How much light?
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 800
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From: Ontario, canada
How much light?
Does anyone know a rule of thumb or formula for how many lights to put in a shop?
I'm getting to the wiring stage of my new garage and I bought a lot of 42, 4 foot t-8, 2 bulb fixtures on Ebay.
Bulbs, reflectors, and diffusers were all included and I'm getting a 200 amp dedicated service to the garage, so cost of fixtures or available power isnt an issue.
I'm thinking that using all 42 fixtures may be a bit of overkill..
Shop is 28x28, 9 ' ceiling, to be painted white.
I'm getting to the wiring stage of my new garage and I bought a lot of 42, 4 foot t-8, 2 bulb fixtures on Ebay.
Bulbs, reflectors, and diffusers were all included and I'm getting a 200 amp dedicated service to the garage, so cost of fixtures or available power isnt an issue.
I'm thinking that using all 42 fixtures may be a bit of overkill..
Shop is 28x28, 9 ' ceiling, to be painted white.
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 941
Likes: 4
A 32 watt 4 foot T8 tube with an average performance ballast puts out around 2500 lumens. Allowing for fixture inefficiency, dirt, and the degradation of performance with time we can take about 70 percent of this, or 1750 lumens. One two-tube fixture is thus 3500 lumens at the 3 foot off the floor "work plane", more or less.
You have about 800 square feet. A "really bright" auto shop is around 100 foot candles, or 100 lumens per square foot. So you need 80000 lumens to light it up. Dividing 80000 by 3500 gives 23 fixtures. Call it 24 fixtures to make it come out even. I'd probably arrange them in 4 continuous rows (if strip lights) or a stagger pattern like an office building if they were troffer fixtures.
You have about 800 square feet. A "really bright" auto shop is around 100 foot candles, or 100 lumens per square foot. So you need 80000 lumens to light it up. Dividing 80000 by 3500 gives 23 fixtures. Call it 24 fixtures to make it come out even. I'd probably arrange them in 4 continuous rows (if strip lights) or a stagger pattern like an office building if they were troffer fixtures.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,458
Likes: 722
From: Calgary Canada
I can't add any technical details, looks like fefarms has that handled. I would however suggest that you wire them up onto as many different switches as possible. That way if you are only working in one area of the shop, you can leave the rest dimmer and save some power, or if you want to leave one fixture on as a security light etc.
Sounds like a great shop, can I work on my truck at your place?
Sounds like a great shop, can I work on my truck at your place?
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,443
Likes: 5,516
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
my garage is 24X26, with 10 ft rafters. i currently have 6 4ft dual bulb fixtures, and it is adequate. i plan on adding at least 4 more fixtures over the winter. then it should be OK.
but i also have high intensity halogen fixtures over each work station, so i only use the florescence lights for general illumination.
but i also have high intensity halogen fixtures over each work station, so i only use the florescence lights for general illumination.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 343
From: SE Iowa
It all depends on what you plan to do. The work area of my garage is 26'x30'x10'. I have 8 8' light fixtures (each has 4 4' bulbs) for everyday tinkering. These 8 are evenly spaced and have 4 fixtures to a switch. It is just enough to see what I'm doing, and occasionally have need for a drop-light under the hood/under car. Now, I also have 4 1000 watt halogen lights spaced out on the ceiling for when I need some REAL light when doing body work or painting. If you plan on a lot of body work, there is no such thing as too little light. Future plans are for 2 more halogens on the back sidewall to eliminate the need for a drop light under the hood.
The disadvantage to the halogen is they put off a LOT of heat! That really sucks in the summer, but keeps the garage warm enough in the winter I dont need to run the furnace unless I need to paint. The other big advantage is the halogens will come on strong in the cold winters, where the florescences will not work the greatest unless you spend the extra for the cold start ballasts. Once the halogens warm the shop the others work fine.
Stryder
The disadvantage to the halogen is they put off a LOT of heat! That really sucks in the summer, but keeps the garage warm enough in the winter I dont need to run the furnace unless I need to paint. The other big advantage is the halogens will come on strong in the cold winters, where the florescences will not work the greatest unless you spend the extra for the cold start ballasts. Once the halogens warm the shop the others work fine.
Stryder
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
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From: New Jersey
In my half of the 2-car garage, I have four ceiling mounted, low profile, double bulb 4' flourescent fixtures. It's more than enough to walk around and not kill myself on all the crap all over the floor.
All of my machinery and floor standing tools, have swing arm fixtures that I rewired so I can run 150W halogen reflector bulbs, to aim at the work area of the machine.
Might be overkill, but I really like to see what I'm doing, especially when marking steel and center punching as precisely as I can by hand.
