Lighting

[73chevelless]

I want to install some flourescent lights in my garage.How many 4' fixtures can i run off the single bulb that is mounted now?

 

[carcentric]

First, determine what's on that circuit - other lights? outlets? garage door opener?

Second, determine the amperage of the circuit breaker for that circuit - 15 amp? 20 amp?

Third, determine the wiring used (or just hope it's correct for the breaker).

From those data, do the math:
Amps of breaker x 120 volts = available watts before the breaker trips

Example: My 4' fixtures take a pair of 32 watt tubes (64 watts per fixture) - a bit more than one 60 watt incandescent bulb. On that 15 amp circuit, there's an outlet for my garage door opener (6 amps according to the mfg label) which leaves me 9 amps (or 9 x 120 watts) for lights. You're only supposed to use 80% of capacity, though, to allow for surges such as you'll encounter when the door opener motor first starts.

 

[73chevelless]

First, determine what's on that circuit - other lights? outlets? garage door opener?

Second, determine the amperage of the circuit breaker for that circuit - 15 amp? 20 amp?

Third, determine the wiring used (or just hope it's correct for the breaker).

From those data, do the math:
Amps of breaker x 120 volts = available watts before the breaker trips

Example: My 4' fixtures take a pair of 32 watt tubes (64 watts per fixture) - a bit more than one 60 watt incandescent bulb. On that 15 amp circuit, there's an outlet for my garage door opener (6 amps according to the mfg label) which leaves me 9 amps (or 9 x 120 watts) for lights. You're only supposed to use 80% of capacity, though, to allow for surges such as you'll encounter when the door opener motor first starts.

So how many fixtures do you have instaled?

 

[carcentric]

So how many fixtures do you have instaled?

I have six 2-tube fixtures (6 x 2 x 32 watts = 384 watts), about the minimum I'd recommend for a two-car garage. Mine use the 4' long T8 size tubes (T12's are being phased out).

 

[mleichtle]

I have 300 bulb, incadecant, in a fixture, I don't recall ever seeing anything bigger than that. So that equals 4 fixtures if you use 32 watt tubes. I'm assuming your talking about using one of those screw in socket thingys, with a power strip?

 

[73chevelless]

I have 300 bulb, incadecant, in a fixture, I don't recall ever seeing anything bigger than that. So that equals 4 fixtures if you use 32 watt tubes. I'm assuming your talking about using one of those screw in socket thingys, with a power strip?

I am gonna hard wire everything in conduit.It really will not be a big deal at all.It is only a one car garage,but it stinks when you have no light.

 

[carcentric]

I am gonna hard wire everything in conduit.It really will not be a big deal at all.It is only a one car garage,but it stinks when you have no light.

Four two-tube fixtures should do then, with a portable light of some sort for underneath the car.

I'd orient them parallel to the car, two on each side of the car (a foot or two farther apart than the width of the car, none directly overhead), with about 6 feet between the front pair and the rear pair, kinda like this:
I C I
. A
I R I

But that's just me.

 

[oldgoat]

I have 9 outlets in the ceiling for lights. They are in groups of three with their own switch and breaker. I have 3 over the center where the car will be or the open space for doing projects. Then 3 each over each side between what would be the middle between the wall and where the side of the car will be. That way there shouldn't be too many shadows when trying to do work. Front ones are 4 ft from the front wall for the work area in the front and also to get light into the front of the engine compartment for general work.