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Fluorescent lights for a garage.
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Author:  oxford [ Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Fluorescent lights for a garage.
Does anyone know how to figure out(or a good web site) how many lights for a certain sq. footage you should have in a shop? I am doing a semi-makeover on the garage and I need some lights. It is 20x20 with a celing height of 8 1/2'. The walls will be painted white or a light color. I was thinking of using t8 fluorescent fixtures, but I don't know how many. If I buy new, I can work with either 4' or 8' and probably 2 bulb fixtures. There is a good deal on craigslist for 2'x4' 4 bulb fixtures with the grid style inserts(think department store fixtures) so these may be the ones going up. I want it bright enough to be able to work, but don't want to be wearing sunglasses either. Any ideas?
Author:  evansje1 [ Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
For 2 lamp 4ft T8's use 2 rows of 3 or 3 rows of 3.
Author:  Jim C [ Sun Oct 09, 2011 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
I agree.
My old garage was about 22'x24' and I had 5 fixtures; 2 bulb x 4' with T40 bulbs and it was just right.
Have 8's in my new space and I don't think they put out nearly as much light.
CFL's aren't as bright watt for watt as an incandescent bulb for my eyes.
Author:  falconman [ Mon Oct 10, 2011 3:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
You can get the T8s in different light temps (color). I used 5 of the bright white 2 tube fixtures set up like the dots on a dice. Worked well for me. If you get the 4 tube fixtures try to set them up with 2 switches. Each switch turns on 2 tubes per fixture. I would use bright white tubes on one switch and soft white on the other. Depending on the natural light you have you can "add" as much as you need for what you are doing.
Author:  evansje1 [ Mon Oct 10, 2011 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
falconman wrote:
You can get the T8s in different light temps (color). I used 5 of the bright white 2 tube fixtures set up like the dots on a dice. Worked well for me. If you get the 4 tube fixtures try to set them up with 2 switches. Each switch turns on 2 tubes per fixture. I would use bright white tubes on one switch and soft white on the other. Depending on the natural light you have you can "add" as much as you need for what you are doing.


If you do want duel switch legs be sure the fixtures have ballast that can be wired that way. Alot of the electronic ballast now run 4 lamps and can not be switched between 2 or 4 lamps.

When you look at the number on the lamp part of that number is the kelvin rating (color). The lower the number the more red the light will be or as we say a warm light while the higher the number the cooler the color or more towards the daylight range. 3500 is more red while 4100 is neutral or cool white and 5000 to 6500 is very white. I like 5000 kelvin but you will pay much more for them. 4100 is the most common.
Author:  Ric [ Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
I think the box in which fixtures and/or bulbs come in will have some information on appropriate space the lamp will adaquently illuminate. Or just do a seach.
Author:  scrambler73 [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 7:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
For years I had 6 standard incandescent fixtures in my 30x30 shop. When I needed more light, I screwed in 300 Watt Bulbs
:shock: :shock: 1800 Watts!!!! Talk about a WASTE of energy and they Blew all the time. $$$$$$$$$$$$

About 5 or 6 years ago I installed T12 fluorescent 2 bulb fixtures. Some 4 footers and 8 footers.

Initial cost wasn't cheap (around $500.00), but I have not replaced ONE BULB since install, the electric bill is Noticably less and the lighting is twice as bright and nice to work in....

and not that it matters to most of you southern-guys, but these do not suffer "cold start" issues that cheap fixtures suffer from.

as far as "How much is enough"?.... IMHO, the more the better. Just put them on 2,3, or 4 separate circuits/switches and you can decide how much you need at any given time. Personally, I like it BRIGHT. I dont know how guys can work in dark gloomy workshops?
Author:  Jim [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
scrambler73 wrote:
and not that it matters to most of you southern-guys, but these do not suffer "cold start" issues that cheap fixtures suffer from.

Yeah, I've been using the cheapest $12 Lowe's 2x40 Watt fluorescent fixtures. I punch holes for conduit and use them for ceiling fixtures. If the ballast quits, which is seldom, I just steal one from a spare $12 fixture and throw the rest in the trash.

I recently got a whole mess of surplus 20 x 1W Luxeon type LED arrays that I'm going to replace the shop fluorescents with. I'm using a few in other places now, and they produce about twice the usable light per watt than a linear fluorescent tube, and of course they won't burn out in my lifetime. In 10-15 years, most lighting is going to be LED.
Author:  evansje1 [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
The cold start issue is with the ballast not the lamps. With the magnetic ballast you needed to buy fixtures with 0 degree ballast to get a good cold start. Today's T8 lamps use a solid state ballast and start well in cold weather. The only issue with the solid state ballast is RF noise. It can mess up your radio. Be sure to buy fixtures rated for residential use if that is a concern.
Author:  evansje1 [ Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Fluorescent lights for a garage.
LED is coming on strong. I have a whole demo case of them I'm showing. Maybe in a few years they will be priced low enough I can sell some. :)
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