olytdi
Well-known member
This is another "help me out" thread with lighting only because I find the hundreds of previous threads on this either outdated, lacking application to my situation, or simply contradictory. I understand the basics of lighting in terms of intensity falling off over distance and the need to not pack all of your lumens in a few small packages!
In my previous 28x28 square shop build, there were two interior trusses dividing the box into three equal sections. The truss bottom chords were 11 ft from the floor. I had put up two fluorescent fixtures longways on each truss bottom (each fixture was 8 ft long and had 4) 4ft t8 lamps), and I put another 8 ft 4 tube fixture at 90 degrees perpendicular midway from each of the trusses toward the outer walls. So, 6 fixtures in total, each with 4 tubes = 24 tubes at 2600 lumens per tube, mounted at 11 ft above the floor. This comes to about 62,400 lumens applied at 11 ft off the floor. The walls were flat white -- I don't know what that means in terms of reflectance but the lighting was pretty good in my opinion but probably could be better.
I now have a new 36x36 building that is very similar in design to the 28x28 in that it's a square building and is similarly trisected by two interior trusses, the bottom chords of which are also 11 ft from the floor. Also similarly, the walls are somewhat white given the insulation wrap and I'll probably end up with white walls once completed. The 36x36 is about 55% larger in area than the 28x28. I will use the new building for projects, hobbies, wrenching, etc.
My question is about LED fixtures, of course. Given my satisfaction with my previous flourescent setup, is there any reason not to stick to the layout I used previously but increase the number of LED fixtures such that the total number of lumen output is proportionate? So perhaps 10 fixtures total with similar output, 3 each on the truss bottoms and another two each perpendicular to the walls? I'm uncertain how LEDs will perform vs the T8 tubes in a direct comparison.
Another question involves fixture type -- I would think long and narrow is best (better coverage/fewer shadows) and that a reflector of some sort and diffuser lens would have positive effects(?).
Lastly, I would assume that if I over do it, I can always bail out with a dimmer switch?
BTW, I did try some of the online calculators but I'm not understanding some of the input terminology and sometimes they have a "pick your application" but it's not clear what application from their list would be analogous to mine (grocery store/show room/class room/etc.).
Anyway, thanks up front for any tips and suggestions. This doesn't have to be perfect and brighter has always seemed better to these aging eyes. It's the shadows, light "harshness," and glare from the fixtures that I worry about. I don't like glare and shadows!
Eric
In my previous 28x28 square shop build, there were two interior trusses dividing the box into three equal sections. The truss bottom chords were 11 ft from the floor. I had put up two fluorescent fixtures longways on each truss bottom (each fixture was 8 ft long and had 4) 4ft t8 lamps), and I put another 8 ft 4 tube fixture at 90 degrees perpendicular midway from each of the trusses toward the outer walls. So, 6 fixtures in total, each with 4 tubes = 24 tubes at 2600 lumens per tube, mounted at 11 ft above the floor. This comes to about 62,400 lumens applied at 11 ft off the floor. The walls were flat white -- I don't know what that means in terms of reflectance but the lighting was pretty good in my opinion but probably could be better.
I now have a new 36x36 building that is very similar in design to the 28x28 in that it's a square building and is similarly trisected by two interior trusses, the bottom chords of which are also 11 ft from the floor. Also similarly, the walls are somewhat white given the insulation wrap and I'll probably end up with white walls once completed. The 36x36 is about 55% larger in area than the 28x28. I will use the new building for projects, hobbies, wrenching, etc.
My question is about LED fixtures, of course. Given my satisfaction with my previous flourescent setup, is there any reason not to stick to the layout I used previously but increase the number of LED fixtures such that the total number of lumen output is proportionate? So perhaps 10 fixtures total with similar output, 3 each on the truss bottoms and another two each perpendicular to the walls? I'm uncertain how LEDs will perform vs the T8 tubes in a direct comparison.
Another question involves fixture type -- I would think long and narrow is best (better coverage/fewer shadows) and that a reflector of some sort and diffuser lens would have positive effects(?).
Lastly, I would assume that if I over do it, I can always bail out with a dimmer switch?
BTW, I did try some of the online calculators but I'm not understanding some of the input terminology and sometimes they have a "pick your application" but it's not clear what application from their list would be analogous to mine (grocery store/show room/class room/etc.).
Anyway, thanks up front for any tips and suggestions. This doesn't have to be perfect and brighter has always seemed better to these aging eyes. It's the shadows, light "harshness," and glare from the fixtures that I worry about. I don't like glare and shadows!
Eric