Sky Lights

[PirateTurner]

My hanger turned workshop has six transparent panels in the roof, 3 on a side. The hanger is 40'X40' with the standard sheeting except where the sky lights are cut in, flat mounted. I haven't measured but the sky lights are about 3'X10. The hanger has the standard steel building fiberglass insulation, OBTW

In the winter time, the sky lights are great but they can and do cause condensation to drip. I've staggered the equipment so that is not really a problem and through a covering over the tooling if spacing is not an option. In the summertime in the CSRA (think Augusta GA), there is a lot of radiant heat that comes through the panels. The inside temp's can exceed the outside temps and I have to keep a fan on the dust collector starter.

I like the light but not the summertime heat. I've been thinking about some type of shade cloth covering for the exterior side of the light panels. I've found EZ Snap shades via the Google and wonder if there is any experience here with the product. The snaps are glue on or screw to the roof.

TIA
Gene

 

[jack stand]

Would be covering and removing with the season's?

 

[PirateTurner]

Yes, off in the fall, on in the spring. I don't have heat or AC.

 

[PirateTurner]

Here's an old photo from move-in day. Maybe this will help clarify what I have.

 

[slowtwitch73]

You could get some shade fabric and hold it to the inside with magnets. It's available up to 90% shade.

 

[Rusted Nut]

If you replaced with double pane glass, you would get rid of most of the condensation. If you got solar reflective glass, you would eliminate a lot of the summer convective heat. No, this won’t be cheap.

 

[karoc]

Having change a blanket twice year will get old. Really theres nothing that can replace natural light. But maybe install some LED’s overhead, I don’t see too many light fixtures in your nice shop. Paint and insulate those panels, no more condensation, no more heat coming through, and won’t be climbing on roof. Heck trade off, dang if do and dang if don’t.

 

[PirateTurner]

have to remove insulation to get magnets in contact with sheet metal roof - work!

 

[PirateTurner]

Replacing with glass - well beyond disposable income at this time in life.

 

[PirateTurner]

the twice a year work installing and removing would be 'sub-bed' out to my SIL, LOL!

 

[dcg9381]

I'm in Texas, had a pole barn with the same transparent panel "sky lights". One hail storm did them in. I replaced them with solid metal panels and got rid of the lighting.

What I learned is if you're going to do these type of transparent panels, you do them on the top of the vertical walls. No hail damage, no condensation issues.

You've got an insulation blanket up so that's not easily done, but like me think about next time...

 

[Firebrick43]

Replacing with glass - well beyond disposable income at this time in life.

How about twin wall poly carbonate.

 

[radrace19]

My hanger turned workshop has six transparent panels in the roof, 3 on a side. The hanger is 40'X40' with the standard sheeting except where the sky lights are cut in, flat mounted. I haven't measured but the sky lights are about 3'X10. The hanger has the standard steel building fiberglass insulation, OBTW

In the winter time, the sky lights are great but they can and do cause condensation to drip. I've staggered the equipment so that is not really a problem and through a covering over the tooling if spacing is not an option. In the summertime in the CSRA (think Augusta GA), there is a lot of radiant heat that comes through the panels. The inside temp's can exceed the outside temps and I have to keep a fan on the dust collector starter.

I like the light but not the summertime heat. I've been thinking about some type of shade cloth covering for the exterior side of the light panels. I've found EZ Snap shades via the Google and wonder if there is any experience here with the product. The snaps are glue on or screw to the roof.

TIA
Gene

I installed 2" foam board on the inside for the winters here. I'll remove them when I turn the heat off in the spring. The two wood strips on the steel are perminant install, the other two braces just slide into place to hold the foam up.

 

[PirateTurner]

radrace19
That's cool!. I'd need them all year, winter for condensation control. Summer for SC sunshine!

And, I like your lights. Please tell me more about the lights.

 

[kbs2244]

I grew up with a kid whose family owned a flower greenhouse
they would use old fashioned powder base whitewash to paint the greenhouses for summer shade
the rain would wash some of it off and if it was a rainy summer they might have to do it a second time
in the fall they used a hose spray gun with dish soap to wash it off for winter sunlight

 

[radrace19]

radrace19
That's cool!. I'd need them all year, winter for condensation control. Summer for SC sunshine!

And, I like your lights. Please tell me more about the lights.

My dad in Florida takes his down for winter and up in the summer haha.
The lights are just the standard 8' Barriea LED's from Amazon. I have 10 eight footers in one half of the garage and need to buy another pack for the 2nd half.
-Greg

 

[PirateTurner]

radrace19 thank you. I was wondering about the lights Cremona put in his new building.
kbs2244, I had thought about paint. Won't help with condensation. But the foam board would and the paint would reduce the UV to the foam board (is that an issue?). The LEDs (radrace19) would address the light loss. Thank you

 

[Wes Tex]

I agree with dcg9831. I have glass windows on the vertical walls right at the roof line. They have survived several hail storms. Friends with transparent roof panels are not so lucky. With lots of LED ceiling lights I have all the light I need year round.