soon. I have a question about the feasibility of lighting with single CFLs or incandecents. My shop currently is not drywalled but will eventually. Its 30X40 and currently has 12 60w incandecent bulbs lighting it. Its actually OK light for just doing general work. I am a painter and would not want to paint in it but like I said its OK. I was wondering if anyone has a similar size shop lit with single bulbs and if it works. I am debating for the time being adding 6 for a total of 18 bulbs. It would be an easy inexpensive project and I think would give me a pretty good light for the time being. Does anyone have a similar set up and does it work or ****?

 

[theoldwizard1]

I can't imagine using multiple "point light source" (incandescent or CFL) in such a large space. Shadow city !

The only question you should have is 4' or 8' tubes (4' are easier to handle and easier to find)

 

[fordcragar]

I have a neighbor that is using CFL in his 1500 square foot garage and he loves them. He had tubes before. I just talked to him a couple of minutes ago and he has about 6 CFL's lighting that portion of his shop,. I have to do something to mine and am thinking about going to CFL's.

 

[Jeff]

Switch them out with CFL's. You can also add y-adapters like I did.

 

[knedgr]

If possible, get some tubes. Mine garage bay has 4 sets of 96" tubes and needless to say...it's bright. More light the better IMO.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Read this thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38658

Charles

 

[trbomax]

Thats close to the size of my vehicle work area,and I have 12 (I think?) single bulb cfl's. They are actually exterior lights set 13' high. No shadows and no windows letting light it.

 

[jvitez]

Round bulbs with Y-adapters look like a pair of cojones.

I love the even illumination of tubular fluorescent bulbs. But, if you're not bothered by shadows with your current set up, why not just replace the 60W with 100w incandescents and see what you think, depending on ampacity of your circuit. 100w bulbs are cheap, and get them while you can. Add up the total lumen output, and switch to same lumen output CFL's once the incandescents burn out. This way you're not stuck with under-wattage bulbs for a long time if you go directly to CFL's. I'd try that first before adding any more fixtures.

But get individual higher wattage spiral CFL's if standard 23w bulbs aren't enough. They don't look like cojones.

 

[dankicksass]

I use 65W CFL bulbs in half of my garage. They say "300W Replacement" on the package in Home Depot, very large. Biggest bulbs I've ever seen in a regular size Edison base. They're about $15 each, a little more if you want 5000K natural color though. I'm probably crazy.

 

[ibedayank]

I can't imagine using multiple "point light source" (incandescent or CFL) in such a large space. Shadow city !

The only question you should have is 4' or 8' tubes (4' are easier to handle and easier to find)

ballasts for the 8footers are $40 and up
we switched to 4 foot bulbs and fixtures for less than 1/2 the costs of the ballasts

 

[ddawg16]

A lot depends on what you want to do in the garage. In my case, it's a lot of wood working and jeep wrenching.....I don't want lights hanging down that will get smacked by a 2x4. Hence, I have 18 6" recessed cans in the bottom portion of my garage set up in 3 zones. I'm using 23w (100w equiv) CFL's. What I like about CFL's is that it's easy to change color and wattage....with tubes...you can only change color.

But since you want to do painting....4' tubes might be a better choice. I would not suggest T12....those are on the way out. T8's put out more light with less juice....they cost a few $ more....but not that much.

When you start doing the comparison of incandescent vs CFL vs Tube....incandescent looses big time...it then just becomes and issue of which fluorscent light is best for you.

Recessed cans are easier to install and give you more flexibility on where you put them. Tubes can be cheaper but you are then stuck with a light that is hanging down from the ceiling...unless you go with a troffer...in which case....cans are cheaper.

Here are a couple of pics of my garage with lights on....note...this first pic was taken during the day time....

And this is what one of my zones looks like....not sure what the shadow city comment was about....I don't have issues with shadows...

 

[ptschram]

When we moved in, my shop was lighted by 200 watt incandescents. After the second or third close call with the overloaded electricals, I switched them all out to 15-20 watt CFLs.

If for no other reason than reduced electrical consumption, I was pleased.

I've since added a few 48" fluorescents, but the CFLs are still the main lighting.

 

[ratdoggy]

Switch them out with CFL's. You can also add y-adapters like I did.

X2 That's watt (get it?) I did until I was able to put in bigger fixtures. It makes a big difference.

 

[Motown 454]

I have two 300 watt CFL's in my garage temporarily and their pretty good.

 

[firehawk356]

WOW thanks for the responses guys. I really dont want to do any painting in my garage so Im not worried about that. I have access to booths so that is where I would paint. My garage will be used for general wrenching and project building. I was looking at it last night and I think the shadow issue has a lot to do with the position of the lights. the ones I have right now are run down the sides of the bays not over the vehicles. I really dont notice any annoying shadows now. I think I will switch to CFLs and see what I think.

 

[theoldwizard1]

ballasts for the 8footers are $40 and up
we switched to 4 foot bulbs and fixtures for less than 1/2 the costs of the ballasts

Do all new fluorescent fixtures (stick) now a days use "electronic" ballasts ?

 

[firehawk356]

I went to Depot today and got 6-64w (300 incancesent) CFLs. Replaced half of the garage and holy smokes what a difference. Did half the shop and can wait to do the other half. I am very happy with the quality if the light. Seems very indirect. I think if I add one strip to fill a dead spot down the middle.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Do all new fluorescent fixtures (stick) now a days use "electronic" ballasts ?

The government has banned the manufacture/sale of magnetic ballasts.

Charles

 

[hillbill9889]

The government has banned the manufacture/sale of magnetic ballasts.

Charles

The Lowes I went to yesterday had a pretty large pile of 4' T8 2 bulb fixtures that right on the package stated magentic ballast.

 

[dankicksass]

I picked up some Y-adapters for the Edison fixtures in my garage that I didn't have the big "300W" CFL bulbs in. Doubling the light makes an incredible difference for eight bucks, using "100W" and "75W" CFL bulbs I already had in my stockroom.