Recessed LED Lighting Fixture recommendation?

[Crackerballer]

I know, I am sure this has been asked, but I have searched and the results are coming up empty.

Long story short, my water heater failed and was located on the second floor of our house above the garage. So before I get the restoration company to come do all of the sheetrock work, I want to add a few recessed LED lights into the ceiling.I was thinking something 4', but I don't have 2' of space between beams. So it's either a 12-14" receiver or recessed cans.

I have a good electrician who can wire them up after install, but I need recommendations on the fixture! The ceiling height is just under 10' and it's an oversized 2 car. Don't need a ton of light, but enough for general car maintenance, wrench turning, and AR15 building at the work bench.

Thanks folks!

 

[cybrdyke]

Google search for 1x4 LED Flat Panels.
You'll find tons of them.
CD

 

[Crackerballer]

Google search for 1x4 LED Flat Panels.
You'll find tons of them.
CD

Dude...really? You don't think I've done that? I am asking specifically for a make and brand, as well as lumen recommendations and such from people who have actually used and installed those specific models.

I'm well aware of how Google works.

 

[pbon]

Based on the OP’s original post, I would have given the same response as Cybrdyke and I have an English degree from an Ivy League college. Don’t beat up on people trying to help. I am not going to try to help.

 

[Shiftless]

Dude...really? You don't think I've done that? I am asking specifically for a make and brand, as well as lumen recommendations and such from people who have actually used and installed those specific models.

I'm well aware of how Google works.

You sound a bit over caffeinated with that response to an honest reply from somebody who really knows their business.
To get precise recommendations, a designer needs specific details about your space and lighting needs. “Enough” light do do those tasks is a vague quantity and somewhat a matter of personal taste. There are industry standards and recommendations but in the end, the light one guy needs for a certain task is different than somebody else’s.

 

[Crackerballer]

You sound a bit over caffeinated with that response to an honest reply from somebody who really knows their business.
To get precise recommendations, a designer needs specific details about your space and lighting needs. “Enough” light do do those tasks is a vague quantity and somewhat a matter of personal taste. There are industry standards and recommendations but in the end, the light one guy needs for a certain task is different than somebody else’s.

My apologies, but I am shocked you think that someone telling me to Google the dimensions of the fixture comes off as good advise.

Isn't this a forum of discussion for exactly what you mention? I have laid out what I believe to be all of the pertinent information (happy to add additional fact or color if needed) and am looking for real world experience with a certain brand and model of light.

So if the other folks who respond with recommendations could expand on their selection choice and if they believe it to be enough or sufficient for their uses, and their uses happen to be the same or similar to mine, that'd be much appreciated.

 

[Shiftless]

Thanks for saying that.
CD’s advise was the recommending of 1x4 flat panels for your application. I agree. But they are a bit more expensive than other options. That all depends on your budget and how finished you want the final installation to look.

I put a single flat panel 1x1 unit from Home Depot (Commercial Electric) in the middle of a small finished room (about 10x10) in the basement. It has 7 foot ceilings so the flat profile was what drove the decision. That’s enough light for doing desk work. It’s been up for a couple of years with no problems.

My 2 car unfinished garage (open beam ceiling and bare studs walls) has a mix of LED floodlights and 4 foot double tube LED (4000K color temperature) surface mounted fixtures. That works for me but probably not for you.
I have a 7 foot wide workbench lit by 3 LED floodlight bulbs screwed into porcelain bulb holders spaced about 2 feet apart. Each FEIT bulb puts out 1065 lumens (2700K) with a 110 degree beam spread. They’re mounted 42 inches above the bench. I find that to be plenty of light for the most intricate work.

The 1x4 flat panel fixtures CD recommended give good even light and are a good fit for lighting large areas. They also look great!

I’m not a design pro. You could pick up a couple of 1x4 panels at your local big box store and try them out by wiring them to a short cord with a plug. That way you could see the quality of light in your space and decide. If you hate them, return ‘em! As a very rough guess, you might get by with 4 of them for general lighting but 9 would be great. And then extra task lighting over your bench to avoid shadows.
Alternatively, you could use one of the free online lighting apps to design a layout.
.
.

 

[pbon]

It would have been easy to write, “What brands of 1x4 LED flat panels are recommended?”

Lumegen from Lightup.com were the ones I considered, but I ultimately went with surface mount James 4’ LED strip wrap lights from LEDlightingwholesaleinc.com in my finished 23x29 garage shop with 9.5’ ceilings.

