Single Bay garage lighting, limited options

[brum]

I'm currently renting a townhome that has a garage on the lowest floor. It's fairly large and the owner put 1 outlet in the whole garage....pathetic planning.

Anyways I'm currently doing a lot of work in the garage and with it getting really cold I can't open the garage door. Typically during the day letting the light inthrough the garage door gives me adequate lighting.

Now there are two main light sockets that are located near the door and one near the back of the garage.

I'm hoping one of you guys can help me find some style or light that'll put out some usable, bright light. I'll grab pictures tonight if that will help.

 

[70C-10]

Yes pics will help. I've used 200W equivalent CFL's in my garage. Cheap & bright for general lighting

 

[Dugan]

In a friends barn we did the makeshift lighting by buying the 4ft? I think ballasts that have a 120V plug on them and attached 3 to a surge protector. Plenty of light and the ballasts are 9$ ea at lowes or HD. Then just buy a pack of bulbs.

 

[2ManyProjects]

I'm currently renting a townhome that has a garage on the lowest floor. It's fairly large and the owner put 1 outlet in the whole garage....pathetic planning.

Actually, that may have been completely adequate and perfectly appropriate planning, if the owner wished only to park a car there.

Anyways I'm currently doing a lot of work in the garage and with it getting really cold I can't open the garage door. Typically during the day letting the light inthrough the garage door gives me adequate lighting.

Now there are two main light sockets that are located near the door and one near the back of the garage.

I'm hoping one of you guys can help me find some style or light that'll put out some usable, bright light. I'll grab pictures tonight if that will help.

Your "options" may not be as limited as you think.

First, as already mentioned, you can use very high-output CFL bulbs in the existing sockets. For example:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/8256/FC105-S50OD.html

Or, you could use two lower-output CFLs per existing socket, via these adapters:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product/54068/SOCK-901121.html

If that is still inadequate, you can use something like this:

http://fruitridgetools.com/StoreFrontProfiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sfid=136763&c=7725&i=251513876

to provide a place to plug in additional lamps, such as

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...Grey-T8-Strip-Fluorescent-1242ZG-RE/202052422

HOWEVER... Because an Edison-base lightbulb socket provides contacts ONLY for the Hot and Neutral lines, you will NOT have access to an EGC (Equipment Grounding Conductor); so any plug-in lamps which use (or depend on) a three-prong plug will not work (no, you should NOT defeat that third plug via yet another adapter).

Finally, depending in part on just how good terms you are on with your landlord, you could endeavor to PROPERLY install some of these:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-2-Light-Utility-Light-3348-2L32W-WRAP/100654395

or similar. If you're lucky, the landlord may even reimburse some or all of the materials cost.

 

[brum]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll take some pictures tonight. It's deep enough where you can almost park two cars front to back with understair storage and a small adjoining room. Being a "cookie cutter" house, there are three options. Full garage, half garage/half finished room, and full finished basement. Still...2 outlets...3 light sockets...

Just got a job offer so I'l be moving. Looks like i'll take a look at those large CFL lights. I just need enough light to put the transfer case back in my jeep and do a compression test on my DD.

 

[2ManyProjects]

Just got a job offer so I'l be moving. Looks like i'll take a look at those large CFL lights. I just need enough light to put the transfer case back in my jeep and do a compression test on my DD.

In which case, something like this...

http://www.lowes.com/pd_394366-40642-UT-1005_4294935637__?productId=3699574

...may well be your simplest option. I recently picked up one to aid doing a paint job in my Dining Room (where the only light fixture has already been removed to make way for the painting). About $35, IIRC.

One of the neater features is that the entire top section (with it's own handle & feet) can be quickly disengaged from the tripod/stand via one hand-knob, and then placed on the floor for low-angle illumination. Kind of a "best of both worlds" thing. But, as always, high-output halogen bulbs **** up a lot of power and get REALLY hot; so this is best relegated to temporary/occasional "task light" duty.

 

[brum]

Iffy pictures but shows you the general layout. Ill probably pick up some of the large cfl bulbs and one of those style maneuverable lights for down under the Jeep. Thanks!