"Old School" Lighting Opinions?

[87BuzzinHalfDozen]

Hey gents,

I'm wiring my 30x38x12' garage (with cathedral style truss ceiling to 15'), and happened to be gifted 30+ (some may be too beat up) porcelain coated "barn" style lights. I need to re-wire them, but they have ultra high quality ceramic sockets and the green shade is just too cool.

I know the lumens output is not even close to strip lighting I've used in the past, but has anyone ever done a garage setup like an old factory with multiple high bay, Edison screw base lights? I have them, they look kick a**, and 100 watt led screw-ins are getting cheaper. I will have a commercial electric rate at about a total of 4 cents per kwH, so efficiency is not a huge concern.

If someone has done this, how was the lighting dispersion? Shadows? I imagine I would lose a lot of reflection off the ceiling? Is it worth it for the cool factor? ; ) Opinions welcome!

(Note, not my pictures)

 

[FJ 432]

I did this with a newer brushed nickel shade that was hard piped on a swivel base and my garage is 14'. I had flood PAR light bulbs. It was not enough light for me. I switched over to LED lighting. It does look good.

 

[ard]

I'd use the lights as accents and/or over certain areas. Not for the whole space.

You can sell me what you don't use.....

 

[Bert_]

The 100w led's aren't even close to enough. They won't match what was in there originally or give you much light. The 100w led's are designed like A19 lamps. Most of the bigger reflector fixtures would have had PS30 or PS35 lamps in 300 or 500 wattage.

 

[jpaw]

You could use something like this but I don't think that it will provide enough light. It may work if you use enough fixtures being that you have them already. Light temperature will be you friend in this case. I'd try 5000k bulbs.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P62QQTJ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[jpaw]

This is what I'm using with basic open bases and a white ceiling. Can't beat the value but they would look kind of funny with your fixtures.
https://www.menards.com/main/electr...-high-lumen-bulb/gt-cb-50/p-1487834580526.htm

 

[cybrdyke]

You can find high lumen A-line lamps, like these from Eiko that are 4500 lumens. https://www.eiko.com/category/921/LED35WPS25!2f840-U
You'll probably have to order them from your local supply house.
Good luck,
CD

 

[Bert_]

You can find high lumen A-line lamps, like these from Eiko that are 4500 lumens. https://www.eiko.com/category/921/LED35WPS25!2f840-U
You'll probably have to order them from your local supply house.
Good luck,
CD

First high lumen led I've seen that actually looks respectable. Most other companies are just making those awful corn cob lights. These would be worth considering.

 

[2level]

They would look great, and I think they would work well with those 4500 lumen bulbs. What I want to know is how you're able to get 4 cents / kWh power? I live in one of the most affordable power (hydro) areas in the country and our commercial rate is closer to 7 cents.

 

[laurens.zondag]

just rewire and use these for ambience lighting. place extra lights over the working area's so its easier to see what you are doing.

 

[burlybrute]

I picked up a few of these old barn lights awhile back. Mine were meant to mount directly on a box. I had other plans for them. Picked up some aluminum conduit and various fittings. Bent up the conduit the shape I wanted. Put it all together and mounted them above where my work bench will be.

Sent from my LG-M327 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Davefr]

I have a 30 X 48 X 14 pole barn and have been struggling with lighting. I just bought 4 of these and mounted them at 13' and they're amazing. At 32,000 total lm, it's like having full sun.

I bet they'd fit those wide fixtures you have.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J3XQCSP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[gungatim]

I have 6 of this style light in my shop. they have the glass globes (explosion proof I assume) and originally used large base bulbs like sodium or something.

I swapped out the large bulb bases and tack welded a regular bulb base in it's spot and used regular wiring. Originally used 300 watt clear bulbs but have switched to 250watt LED's.

as far as lighting dispersal, they ****. pretty much just for looks or task lighting in an area over the bench. but they do look cool.

I light the rest of the shop with 4' LED's now.

you can see one of them in the attached pic if you zoom in under the right TV, and see the dispersal. next to it is the led I put up that blows it out of the water (but not turned on in the pic)

 

[Bert_]

I have a 30 X 48 X 14 pole barn and have been struggling with lighting. I just bought 4 of these and mounted them at 13' and they're amazing. At 32,000 total lm, it's like having full sun.

I bet they'd fit those wide fixtures you have.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J3XQCSP/?tag=atomicindus08-20

If you're going to put bulbs like that in I wouldn't even bother with the old reflector fixtures. Doesn't fit the look at all.

 

[brett-green]

First high lumen led I've seen that actually looks respectable. Most other companies are just making those awful corn cob lights. These would be worth considering.

MaxLite is also now producing high lumen A-line lamps that look like regular bulbs just physically larger. You can find them on Green Electrical Supply's website. Part number is 102728 for the 26W 5000K 3200 Lumen version.

