What do you think about these lights ?

[jbarbrey]

http://jacksontn.craigslist.org/mat/2516914230.html

I am wondering how these would do in my new 30x30 shop building? Will these cost me to much to in electricity? At 400 watts running on 120 volts is over 3 amps. But they are muilti tap and 220 volts would be 1.8 amps. Just wondering if anybody has them in there shop and if you like them?
Thanks,
Jamie

 

[mrb]

depends on your ceiling height. You cant caluclate your current based on watts. You have to go off the amps on the ballast nameplate.

 

[jbarbrey]

Ceiling hight will be 10 ft. Did not know that about the ballast and the amps. Was just using ohm's law to figure that. Thanks!

 

[D.J.]

Wouldn't they put out a lot of heat, would be ok in the winter, but hell in the summer!

 

[Stuart in MN]

They look like high bay lights, designed for rooms with high ceilings - say 20 feet or more. In a 10 foot room the light distribution won't be very good - you'll have hot spots under each light.

edit: Also, the fixtures themselves are physically large, they're probably 18 inches tall so in your garage the bottoms would be at 8 1/2 feet or less.

 

[Norcal]

http://jacksontn.craigslist.org/mat/2516914230.html

I am wondering how these would do in my new 30x30 shop building? Will these cost me to much to in electricity? At 400 watts running on 120 volts is over 3 amps. But they are muilti tap and 220 volts would be 1.8 amps. Just wondering if anybody has them in there shop and if you like them?
Thanks,
Jamie

Those fixtures are over priced at $45 IMO, @ 120V they are 4A & at 240V it would be 2A, they look like GE fixtures but also could be Daybright, GE builds their own ballasts & are proprietary which make em a bit of a PITA to replace. (They do not cost $300 new).

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I'm assuming they are Metal Halide from the pic, the ad does not say. Talks about instant starting and no long start up like older types, so they may be pulse start, but they still have to warm up.

Problem is, they are most likely high bay, with the aluminum reflector you don't have any uplight, so all you get is a focused light under the fixture. On a 10 ft ceiling you will have bright spots on the floor and dark areas in between, as already noted, and the fixtures hang down a couple of feet figuring box and hook and all.

Charles

 

[Norcal]

I'm assuming they are Metal Halide from the pic, the ad does not say. Talks about instant starting and no long start up like older types, so they may be pulse start, but they still have to warm up.

Problem is, they are most likely high bay, with the aluminum reflector you don't have any uplight, so all you get is a focused light under the fixture. On a 10 ft ceiling you will have bright spots on the floor and dark areas in between, as already noted, and the fixtures hang down a couple of feet figuring box and hook and all.

Charles

10 foot mounting height is too low for high bay's & it would be too costly to replace the reflector/optical assembly, look for low bay units... (Should have said this in my prev. post).

 

[jbarbrey]

Thanks for the response! I really a appreciate it. What kind of lights should I put in here? I need ideas please. Thanks again.