T8 upgrade ?

[Scooterfish]

I`m upgrading my garage lighting with 48" fluorescents. Menards has 2pks of T8s on sale $5. Which of the following 6 choices are best for a garage? The lower the kelvin the softer the light.

Soft white 3000 kelvin
Full spectrum 5000 "
Natural 3500 "
Daylight 6500 "
Cool White 4100 "
Sky White 8000 "

Thanks,

 

[Cobra6]

I like the daylight and cool white if the light is not too close to your work (low ceiling or on a desk) - but that is just me. In other words if you have 8' - 10' ceilings and diffusers.
I tried the daylight on a desk one time underneath a hutch where the lamp was only a couple of feet over the work area and it was too bright for me.

 

[CADPoint]

Visual - a free software package, seems worth a try if you have the time.

I haven't used or downloaded myself, and so to be frank it might ask for things not known to the average user, light average or desired candles wattage per type of work space. (if I even stated that correctly)

Of course this is based on a product line per a manufacture which you might have to ignore. I'm sure they have a 2 lamp -48" though!

 

[bstegner]

I just put new T8 lights in my garage. I used the 6500k lights, they seem very white in color, more white then daylight anyway. If I were to buy some more I would probably go with a lower temperature, maybe 5000k.

 

[Chevy Gasser]

You don't say how many you will need. Big box stores have 4' t8's in bulk for greatly reduced price. They are called contractor price 30 to a box anywhere from $1 to $2 each. The brightest I could find are cool white. They seem to be pretty bright.

 

[sams]

6500 is not as pleasant but is the most functional in colour rendition

 

[Scooterfish]

Thanks guys. I think I will go with the 4100 cool white. I don`t need enough to buy 30 bulbs, so 2 for $5 on sale sounds fair.

 

[ddawg16]

Another option is to mix them.....

I personally would go for the "Full Spectrum" 5000K bulbs....

The sky white will most likely have a blue tint to it.....and anything below 3500 is going to have more of a yellow tint.

 

[Scooterfish]

Another option is to mix them.....

I personally would go for the "Full Spectrum" 5000K bulbs....

The sky white will most likely have a blue tint to it.....and anything below 3500 is going to have more of a yellow tint.

Wouldn1t the full spectrum @ 5000 have more blue tint compared to cool white @ 4100 ?

 

[ddawg16]

Depends on the manuf.....

Here is an old pic of my garage right after I got it painted and drywalled...

Right side is warm white 2700K PAR bulbs....

Left side is mostly 4700K open spiral bulbs with a couple of the 2700K PAR bulbs mixed in.

If you look at the wall, you cans see the difference in color.

 

[Steevo]

I used 4100k tubes, mainly because the price (in 30-packs) was cheap!
I am pleased with the light.

 

[ket-tek]

I had 5000k at first, to my eyes it felt too cold of a white. It seemed more like an office building. Then I swapped them out for 4100k later, and I like it so much better.. Both were the same brand of bulb and the the 4100k was a slightly higher lumen as well, although the CRI was a bit lower they were still above 85 which was acceptable.