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lights in floor

powpow

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Jan 21, 2010
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le center, mn
Has naybody ever seen recessed lights embedded into the floor? I say a shop with lights underneath a hoist and would like to do this in my shop under my hoist

Maybe a pool light?

Thanks
Jeff
 
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joecole23

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Dallas, TX
I wanted to do this for my new shop too. I looked at EVERYTHING. You have to be keenly aware of the surface temperature of the light, as well as the light output. A pool light would likely burn your feet.

I ended up deciding that the only light that would do is the Lightvault by KIM Lighting (check their website for all the specs). However, the lights were like $2k apiece and I would've needed 6 of them under my lift to achieve ~30 footcandles at 6 ft. off the ground.

In the end, I ditched the in-slab lighting idea and just went overboard with my ceiling-mounted fluorescents. With light-colored walls and floor, I should have plenty of light reflection to see the underside of the car.

In the end, I learned the in-slab lighting would be AWESOME, but it is just too cost prohibitive for my tastes.
 

joecole23

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Those actually look pretty good! And cheap! I never found those during my search. So I guess when I say that I looked at EVERYTHING, that might have been a bit of an overstatement. :Sleep:
 

PassnThru

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Bowling Green KY
I don't know what kind of hoist you have but I would think you could build some boxes for some fluorescent lights that mount to the hoist somehow? There are lights meant to the mounted to the wall that aim at an angle downward. Mounting them to the light angled up would probably help quite a bit.
 

german oldschool

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Feb 11, 2010
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Germany -- Rhineland Palatinate--
@powpow
Do you want the lights to illuminate or just as a decoration like a show effect at night?
I got led lights from IKEA here in germany :) they aren´t bright enough to illuminate while working but as effect lights they are perfect and they don´t get warm.
ps. my first post
Greets from germany Daniel
 

wfopete

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Somewhere North of Dover, AR
If lights in the floor are not an option, you might consider fluorescent lights in the walls. I've seen many car shops that do painting like that. Seems to work well.
 
OP
P

powpow

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le center, mn
Sorry, been busy

So the lights in the floor are for working on vehicles. I have been around the flourescent lights on the hoist, also seen them break, that is no good.

I am putting flo's in teh wall of my paint booth, and on the cieling, etc

I have been trying to find pool lights. My other option I have been looking at is a metal box wth a 175 watt clear bulb and heavy plex glass over it, but then heat would be an issue, or I do flos in a box and heavy plexiglass over those and embed the box in the concrete when I pour, then drop the light in after the fact so it is servicable

Maybe it just isnt going to happen.

Thoughts?
 

joecole23

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Dallas, TX
Whatever light you choose, it should be sealed. The last thing you want is to spill gas and have it ignite a fire within your lighting solution...

That's why I narrowed my search to the LightVault product from KIM Lighting. They are sealed and guaranteed to be corrosion-free.
 
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mpraddict

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Jan 28, 2007
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Central Ohio
Sealed and gasketed....don't forget about fumes. I've designed in-floor lights in commercial retail applications, but never in a garage. Doesn't seem like it would be too effective, as you'd always be standing in the way and casting a shadow on your work.
 

e30 Memorial

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Nov 16, 2009
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Location
Seattle, Washington
Has naybody ever seen recessed lights embedded into the floor? I say a shop with lights underneath a hoist and would like to do this in my shop under my hoist

Maybe a pool light?

Thanks
Jeff

Richard Griot's(Griot's Garage) home garage has in-floor lighting under his hoist, and if I remember correctly they were pool lights. What a playground!
 

Craig Balzer

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Sep 21, 2005
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Location
Colorado Springs
I corresponded with Tahoe Lighting a couple of years ago. I asked about 8questions specifically about the 8 light in-floor configuration. The 4-5 general questions I asked are listed below with their answer (I deleted out-of-date pricing from their reply:

1. The in-ground lights have been on for -- let's say -- 2 hours. I spill some flammable liquid (gas, mineral spirits, etc). How big is the explosion/fire?
ANSWER: Any type of liquid that is flammable will burn the lens. I have never actually poured these liquids on the lights so I'm not sure about the explosion part.

2. I am working under the car on the lift and drop a 2 pound hammer directly onto the glass face of the lamp. What happens?
ANSWER: You will not have to worry about dropping anything on the light if you go with the Lexan Up-Grade. This is the strongest plastic out there.

