New lights in Garage (Help with optimal placement)

[honesttussey]

I've acquired two fluorescent bulb housings, which each hold two 4-ft 40W fluorescent bulbs (I don't know the designation for this bulb). I plan on putting them in my garage but I can't decide on the placement.

Joists run parallel to direction of car.

Suggestions are welcome.

There are two areas that need to be well lit.
1) Under the hood of my car
2) Work bench

PICS

Standing in doorway

Standing in doorway 2 w/hood open

Workbench (door on right, outside picture)

Light Housings x2

 

[z28toz06]

what is the coverage of the fixtures at the height you are placing them?

keep in mind what is hanging that will create shadows.

 

[honesttussey]

I have no idea. Would this information be posted somewhere?

FYI. The garage is 10ft 3in high.
From Garage door to wall is 16ft 5in
Workbench is 7ft 7in from garage door.
Wall to Wall is 18ft 4in


<-7ft 7in->
|-------------------------------|    /\
|               |_WB_|              |     |
|                                        |     18ft 4in
|                                        |    |
|                                        |    |
|-------------------------------|    \/

<----------16ft 5in-----------> 

Height = 10ft 3in

 

[dwilliams35]

You're not going to get a knockout amount of light out of a couple of T12 40w fixtures: I think I'd just put them directly over your two "critical areas" then fill in dead spaces as needed later.

 

[jcs_in_ky]

If they are lights that are still currently manufactured you might trying going on the manufacturers site for specs. Often times they have diagrams that show you the angle the light is put out at, etc. It would be overkill in your case but I had a 40x60 shop I was putting lights in and I went to a CED electrical store. With the help of a salesman there we figured out what lights what work best. Then he put my square footage, and mounting height in their computer. It printed out a chart for those lights telling me the spacing on them depending on how many lumens I wanted in my work areas.

 

[Kevin54]

One to the left of the hood towards the front and one to the right of the hood

 

[bomber]

under the hood's gonna be tough -- the hood itself and you will undoubtedly cast shadows . . .

the bench is easier -- place it where you won't cast a shadow, and where it won't shine directly into your eyes (unless it's not real bright and if it's difused)

I think you may be better off placing them for decent general illumination, and then adding task lighting where you really need to be able to see everything clearly

sadly, your eyes will need more light as time progresses, and there's simply no affordable way to replicate the amount of light coming into the shop from teh sun with the doors open . . . .

 

[kbs2244]

Put these 2 about 2 feet off to each side of the car at the point where the front bumper is.
This will get you light shining in on each side so that you are out of your shadow no matter which side you are on.
Get a third light for the workbench.

 

[pattenp]

I'd probilly place them on either side of the access door.

 

[MOP_zero]

Orientation is just as important as location. Even though the garage is relatively Square I would still have the length of the fixture perpendicular to the longest wall.

 

[hidollartoys]

Dude you dont have enough lights!!!!!! Seriously, placement will depend on where you need the most light. Underhood lighting is not very practical with fluors. Hood and you will block most of it unless you just flood the area with fixtures. I use a construction flood light from HD for under hood lighting, real bright and marginal shadowing. My shop is 24x24 and I have (3) 8' double tube and (5) 4' double tube and it still is not enough lite for underhood work. One way to help this is to hang the lights down from the ceiling, closer to the work. But with only 2 lights this is still going to be tough.

 

[timgr]

I have 16 4' two-tube florescent fixtures hanging from my ceiling. My garage is 21'x17', so that's roughly 1 fixture for every 22 sf of floor space. I guessed at how many fixtures I would need using the lumen output of the lamps and illumination requirement for a bank listed in the NEC.

Having reflective surfaces helps a lot - light colored floor, bright walls and ceiling, etc. However, this many lights is not too many ... I could easily have more and not have too much light. I still need task lighting, and I expect you will too.