Lighting in garage - how much

[Junk]

OK, so we don't all have huge garages like Koffer. Mine is small and filled with crap, but am trying to get as much room out of it as possible....

It's 24'x26' with a 13' ceiling. Only light right now is a regular fricking light bulb square in the middle. Obviously not good enough.

I want to replace that with as many flourescent lights as reasonable (a little overkill is never bad). I've never used flouros at home, so a few questions.

They are ok to use in cold temps right?

No issues with welding by them right?

How many should I get? 4? 6? 8? I want to stick with 4' long ones since the ceiling is high, I have to be able to change the bulbs myself.

Also, plan on making a junction box and having them all run off the current wiring (cause it already has a switch). I figure 8 flouros are about the same electricity useage as a regular light bulb (100W) right? Or wrong? :-[ If I have to add a new breaker, I could do that as I've done that before, but I am trying to save space since I have a few 230 lines in there and a few dedicated runs for the garage.

Thanks.

 

[Koffer]

OK Junk

no heat = crappy lighting when cold if you get the cheap ($10 each)4 foot units to the point (20deg and lower)where they may not even turn on .
The 8 footers in the "small" shop have to be on for a at least a half hour before they heat up enough for full light output.
I have 8 sets of 4 footers in the house 2 car and they work well but like I said they take a long time to warm up when the temp is below 55 deg.

They do sell high output ballist units for outside lighting but not cheap at all :-\
HTH some

 

[Junk]

So, then what should I get? ???

 

[Poser]

Cold temps? Not really cold. If it gets really cold, and you do not have heat, the ballast will not get the lamps to ignite properly. If you want lots of light, and it is going to be cold, I would go with a quartz halogen flood lamps, either on a tree, so that you can move around, or hang them from the celing, or both. These worked well in my first garage/shop similar in demensions to what you have right now. These will draw considerably more power, but they will work when it is cold, period. Hell, they can work as a heater for your frozen hands too!

I have 26 four-foot flourecents in the 40x60 right now, and that is not enough. Hopefully I can get some more put up locally in the dim areas shortly, and over areas that I have work tools. These things, like the trucks, are not ever "done".

I have not ever noticed any problems welding around them. Many of the places that I have worked on customers equipment have had flourecents, and there was not a problem there either.

I prefer to keep the lights isolated from anything else, and to run a new circut if needed, to prevent being in the dark, anymore than I am already accused of...

Good luck!

-Steve

 

[Koffer]

So, then what should I get?

Get a book of matchs and it will help you:
1)clean all the crap out of the joint
2)warm up that cold floor
3) give off lots of light
4) put that poor 40th out of its pain
5) start over and build a bigger shop with everything you need

 

[Junk]

Thanks Steve.

Well, coldest would likely be around 0-F, but I'd toss a heater out there if was going to be out there for a long time. Also, it's only that cold a few months out of the year. Maybe a combination of quartz halogen AND flouros. That way I'm not totally in the dark till it warms up. I do have a few drop lights here and there too, but want as much light as possible.

Yeah, new line sounds like it makes sense I guess. Any other thoughts or suggestions? I need to start this soon cause it just sucks right now. Thanks.

 

[Junk]

[quote author=Koffer link=board=14;threadid=8911;start=msg77170#msg77170 date=1071719178]
Get a book of matchs and it will help you:
1)clean all the crap out of the joint
2)warm up that cold floor
3) give off lots of light
4) put that poor 40th out of its pain
5) start over and build a bigger shop with everything you need


[/quote]
You blow Koffer.

40 has been gone for awhile now.

No job = no money for a shop. seriously man, I know you have some ideas. so either toss 'em in the ring or I'm gonna sneak down there at 3am some morning with an empty trailer.

 

[Koffer]

You blow Koffer.

40 has been gone for awhile now.

not your 40 your 40th
I would get the cheap at least 10 of the 4 fts and run from there . They will do good for now and later you can always use them elsewhere (basement,over work benchs etc) later on if you upgrade
I'll even help you wire them if needed (for real)

let me know

 

[Junk]

Thanks Koffer - appreciate the offer, but think I can get that done. Do appreciate it though.
OK, will do the flouros for now. Will be nice to finally see what the fawk I'm doing, then again it may not help.

 

[Niner]

I recommend a couple incandescent lights near work bench and doors for when the floro's don't light, so you can see to start the heat to get them to come on.

 

[nakman]

Dude, how cold does your garage get? It only gets below 0 a couple times a year where I live, but I've never had problems with super cheap 4 footers from Home depot... they always light up. It probably never drops below 20° F in there though... and with a small propane heater it'll get into the 50's in an hour or so. But if it's too cold in the garage for flourescent lights to work no freaking way I'm going to be out there with a wrench in my hand.. I think you'll be fine with the flouros.

 

[yooper]

I have been VERY impressed with the light output from the 100W sodium vapor lamps that I've used for outdoor security lighting. They are not affected much by cold weather and they are BRIGHT as hell. They do take about 5 minutes to heat up put out their full brightness. That would be my choice for your shop. You could get buy with two or three I bet, with the addition of some task lighting at your bench and a couple trouble lights on cord reels.

FYI, a 4 foot fluorescent tube is 40W. Generally it's 10W per foot of tube.

 

[Riley]

I just bought one of those halogen workshop lights on a stand the other day from HD. 1000watts I think. Dual lights ona stand.

I love em. When in the workshop on the bench I bounce them off the cealing, when I need more light on the truck I point them that way. Having a second set would be better for both sides of the truck. Also good for painting ect....

They also heat up the shop a little bit.

Worth looking at if you got the room. You probably need them for other stuff too.

R

 

[Niner]

[quote author=nakman link=board=14;threadid=8911;start=msg77424#msg77424 date=1071777484]
Dude, how cold does your garage get? It only gets below 0 a couple times a year where I live, but I've never had problems with super cheap 4 footers from Home depot... they always light up. It probably never drops below 20° F in there though... and with a small propane heater it'll get into the 50's in an hour or so. But if it's too cold in the garage for flourescent lights to work no freaking way I'm going to be out there with a wrench in my hand.. I think you'll be fine with the flouros.
[/quote]

My Shop is usually right aroung 10 deg. this time of year because it is 0 at night and 20 during the day on average. So mine won't start once it gets below 20 deg. outside unless I drag my hand accross them to get them started.