3. A bulb burns out. Is the seal around the in-ground lamp fixture compromised during the replacement process (see question 1)?
ANSWER: These lights are all low voltage so you will have no problem changing bulbs at any time.

4. What do I need to consider when pouring the concrete floor? (I also asked about any inference with in-floor radiant heating in a separate question):
ANSWER: When pouring concrete you will want to place the wire into conduit just in case something does happen to the wire. This will also help controlling the heat that comes off of the in-ground heating. We sell a 8 light kit and the pre-forms are sold separately and priced individually.

Craig
 

rwhite692

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Mar 4, 2008
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Central Valley, CA
Putting a pool light in the floor might work, until you drop a wrench on the lens. The typical pool light lens is not particularly durable.

Those Tahoe lights are designed for paver-stone walkway accent lighting. The lexan is 1/8" thick. They hold small 12V bulbs and are not going to be capable of throwing anywhere near enough illumination to be worth the trouble, under a lift.

I think you should research higher-wattage, professional architectural landscape lighting fixtures that are made to be placed in concrete walkways, etc...These are typically of cast brass or aluminum construction and are seen very often these days at newer shopping malls, outside movie theaters, etc.

These fixtures typically have very thick block glass lenses and are designed to stand up to foot traffic, etc. and (surprise!) they ain't cheap.

Again, I think in-floor lighting is not going to give you the lighting performance you seek. Most often when working under cars, you need to position the light source up close to where you are working, and often you must put the light source above/on top of or around items that are under the vehicle like the exhaust, suspension, etc, to actually see what you are doing...Lighting in the floor would be blocked by these items, and you will need another light source, anyway.

I think that if in-floor lighting actually worked on a practical basis, we would see it in every professional auto service facility, and...hmm...we don't.

Now, if you want to do it for the "wow" factor, since it will no doubt look nifty, then that's something else entirely. You can get colored bulbs and live it up.
 
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sneezer41

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Oct 8, 2007
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People's Republic of Mass
I'm not going to touch on whether it is worth while, but I have an idea.

When pouring your slab, leave a trench say 6 inches wide 4 inches deep. running down the center of the lift forward to the wall. If you set a light fixture at the end of the trench and a series of plexi mirrors set at 45 degrees in the trench, with the mirror nearest the light fixture having a very large hole in it to let light through, the next a smaller hole and so forth. cover the trench with 1/2 plexi or lexan. You could either detail the concrete with a rabet for the plexi or bolt in 1x wood to set the plexi on. you would not want to put a jack on it, but a steel plate kept handy would work. paint the inside white.

Light fixture could be kept out of the gas/water area with no heat or damage.

betcha it'd work

think I would probably just mount lights on my lift arms
 

51rider

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Dec 21, 2009
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502
Location
London, England.
I've seen some stuff called 'Driveway marker lights'. They are vehicle grade which I guess means 'can be driven over.'
Like most other posters, I doubt they will give you anything other than a general level of illumination and you will still need a dedicated task light for the job at hand.
 

swharris

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Jan 10, 2010
Messages
403
Location
So. Cal.
I'll concure about the direct hard light casting shadows. Still, I think some of the newer long LED (flourescent replacement) fixtures might be a worth a try. They are very rugged and with a lexan sheet on top and placed correctly could work nicely. Still, I'd do a light gray floor and LED or FL on the walls down low to help with under lift light.

Check out LEDtronics http://www.ledtronics.com/Products/cat1.aspx?P=C0D851
 

more toys

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May 15, 2009
Messages
31
Location
Arkansas
I attended the MOOG training school in St Louis about 15 years ago, they had lights in the floor under the hoists. As I recall it worked great for that kind of work. I am out of the auto repair business so I am not sure if they still have the school.
 

Kevin54

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Jan 12, 2005
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Location
Urbana, Ohio
08_garageideas02_lg_07.jpg


Griots lights in floor.

Also do a search for "drive over lighting" Quite a few hits on that phrase

http://www.wiprolighting.com/products/drive-over-lighting.asp

http://www.louielighting.com/product?product_id=612-35PAR20

http://www.gwsupplies.co.uk/lighting/c/74/drive-over,walkover,decking.htm

http://www.lightinglocations.com/lights/exterior/led-walk-over-lights

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Telco_Lighting/DriveOver_Light/

http://www.thelightingsuperstore.co.uk/category.asp?catcode=120
 
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