 

[Davefr]

If you're going to put bulbs like that in I wouldn't even bother with the old reflector fixtures. Doesn't fit the look at all.

I agree, unless he likes those old reflectors

 

[Bert_]

I agree, unless he likes those old reflectors

That's kind of my point. If he likes the reflector fixtures, then he needs a much more traditional looking bulb. No corn cob or adjustable LEDs, they will not look good.

 

[omni43]

Where did you get those, very cool.

 

[ddawg16]

Those are great looking lights.....love the green.

Up high, they should give decent light coverage. Slap in a PAR LED lamp and call it a day. I would put some outside as well.

I don't suppose you would consider 'gifting' a couple of those (for a small donation?)?

 

[sberry]

At 4 cents would be heating from it.

 

[machinemanjr]

They would look great, and I think they would work well with those 4500 lumen bulbs. What I want to know is how you're able to get 4 cents / kWh power? I live in one of the most affordable power (hydro) areas in the country and our commercial rate is closer to 7 cents.

Move to Douglas County, Wa. Cheapest retail rate in the Nation... Under $.03/KWh.

 

[machinemanjr]

That's kind of my point. If he likes the reflector fixtures, then he needs a much more traditional looking bulb. No corn cob or adjustable LEDs, they will not look good.

What bulb would you recommend then for fitting the look of the exposed bulb so prominent in these light fixtures? I assume higher lumen output is the focus, at and $.04/KWh who cares about LED...

Any recommendations for the OP?

 

[Ray-CA]

I picked these up and use led bulbs in them. Don’t use them as my main lighting but they’re fine for over the work bench.

I put a pair over the bench and two more along the neon wall. The last two got install in the lounge area.

Ray

 

[Bert_]

What bulb would you recommend then for fitting the look of the exposed bulb so prominent in these light fixtures? I assume higher lumen output is the focus, at and $.04/KWh who cares about LED...

Any recommendations for the OP?

For led the lamps listed in post #7 look pretty decent. Needs to be a round omnidirectional source of light. Also anything that you can see individual LED's is no good.

I have installed 3 for a customer in a craft room a couple years back. I put in mogul to medium reducers and 300w ps35 frosted lamps. Could have used mogul base lamps but since 300w was plenty of light this made bulbs easier to get and cheaper. Not exactly energy efficient using 900w to light a relatively small room but there was plenty of light for any task and it looked great.

 

[Zeke]

I think if you get something like this you can have single fixtures and a lot of light at the right place:

It's actually a swimming pool light but there are similar for regular fixture use.

 

[87BuzzinHalfDozen]

Thanks all for the replies, I've decided to use them for task lighting like several of you have mentioned, and gift the rest to my brother and dad for Christmas. I did some tests, and as you have stated, the light output would be so-so even with ultra high power bulbs like originally used for an entire garage. I came across some used 4 bulb, 8 foot fluorescent fixtures for dirt cheap I'll use until I can go to LED retrofit in a couple years.

 

[87BuzzinHalfDozen]

Move to Douglas County, Wa. Cheapest retail rate in the Nation... Under $.03/KWh.

They would look great, and I think they would work well with those 4500 lumen bulbs. What I want to know is how you're able to get 4 cents / kWh power? I live in one of the most affordable power (hydro) areas in the country and our commercial rate is closer to 7 cents.

At 4 cents would be heating from it.

I plan to heat with an electric boiler actually

In my case, Per DTE (Detroit Edison) in Michigan, a meter beyond your house meter is a commercial rate in residential zoning. I won't post specific pricing details, but basically my home is ~ 10 cents per KWh, and my new garage will be about 4 cents. It's actually slightly less, but that is including the average with fees. We get all of our power from a big-ole' nuclear plant, as well as coal/natural gas generating station supplements. It's too flat here to have hydoelectric despite all of the water we have, not windy enough for turbines, and not sunny enough for large scale solar.

 

[2level]

I plan to heat with an electric boiler actually

In my case, Per DTE (Detroit Edison) in Michigan, a meter beyond your house meter is a commercial rate in residential zoning. I won't post specific pricing details, but basically my home is ~ 10 cents per KWh, and my new garage will be about 4 cents. It's actually slightly less, but that is including the average with fees. We get all of our power from a big-ole' nuclear plant, as well as coal/natural gas generating station supplements. It's too flat here to have hydoelectric despite all of the water we have, not windy enough for turbines, and not sunny enough for large scale solar.

Wow, what a huge difference between residential and commercial rates. Commercial rates are about 70-90% of residential here. Extremely high volume Industrial rates are close to 4 cents per kWh. And apparently, some residences near the Grand Coulee Dam, ala 'machineman jr', pay closer to 3 cents.

 

[My Old Tools]

I'd be rewiring and running the house as a branch circuit off the shop....