Thoughts about canopy lights?

[PWC Repair]

My shop will finally be up within the next month or so and I just happen to run across a SUPER deal on these .http://centuriontechnologies.com/store/outdoor/leotek-lcn3-double-canopy-led.html

My shop is 30x48 with 12ft sidewall and open span steel trusses. I bought 8 of these @ 13100 lumens a piece, they have a type 5 light distribution. I thought it should be plenty of light with a few of the cheap box store 4ft led's right above various workbenches.

What do you guys think of this plan??

 

[PWC Repair]

Did i stump everyone? Kind of unusual on these boards.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Those are expensive inefficient canopy lights.
See this post: shop lighting plan

 

[cybrdyke]

Canopy lights are designed for gas station canopies. Those are typically mounted much higher than your ceiling. The photometrics of a canopy fixture are laid out to provide around 25fc, sometimes less, at ground level. They're spaced up in the canopy at just the right distance from each other to cover the ground evenly. There are no walls or floors to provide reflectance.
Using them in a garage or shop application is mis-applying them. Not that you cant make it turn out ok, it's just not what they were designed for. As far as not getting a response on your original post, you mentioned that you already bought them, so I figured there was no point telling you to get something else.
Good luck,
CD

 

[American Locomotive]

Most of those gas station canopy lights have really horrible light quality too.

EDIT: Just checked, these particular lights are 70 CRI, around 110 lumens/watt. The efficiency is okay, but the CRI is horrible. Basically about as bad as standard metal halide.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Guess I overlooked the part where OP stated he had already purchased them.
The 13100 lm version is only 100 L/W.
I would need an actual IES file to have an opinion for your application.

 

[PWC Repair]

Most of those gas station canopy lights have really horrible light quality too.

EDIT: Just checked, these particular lights are 70 CRI, around 110 lumens/watt. The efficiency is okay, but the CRI is horrible. Basically about as bad as standard metal halide.

Paperwork states "minimum" 70 CRI. With 5k color temp. Wouldn't that be just as good as most fluorescent tubes while using less power? I'm use to double checking actual colors in the sun if I'm painting something anyway.

 

[PWC Repair]

Also I figured if they wont work out I could resell and probably make money. I gave $650 for all 8 new in the boxes.

 

[PWC Repair]

Guess I overlooked the part where OP stated he had already purchased them.
The 13100 lm version is only 100 L/W.
I would need an actual IES file to have an opinion for your application.

Found an IES file but don't know what to do with it.

 

[cybrdyke]

Paperwork states "minimum" 70 CRI. With 5k color temp. Wouldn't that be just as good as most fluorescent tubes while using less power? I'm use to double checking actual colors in the sun if I'm painting something anyway.

Since July 2014, fluorescent lamps under 80 CRI, were banned. Before that, they were mostly all in the mid-70 range.
Today's standard T8's run about 85 LPW, in a lab. Actual LPW is far worse than that.
CD

 

[nsula_country]

interesting... Cannot wait for installed pictures of the canopy fixtures.

CT

 

[Platonic Solid]

Here's the isoplot with 8 fixtures:

Pics linked to larger images

​

Here's the Dialux PDF report (link)

FYI: You would need 15 to reach 100fc @ 30" workplane.

Pro: $81 each for 13100 lm is good.
Con: The conical beam spread of these outdoor canopy intended fixtures give you dark ceilings and walls creating a cave effect.

​

 

[PWC Repair]

Thank you Platonic! With the 4ft leds right above my workstations I think it will be fine. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Anything is better than nothing.

 

[nsula_country]

Looking at Platonic's rendering, fc is better than I imagined. Go for it!

CT

 

[American Locomotive]

Paperwork states "minimum" 70 CRI. With 5k color temp. Wouldn't that be just as good as most fluorescent tubes while using less power? I'm use to double checking actual colors in the sun if I'm painting something anyway.

Color temp and CRI are unrelated. Most modern fluorescent tubes are usually around 85 CRI, ~83-87 are the most common ranges I see. With specialty bulbs being 90.

"Minimum 70 CRI" means they just whatever LEDs they can get their hands on with little testing or characterizing before install. You will get good light output for sure, but forget about doing any remotely color critical work or anything like that. It'll be a very blue and harsh 5000k white. Which makes sense given the light's intended application.

 

[Platonic Solid]

This is a little more useful:

​

 

[PWC Repair]

Platonic, thank you very much for taking time to do that for me. The visual is great. Obviously I'm being as thrifty as possible as I don't really have any extra money to speak of. This will surely be fine until a later date then maybe I can upgrade to some nicer fixtures.

 

[PWC Repair]

Here's a pic of the lights on. Its pretty much how the rendering from Platonic showed. Which is fine by me, I'm used to much worse.

 

[apollo11]

looks good to me

 

[Platonic Solid]

...I just happen to run across a SUPER deal on these .http://centuriontechnologies.com/store/outdoor/leotek-lcn3-double-canopy-led.html

My shop is 30x48 with 12ft sidewall and open span steel trusses. I bought 8 of these @ 13100 lumens a piece, they have a type 5 light distribution. ...

Throughout this thread the same question keeps poking at me = What was the "SUPER deal" cost of these since regular price is way up there.

End result pic looks good. Maybe a little glare, which is to be expected.

 

[PWC Repair]

I bought all 8 for $650. They were wrongly ordered on a project locally and the company would not take them back.

 

[apollo11]

650.00
ouch

 

[Platonic Solid]

$650 / 8 = $81.25 per 13100 lumen fixture = 161 lumens per $1 =

 

[PWC Repair]

These lights work great. Several people have commented on how bright my shop is. If you can get a deal on these I would do it again in a heartbeat.