Shop light switch wiring

[DaveInTX]

I'm thinking through how I'll wire the lights / switches in my shop (30'x50'x12') and could use some advice.

• Planning to use these 8' LED light fixtures (probably 16 total)
• They're not dimmable, so I'll be putting them on multiple switches to be able to control the brightness inside
• I have an 18'x9' sectional door on each 30' end wall. When the doors are opened, they'll cover some of the (blue / green) lights. I'm okay with this, because the doors will usually be rolled up when it's bright outside and I won't need as much light anyway.
• The lights are shown in the direction that the Z purlins are oriented, which is how I'd like to mount them

With this in mind, I was thinking I'd run all the center (yellow) lights on one circuit / switch, and then the blue / green lights on their own 1-2 circuits / switches (that way, when the doors are open, I can have the blue / green lights off).

Each light is spec'd at 90W, and 8 per circuit puts me at 720W... so I was thinking I could use 14/2 wire.

How would you wire this up? 2 switches? 3? Something completely different?

 

[The Cobbler]

my shop lights are wired on 2 switches with every other fixture controlled by the same switch.In theory it was so I could vary the light needed by one or both sets on and have even light thru-out. in all honesty I seldom use only 1 circuit

 

[DaveInTX]

my shop lights are wired on 2 switches with every other fixture controlled by the same switch.In theory it was so I could vary the light needed by one or both sets on and have even light thru-out. in all honesty I seldom use only 1 circuit

Awesome, thanks! That's the kind of input I need.

 

[Citation]

Are you looking for zone lighting or just to change the overall output? For zone lighting I think your proposed setup looks fine assuming you will say work just under the blue or green or yellow sets of lights. However, if you primary work area is say the long wall where you will be walking between zones then I would redo things and run them long ways if possible. So that would be one zone on each long wall and one zone down the center.

As a variation on Cobbler's idea, if the numbers work out you might do just two switches but with one switch getting 2/3rds of the lights while the other gets 1/3rd. That gives you 3 vs 2 brightness levels. I could see wanting to keep the low light level as kind of a security level then using all the lights when working in the garage.

The other option is to not over think it. You can run all these lights off one 15A circuit. Just do one switch. That's a good choice if you figure you will use the whole thing or nothing.

 

[luvtheheat]

I just finished building a 24 X 44 detached garage. I did all the electrical myself (properly permitted/passed) and finally settled on what I'll show here. Now that it's all finished I'm happy with the setup.

I ran 12-2 romex from panel (20 amp GFCI breaker) to just right of man door. I added qty 2, 2 gang boxes for four switches. See pic 1.

Run from panel went to left box, then from left box to right box.

Switch 1&2 are in left box, 3&4 in right box.

See pic 2.

Switch 1 is for a single light outside near man door. Required by code.
Switch 2 powers 3 outlets in ceiling, labeled O2.
Switch 3 powers 3 outlets in ceiling, labeled 03.
Repeat for O4.

From switches to outlets in ceiling I ran 12-2 but with the low load LEDs draw, in retrospect I could have/should have run 14-2. Easier to work with.

Currently I've got 3 of these https://www.harborfreight.com/5500-...g-shop-light-59506.html?_br_psugg_q=led+light , one on each of switch 2/3/4.

The amount of light is more than enough.

I had to put it all on a GFCI breaker even though the outlets for the lights were 12 feet above the floor. NEC code requirement.

Hope this helps.

 

[dave*99]

I just finished building a 24 X 44 detached garage. I did all the electrical myself (properly permitted/passed) and finally settled on what I'll show here. Now that it's all finished I'm happy with the setup.

I ran 12-2 romex from panel (20 amp GFCI breaker) to just right of man door. I added qty 2, 2 gang boxes for four switches. See pic 1.

Run from panel went to left box, then from left box to right box.

Switch 1&2 are in left box, 3&4 in right box.

See pic 2.

Switch 1 is for a single light outside near man door. Required by code.
Switch 2 powers 3 outlets in ceiling, labeled O2.
Switch 3 powers 3 outlets in ceiling, labeled 03.
Repeat for O4.

From switches to outlets in ceiling I ran 12-2 but with the low load LEDs draw, in retrospect I could have/should have run 14-2. Easier to work with.

Currently I've got 3 of these https://www.harborfreight.com/5500-...g-shop-light-59506.html?_br_psugg_q=led+light , one on each of switch 2/3/4.

The amount of light is more than enough.

I had to put it all on a GFCI breaker even though the outlets for the lights were 12 feet above the floor. NEC code requirement.

Hope this helps.

If those are 2x4's your installation would benefit from these cable stackers:

 

[luvtheheat]

If those are 2x4's your installation would benefit from these cable stackers:

Nice. At this point drywall is up, so not gonna happen.

Thanks