Lights for a 30x20 carport?

[vdubee]

What kind/size/quantity of fluorescent lights would you guys recommend to use under a 30' x 20' carport?? I'll be wiring them off of a 15 amp circuit used by an existing small standard outdoor incandescent fixture.

 

[pattenp]

Using .5 amp for 2 lamp T8 fixture and 1 amp for 4 lamp T8 fixture. You can have a many as 24 2 lamp T8 fixtures or 12 4 lamp T8 fixtures. The 15A circuit should have no more than a continuous load of 12A. Not knowing how bright you want it I'd say between 6 and 8 two lamp T8 fixtures. The fixture will use two 4' T8 lamps.

 

[vdubee]

Pattenp, thanks for the reply. As far as brightness, I'm just looking for it to be bright enuff to probably wash a vehicle at night. What u think?

 

[mnster]

My garage is the same size. 15 2 bulb 4ft T8 fixtures is the amount you need to get the recommended 100 lumens of light per foot. Depends on your ceiling height though I suppose.

Ben

 

[pattenp]

Since you need to see well enough to wash the car, I think 10 of the 4' 2 lamp T8 fixtures, but no less than 8.

Pattenp, thanks for the reply. As far as brightness, I'm just looking for it to be bright enuff to probably wash a vehicle at night. What u think?

 

[2ManyProjects]

What kind/size/quantity of fluorescent lights would you guys recommend to use under a 30' x 20' carport?? I'll be wiring them off of a 15 amp circuit used by an existing small standard outdoor incandescent fixture.

Pattenp, thanks for the reply. As far as brightness, I'm just looking for it to be bright enuff to probably wash a vehicle at night. What u think?

Car-washing actually requires pretty good illumination, at least if you want to do a decent job. So, pending the placement of the fixtures, I generally concur with "pattenp"'s recommendation in terms of the total amount of light you'll want (it MIGHT even be a bit on the low side).

However, you will surely NOT want that much light for just casual use of the carport. So it would behoove you to set up the lights in AT LEAST two separately switched "banks", with perhaps only 1-3 fixtures in the first bank, and the rest reserved for when you really want to see every detail. Alternately, you might want to use incandescent fixtures for the "low key" lighting (which will provide an attractive warm glow, as opposed to making your house look like a gas station or mini-mart), and only kick on the fluorescents when you have real work to do. Either way, this being a semi-exposed location, you should also endeavor to use fixtures which are as weather-tight as possible.

 

[pattenp]

Very good point with this being a carport. These are some weather resistant fixtures, but will cost you some $$$.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ixture-XWL-2-32-120-RE/202034431#.Um7NJ3BONY4

..... you should also endeavor to use fixtures which are as weather-tight as possible.

 

[AZ Glen]

I just put these two fixtures in my carport, 4 bulbs total T5's, it is very bright....of course there would be shadows down the front and rear if you are trying to detail a car...that wont work....washing a car, no problem.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...LB-2-54T5HO-MVOLT-MVPS/203124228#.Um8v7b7n-M8