A while back I was inspired by Veno's thread to light my shop using CFLs. My shop is a metal 50'x50'x14' and has spray foam insulation. The insulation is a dull green and is not the best light reflector. I purchased the home depot porcelin bases that are about $1.50 e ach and the $2.00 or so metal boxes and installed 20 of them on the roof purlins. I made 5 runs of 4 lights and connected it up with 14 guage romex. I kinda went lazy and cheap on the install by using romex and not conduit but the wires are 14' above the ground, laying inside of the lip of the purlins, and are now encased in the foam.
i could not find a local source for the high output CFLs so I figured I would have to order them. My initial thought was to go with the 105 actual watt bulbs that are about $22 each. I installed 100 watt bulbs as a temporary measure and was quite impressed with the amount of light. It was not what i would call super bright but it was sufficient for anything i would be doing and was as bright as most shops I had ever been in. This made me re think the 105 watt CFLs and I started pricing 65 watt and 85 watt versions. I found a good deal at Interlight for 85 watt, 6400k, 425 watt equivalent, 4680 lumen bulbs for $18.75 each. When I ordered they had a 5% off special and I got them for $17.81 each. Seemed like a great deal to me but they did take two weeks to come in.
I put all the bulbs in and all I can say is wow. I can't imagine needing anything brighter. I am 110% satisfied. the lights come right on, don't make any noise, don't interfere with my radio, and seem great. It has not been really cold here but I went out the other morning when it was 28 degrees and they fired right up. Maybe took a minute or two to reach full brightness.
Here are a couple of pictures. The picture really does not do justice to as bright as it is in there. The second picture is a close up of one of the bulbs and a regular bulb so you can see the size of these things. They are far from the ordinary CFL's you see in stores.
i could not find a local source for the high output CFLs so I figured I would have to order them. My initial thought was to go with the 105 actual watt bulbs that are about $22 each. I installed 100 watt bulbs as a temporary measure and was quite impressed with the amount of light. It was not what i would call super bright but it was sufficient for anything i would be doing and was as bright as most shops I had ever been in. This made me re think the 105 watt CFLs and I started pricing 65 watt and 85 watt versions. I found a good deal at Interlight for 85 watt, 6400k, 425 watt equivalent, 4680 lumen bulbs for $18.75 each. When I ordered they had a 5% off special and I got them for $17.81 each. Seemed like a great deal to me but they did take two weeks to come in.
I put all the bulbs in and all I can say is wow. I can't imagine needing anything brighter. I am 110% satisfied. the lights come right on, don't make any noise, don't interfere with my radio, and seem great. It has not been really cold here but I went out the other morning when it was 28 degrees and they fired right up. Maybe took a minute or two to reach full brightness.
Here are a couple of pictures. The picture really does not do justice to as bright as it is in there. The second picture is a close up of one of the bulbs and a regular bulb so you can see the size of these things. They are far from the ordinary CFL's you see in stores.
