Shop light spacing

[Reit38]

Finally getting around to getting a ceiling installed in my shop and permanently hanging lights. Which would give better lighting options. 2 rows of 6 of 4 for rows of 3? I have 12 total Led shop lights from Costco from a few yrs ago. Ceiling height is 10ft and building is 30x40.

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[Reit38]

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[Farmallboy15]

Why not 3 rows of 4? 10' center spacing in all directions in a 30x40. 5' to the walls. That's the most geometrically spaced. It also depends on the distribution of the fixtures and what you have in your shop (garage doors, shelves)...

 

[Reit38]

Why not 3 rows of 4? 10' center spacing in all directions in a 30x40. 5' to the walls. That's the most geometrically spaced. It also depends on the distribution of the fixtures and what you have in your shop (garage doors, shelves)...

Would also work. Just trying to figure out the best route to go

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[larry_g]

Do you use the whole shop for working?
Do you have storage areas sprouting from the walls?
Do you have a workbench/work area?

Symmetrical lighting may lead to a lot of wasted light in areas that it not necessary. You want to light the work areas brighter than storage or parking. No use in hanging lights above storage areas. In my shop I installed switched receptacles in the machine area so I could move and hang fixtures fixtures where I needed the light. Some say that is not kosher but I did it anyway.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Reit38]

Whole shop is used about the same. No real storage or work area more then another area

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[Platonic Solid]

30x40x10
If this is the typical $25 Cosco shop light, 12 fixtures isn't near enough.

 

[Shiftless]

30x40x10
If this is the typical $25 Cosco shop light, 12 fixtures isn't near enough.

Absolutely right!
If you plan to do detailed work in that space, off the top of my head you’ll need about 30.

 

[larry_g]

Absolutely right!
If you plan to do detailed work in that space, off the top of my head you’ll need about 30.

And This is another reason why I put in receptacles in the ceiling, I can easily add fixtures also.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[gemniii]

My "main shop" is about 40' wide and 30' "deep". It had been lit by 10 fluorescent fixtures, each 2 bulbs, 8 foot long each about 11' above the floor. These are gradually being replaced with dual 4' "costco" style LED lights. This provides what I consider "walking around" light, but not detailed work light.
The shop is lined on two walls with pallet racking, 42" deep, thus the floor area is effectively more like 36' by 26'.
The pallet racking is set up with a "work surface" at a little over my hip height and the next level above about head height. I fix a "costco" style 4' LED light underneath the 2nd level for task lighting.

I think the OP should plan on doubling his lighting if he wants light for detailed work throughout the 30x40 space..

 

[hemiallen]

30x40x10
If this is the typical $25 Cosco shop light, 12 fixtures isn't near enough.

I have been trying to understand the lighting logic of the $75 average dual 4' lighting vs the costco cheap lights. But in this thread you are talking $14 for the 2 tubes and $13 for the fixture.

I think the costco are toast once they die vs replace the tubes on the above fixture.....

These tubes, which you-all suggest https://www.conservationmart.com/p-7344-maxlite-ballast-bypass-165w-5000k-l165t8se450-cg-4ft-t8.aspx

are 2200 lm, so the fixture and tubes are at 4400 lm while the costco shop lights are 4000lm, seems very similar to me.

Are these you suggested above not very close to the cheap costco lights.

I have 4 of the Costco shop lights that I temporarily placed at 10' on a 2 ea 5' apart ( connector length) and the other 2 parallel to the first 2 at 8' over, no ceiling, no walls to gain light, and this seemed like enough light to work under. Maybe the $75 UNITS WOULD BE BRIGHTER, (sorry for caps) but until I find a local 140lm/ watt unit to try, I will probably get another dozen or so Costco's at $19 on sale.

I'm guessing once I get my shop wired with the cheap lights I'll run into another shop owner and realize my lights aren't very bright, but can't see the $75 on up, and not being able to gang them together as a benefit.

Thanks for any hints at my error of my thoughts

 

[Platonic Solid]

hemiallen - I did not recommend the Maxlite bulb.

Using Post 1 of The Best Light Fixture Ever! sticky and selecting ProLighting as supplier for 2-Lamp strip light:

2 Lamps = $8.36 x 2 = $16.72
Housing = $13.95

Total = $30.67 (plus shipping)

Lumens per 2-lamp 4ft strip fixture = 5328 Lm

Efficiency = 148 Lm/W

5328 Lm / $30.67 = 174 Lm/$

Compare to $25 Cosco 4000 Lm 52W: Assuming Feit fixture (link) since Cosco is just a retailer.

Efficiency = 77 Lm/W

4000 Lm / $25 = 160 Lm/$

Observations:

2-Lamp strip light is a better Lm/$ deal.

You can power 3 strip lights bulbs 18W x 3 = 54W (~8,000 Lumens) for roughly the same wattage as one 52W 4000 Lm Feit fixture.

2-Lamp strip light bulbs are replaceable.

2-Lamp strip lights are intended to be hard wired, Feit fixture is plug-in (linkable).

 

[69supercj]

Finally getting around to getting a ceiling installed in my shop and permanently hanging lights. Which would give better lighting options. 2 rows of 6 of 4 for rows of 3? I have 12 total Led shop lights from Costco from a few yrs ago. Ceiling height is 10ft and building is 30x40.

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My shop is identical in size and I have 3 overhead doors along with an entry door along the 40 foot wall so its basically 4 ten foot bays. I have a 2 bulb 8' LED fixture centered between each of the 3 bays and towards the front and rear of each bay I have a single 2 lamp LED fixture for a total of 8 four footers. All fixtures are mounted on the ceiling. I think its fairly well lit, sure it could be brighter but I dont want to have to shade my eyes just to see. If I did anything different I would add a single 4 footer 2 lamp LED to each bay in the middle and move the existing ones a littler further apart.

 

[Reit38]

My shop is identical in size and I have 3 overhead doors along with an entry door along the 40 foot wall so its basically 4 ten foot bays. I have a 2 bulb 8' LED fixture centered between each of the 3 bays and towards the front and rear of each bay I have a single 2 lamp LED fixture for a total of 8 four footers. All fixtures are mounted on the ceiling. I think its fairly well lit, sure it could be brighter but I dont want to have to shade my eyes just to see. If I did anything different I would add a single 4 footer 2 lamp LED to each bay in the middle and move the existing ones a littler further apart.

Thanks for the response. I have 2 overheads and walkthrough on my 40ft wall

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[69supercj]

I just finished changing out all my fixtures from florescent to LED and it made a big difference.