When I was replacing the clutch in my crewcab this past winter, I had two 500W halogen lights going, and it was nice to see every little bolt. It also made it warmer to work on, since 1000W of halogen lighting 2-3' from what you're working on warms up fairly nicely.
All of my machinery and floor standing tools, have swing arm fixtures that I rewired so I can run 150W halogen reflector bulbs, to aim at the work area of the machine.
Might be overkill, but I really like to see what I'm doing, especially when marking steel and center punching as precisely as I can by hand.
When I was replacing the clutch in my crewcab this past winter, I had two 500W halogen lights going, and it was nice to see every little bolt. It also made it warmer to work on, since 1000W of halogen lighting 2-3' from what you're working on warms up fairly nicely.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Ontario, canada
thanks FEfarms. Good looking info there!
I dug into these fixtures tonight and I found that I can reconfigure each fixture to take up to six bulbs by adding ballasts and ends. Since I have 42 fixtures, I can rig up 21- 4 tube units or 14- 6 tube ones.
It may be interesting to rework some to hold four bulbs each, and then wire them so I can either switch two bulbs or four in each row and have a "low beam" setting like seventyseven suggests without having dark fixtures.
They are surface mount fixtures that can be row mountd, so I can configure them any way I want
I dug into these fixtures tonight and I found that I can reconfigure each fixture to take up to six bulbs by adding ballasts and ends. Since I have 42 fixtures, I can rig up 21- 4 tube units or 14- 6 tube ones.
It may be interesting to rework some to hold four bulbs each, and then wire them so I can either switch two bulbs or four in each row and have a "low beam" setting like seventyseven suggests without having dark fixtures.
They are surface mount fixtures that can be row mountd, so I can configure them any way I want
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
That's cool Fordzlla.
I would still consider focused, incandescent or halogen lighting for your machinery though. You'll find instances where it's very difficult to read a caliper (or other precision measuring tool) when the lights are 10' above your head.
The lights I use are from staples, and are $13 a piece:
Item 408203
Model 13062/WK134FBLK
Hopefully this link works:
http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/st...:CG35:CL161819
It's good for a 60W bulb which might be fine for you, or you can do what I did and rewire them with heavier gauge wire so you can install a 100W or 150W bulb.
Cheap!
If you have two machines next to each other, say a drill press and a benchtop bandsaw (or whatever), you mount the light between the two machines, and move the head of the lamp to point at the machine you're going to use. Since it's unlikely you can operate two machines at the same time, one light between the two is more than enough.
I would still consider focused, incandescent or halogen lighting for your machinery though. You'll find instances where it's very difficult to read a caliper (or other precision measuring tool) when the lights are 10' above your head.
The lights I use are from staples, and are $13 a piece:
Item 408203
Model 13062/WK134FBLK
Hopefully this link works:
http://www.staples.com/webapp/wcs/st...:CG35:CL161819
It's good for a 60W bulb which might be fine for you, or you can do what I did and rewire them with heavier gauge wire so you can install a 100W or 150W bulb.
Cheap!
If you have two machines next to each other, say a drill press and a benchtop bandsaw (or whatever), you mount the light between the two machines, and move the head of the lamp to point at the machine you're going to use. Since it's unlikely you can operate two machines at the same time, one light between the two is more than enough.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,491
Likes: 343
From: SE Iowa
You could also buy adjustable fixtures meant for outdoor flood/security lights and mount them on the wall near machinery. Just use a spotlight style buld instead of a flood style. Cost should be under $5-10. I'm actually considering these instead of halogens on the sidewalls due to cost and the fact it provides concentrated light where I need it and can adjust them as needed.
Stryder
Stryder
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,628
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, Canada
I would think 3 rows of 6 fixtures would suffice, with more hung just above head level, over the work benches. have the ones over the work benches switched individually and the ceiling fixtures switched in groups of 3.
I'll have the Roast Duck
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,622
Likes: 108
From: Northshore, MN
my garage is 24X26, with 10 ft rafters. i currently have 6 4ft dual bulb fixtures, and it is adequate. i plan on adding at least 4 more fixtures over the winter. then it should be OK.
but i also have high intensity halogen fixtures over each work station, so i only use the florescence lights for general illumination
but i also have high intensity halogen fixtures over each work station, so i only use the florescence lights for general illumination
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,244
Likes: 7,652
From: Chino Valley, Arizona
Simple
If after an oil change on the ford psd you have a sun burn on the back of your neck you have enough light. Adjust down from there with switches.
In simple terms you can't get too much light in your shop.
Just have enough circuits to control it
If after an oil change on the ford psd you have a sun burn on the back of your neck you have enough light. Adjust down from there with switches.
In simple terms you can't get too much light in your shop.
Just have enough circuits to control it