Garage Lighting?
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,548
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From: Southern California
Thanks everyone.
By all means please keep the ideas coming.
BTW decided last night to carry the corrugated around to the rest of the garage even though the opposite wall is mostly covered by shelving.
By all means please keep the ideas coming.
BTW decided last night to carry the corrugated around to the rest of the garage even though the opposite wall is mostly covered by shelving.
Thread Starter
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,548
Likes: 4
From: Southern California
If interested I started another thread regarded covering the ugly white cabinets:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...ml#post7746813
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...ml#post7746813
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
I have 3 double 8' fluorescent and could use another one or two double 8',ers.
because of a few shadows.
As said light(white ) colored walls/ceiling help to reflect light.
Yep cold start electronic ballast only way to go.
I would like to turn on the lights as I come home and use the garage opener ,.
How do I do that ?
because of a few shadows.
As said light(white ) colored walls/ceiling help to reflect light.
Yep cold start electronic ballast only way to go.
I would like to turn on the lights as I come home and use the garage opener ,.
How do I do that ?
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 7,498
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From: East Alton, IL
In my 24x24 shop I have 8, 4 foot, 2 tube T8 electronic fixtures on the ceiling and one more over the work bench. I also have two windows and semi gloss white walls and ceiling. I love bright work areas.
The first picture is right after I got it finished enough to move stuff in. The second is two years later just before my wife threatened me if I didn't get it cleaned up.
The first picture is right after I got it finished enough to move stuff in. The second is two years later just before my wife threatened me if I didn't get it cleaned up.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
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If your gd opener has lights that turn on when you operate the opener, just get into the opener and splice a wire (black to black, white to white and groung to the grd terminal) onto the wires feeding the light socket in the opener, and run the wire to the light you want to have come on with the opener. Or set a motion detector to kick on the light whenever the gar.door opens.
A motion senser is probably the answer just need an industrial quality/rating unit
( I want to turn on six or more 8' tubes ) that can work in cold weather.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 154
Likes: 2
From: Whitestown, IN.
Flourescent is the only way to go. Mercury Vapor (no longer being manufactured), Metal Halide, and High Pressure Sodium are all good light sources, but have long cool down periods before they will reignite. Not a problem in a warehouse setting where they are turned on and off usually only once a day. If you have a peaked ceiling over 10' and want to hang fixtures close to that height, I would install F-Bay fixtures. If in an unheated garage I would opt for the 4 lamp T5-HO version. They put out a lot of light, start quick, and will ignite in below freezing temps. These fixtures can even be retrofit with motion sensors on the fixture if you want them to come on when your garage door opens.
Another option might be to retrofit your existing fixtures with LED tubes. Most (if not all) LED tubes would mean removing the flourescent ballast, and wiring the tombstones direct (120v), as the LED tubes usually have the drivers built into them. They can put out a wide spectrum of light (from 3000k to 5000k), use very little power, can be dimmed, and will last for a LONG time. Downside is they are still fairly expensive to purchase.
I myself have four 8' industrial HO fixtures in my garage, with an additional flourescent strip fixture over each of my work benches. I am also going to install a couple of keyless fixtures at the peak of my garage and use 60w (= to 300w inc.) flourescent lamps as an added light source when I really want the place lit up.
Another option might be to retrofit your existing fixtures with LED tubes. Most (if not all) LED tubes would mean removing the flourescent ballast, and wiring the tombstones direct (120v), as the LED tubes usually have the drivers built into them. They can put out a wide spectrum of light (from 3000k to 5000k), use very little power, can be dimmed, and will last for a LONG time. Downside is they are still fairly expensive to purchase.
I myself have four 8' industrial HO fixtures in my garage, with an additional flourescent strip fixture over each of my work benches. I am also going to install a couple of keyless fixtures at the peak of my garage and use 60w (= to 300w inc.) flourescent lamps as an added light source when I really want the place lit up.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
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From: back home in Michigan
Oh, and the rating on the wattages of the bulbs is more for the socket than anything else. Put a higher wattage incandescent bulb in and it can begin to melt the light socket itself.
Originally Posted by Ridin'withTheKing
Flourescent is the only way to go....
High Output Fluorescents are simply hard to beat in terms of cost, simplicity of installation, energy consumption, and light lumens put out.
The 8' dual tube fixtures are great even when installed on a 16' ceiling, which I have had in my previous workshop.
I have installed thousands for customers over the years, and in the past few years the new rage is to install motion detectors on individual fixtures, although you could do so for bays of lights if wanted. Lots of trick switching out there today.
Last edited by glideridemike; Jan 7, 2011 at 07:20 AM.
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If you end up with florescent lights, and it sounds like you might, use the T-8, as the T-12's are being phased out and will no longer be available in the future. I would drywall the ceiling with access for storage, so that you get some reflection off the ceiling. Shop looks good!