 

[Crackerballer]

Thanks for saying that.
CD’s advise was the recommending of 1x4 flat panels for your application. I agree. But they are a bit more expensive than other options. That all depends on your budget and how finished you want the final installation to look.
I put a single flat panel 1x1 unit from Home Depot in the middle of a small finished room (about 10x10) in the basement. It has 7 foot ceilings so the flat profile was what drove the decision. That’s enough light for doing desk work.
My 2 car unfinished garage (open beam ceiling and bare studs walls) has a mix of LED floodlights and 4 foot double tube LED surface mounted fixtures. That works for me but probably not for you.
I have a 7 foot wide workbench lit by 3 LED floodlight bulbs screwed into porcelain bulb holders spaced about 2 feet apart. Each FEIT bulb puts out 1000 lumens with a 110 degree beam spread. They’re mounted 42 inches above the bench. I find that to be plenty of light for the most intricate work.

The 1x4 flat panel fixtures give good even light and are a good fit for lighting large areas.
I’m not a design pro. You could pick up a couple of 1x4 panels at your local big box store and try them out.
Alternatively, you could use one of the free online lighting apps to design a layout.

I greatly appreciate the response. I've found a couple of the flat panel 1x4 LEDs for crazy good prices. Specifically looking at these models, which are throwing about 4000-5000 lumens each. Problem is, I have no experience with either brand (LumeGen and WareLight). They both carry 5 year warranties which for the price isn't too bad. Additionally, if I rough in a pretty standard 1x4 recessed mounting solution, I should have some flexibility in the future to change out the panel itself if needed.

WareLight 4400 Lumen Panel, $47: https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/...panel-40-watt-120-277v?variant=25639024820324
Was told by rep to also buy the flush mount frame in kit to mount it, another $36: https://www.warehouse-lighting.com/products/1-x-4-recessed-fluorescent-frame-in-kit

Or the LumeGen Panel, 5,000 Lumens, $40 https://www.lightup.com/1ft-x-4ft-led-flat-panel-40w-dimmable-5000-lumens.html

I assume I'd need the same/similar frame in kit. I also guess that if I just commit to a 1x4 framing kit, I can wait a bit to get the panels.

 

[Crackerballer]

It would have been easy to write, “What brands of 1x4 LED flat panels are recommended?”

Lumegen from Lightup.com were the ones I considered, but I ultimately went with surface mount James 4’ LED strip wrap lights from LEDlightingwholesaleinc.com in my finished 23x29 garage shop with 9.5’ ceilings.

Thanks PBon, and I again, I apologize, I am at home dealing with some of the repairs from the water heater failure and failed to add the "brand and model" clarification in my original post.

I will check out the James from LEDlightingwholesaleinc.com. Safe to say you recommend them?

 

[cybrdyke]

Dude...really? You don't think I've done that? I am asking specifically for a make and brand, as well as lumen recommendations and such from people who have actually used and installed those specific models.

I'm well aware of how Google works.

And THAT ^^^ folks is what you get when you try to help someone. If anyone is still wondering why this world is a little shittier than it used to be, you need to look no further.
CD

 

[meathooker]

Despite the op being a bit of a d!ck I’ll try to help

We just installed a bunch of these at the office:

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/2...MI_-m4xePU4QIVkvhkCh23BAZoEAQYAiABEgKVtfD_BwE

They are awesome. Love the amount of the light they put out is great. My office had (2) 2’x4’ fluorescent fixtures before and we out (2) of these 1’x4’ back up. Lux went from 240 before and 315 after


OP - you’ll get more flies with honey than vinegar

 

[CJ7VFR]

And THAT ^^^ folks is what you get when you try to help someone. If anyone is still wondering why this world is a little shittier than it used to be, you need to look no further.
CD

The OP never mentioned in his original post that he was considering flat panel lights, just recessed lights. Your recommendation was a good one based on the information posted. You gave him an alternative to look for, which is a good thing. You could not have known he already searched flat panel lighting because he did not mention it in his post.

I would have never even thought about flat panel LED's in the garage to be honest. I always think of shop lights when I think of garage lighting!

So at least your alternative did educate one guy on the forum! Remember, you can't have sunshine without first having darkness...

Keep up the good work!

Jim

 

[pbon]

Platonic recommended LED flat panels to me last year, though I ultimately went with his LED wrap light recommendation:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7282228&highlight=Led+flat+panel#post7282228

 

[Slowgsr]

When I have a project I usually get a rep from a lighting company to come on site and spec fixtures if it's a retrofit or conversion.

Otherwise designers and engineers spec them and I have drawings.

Perhaps you can contact a local design and or engineering firm if you can't find enough info using Google,

Good luck. Lol.

 

[pbon]

That would be nice if manufacturer reps would come out to every persons project to give free advice. Maybe they do it if you are in the trade it are doing a big project, but Lithonia and James and Lumegen and Feit are not coming to most people’s garage to help them decide what 10 lights they should buy.