texasjohn
Super Member
I'm opening this net thread to let y'all know what I decided to do, and why. The other thread http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/90347-shop-light-advice.html got long and I thought I'd pull all key items together here.
The problem:
Light a 40X60 metal workshop and carport between house and workshop. Wood work and general repair and maintence to be done there.
The tools I used:
Everybody's comments in above thread.
This Metal Halide vs Flourescent education:
This lighting design software from Acuity/Lithonia: for free
Metal Halide lights from e-conolight. The cheapest such lights I found after extensive web search.
Underwriter Laboratories Marking Guide to understand what damp and wet locations ment.
I Hate Flourescent!
Indirect lighting calculator
Design Lumens vs Pupil Lumens & Usable Light
My decision based on cost, pupil lumens, convience, instant start, whatever:
In the shop I'll use T8 electronic start flourescent ship lights. About 142 lumens at work height throughout the building. After much search, both on the net and box stores, I located at Home Depot this shop light:
Lithonia Model 1245R Work Light Red Steel for $17.86 (110 Volt,takes 2 T8 48" bulbs, electronic instant start ballast, pull chain, reflector, 5'power cord, chain mount hardware). I'm putting 25 of them equally spaced on the slant ceiling beams. One line in the peak center, 5 fixtures all on one switch, 18' high. Then, a right and a left bank of lights, each on a separate switch, two rows of lights each bank (one row at 15' and another at 16'. This gives a quick center light for finding something and selective additonal lighting depending on which side of the building I am working in. I could not find this model on the Lithonia site, maybe you can. Two different sales folks at the Pro desk told me that, after calling Lithonia and confirming, they could not reduce the price further since they were selling me the lights "on the order of dollars" below the cost to Home Depot. I carefully evaluated the quality of the fixture... it is clearly better than the Lights of America fixture I saw. The socket ends where the bulbs attach seem to be sturdy and well attached. Time will tell if they hold up or not, CurlyDave.
T8 Homelight Daylight Deluxe flourescent tubes from Home Depot, 32Watt, 10 in a case, $30 per case for inside the shop. The lamp is 6500K
Two of them are so bright that you can hardly look at them at night up close. This gives CRI of 79 according to the web site but the box has a 85 CRI number on it and 2800 lumens per tube. Flourescents selected because of instant on, non point source to reduce shadows.
e-conolight has the best prices I found anywhere after extensive search thus I'll be getting these Metal halide lights from them: They say they are UL approved. I have heard nothing negative regarding their service or products, but if somebody has input, I'm listening. Will likely purchase within next couple of days.
E-HB5M40Q , a $65, 400 Watt, 70 CRI, 35000 lumens MH quad volt CWA ballast unshielded construction light for damp locations. I'm going to put two of these under my carport between the house and the shop such that not only will the carport be lighted, but also one end of the shop and one side of the shop.
E-LB2M40Q , a $80, 400 watt 65 CRI, 36000 lumens MH quad volt ballast, 16.5 inch diameter, for damp locations. I'll either put one or two of these right over my high-use work areas, depending on my percieved additional lighting needs after getting the flourescents installed. Individual light switches for each.
E-HR4M40QZ , a $105,400 watt, 33100 lumens, 65 CRI MH, wet location flood light over roll up doors on each end and walk doors on each side of building, individually switched.
I selected 400 watt MH fixtures because when I want light, I want light. Also, cost of fixture/bulb is similar batween wattages. Since I'll either be there using the light, or it will be switched off, no need for lower power lights. Also, the color of the MH lights sold me. I did not select Pulse start because I figure that at $12 per bulb I can afford to replace any bulb that gets dim over time and not spend the extra $ on pulse start.
Portable lighting is a 500 watt halogen light on extension cord for working under vehicles, etc. Yes, my experience is that the halogen bulbs are very contrary and burn out, sometimes after only a few hours of use.
Hanging from the ceiling are three cord reels from Harbor Freight , $40 each on sale right now, to provide electricity to the center of the work areas.
I've got a 220 welding plug at each end of the building and about 20 two outlet 110v 20 amp plugs scattered around the perimeter. Square D breaker box with 40 circuits available so I should have some left over for growth.
I'm still deciding how to best connect my generator into the shop, but these sites are the best I found from the generator thread.
Interlock Kit
Gen-Tran
Whew! Well, I thought that maybe somebody out there could benefit from my findings/decisions ... I certainly appreciate all of the ideas and leads that yáll gave me... couldn't have done it without TBN!!!! I'm still installing everything... hope to post photos when it's all turned on.
The problem:
Light a 40X60 metal workshop and carport between house and workshop. Wood work and general repair and maintence to be done there.
The tools I used:
Everybody's comments in above thread.
This Metal Halide vs Flourescent education:
This lighting design software from Acuity/Lithonia: for free
Metal Halide lights from e-conolight. The cheapest such lights I found after extensive web search.
Underwriter Laboratories Marking Guide to understand what damp and wet locations ment.
I Hate Flourescent!
Indirect lighting calculator
Design Lumens vs Pupil Lumens & Usable Light
My decision based on cost, pupil lumens, convience, instant start, whatever:
In the shop I'll use T8 electronic start flourescent ship lights. About 142 lumens at work height throughout the building. After much search, both on the net and box stores, I located at Home Depot this shop light:
Lithonia Model 1245R Work Light Red Steel for $17.86 (110 Volt,takes 2 T8 48" bulbs, electronic instant start ballast, pull chain, reflector, 5'power cord, chain mount hardware). I'm putting 25 of them equally spaced on the slant ceiling beams. One line in the peak center, 5 fixtures all on one switch, 18' high. Then, a right and a left bank of lights, each on a separate switch, two rows of lights each bank (one row at 15' and another at 16'. This gives a quick center light for finding something and selective additonal lighting depending on which side of the building I am working in. I could not find this model on the Lithonia site, maybe you can. Two different sales folks at the Pro desk told me that, after calling Lithonia and confirming, they could not reduce the price further since they were selling me the lights "on the order of dollars" below the cost to Home Depot. I carefully evaluated the quality of the fixture... it is clearly better than the Lights of America fixture I saw. The socket ends where the bulbs attach seem to be sturdy and well attached. Time will tell if they hold up or not, CurlyDave.
T8 Homelight Daylight Deluxe flourescent tubes from Home Depot, 32Watt, 10 in a case, $30 per case for inside the shop. The lamp is 6500K
Two of them are so bright that you can hardly look at them at night up close. This gives CRI of 79 according to the web site but the box has a 85 CRI number on it and 2800 lumens per tube. Flourescents selected because of instant on, non point source to reduce shadows.
e-conolight has the best prices I found anywhere after extensive search thus I'll be getting these Metal halide lights from them: They say they are UL approved. I have heard nothing negative regarding their service or products, but if somebody has input, I'm listening. Will likely purchase within next couple of days.
E-HB5M40Q , a $65, 400 Watt, 70 CRI, 35000 lumens MH quad volt CWA ballast unshielded construction light for damp locations. I'm going to put two of these under my carport between the house and the shop such that not only will the carport be lighted, but also one end of the shop and one side of the shop.
E-LB2M40Q , a $80, 400 watt 65 CRI, 36000 lumens MH quad volt ballast, 16.5 inch diameter, for damp locations. I'll either put one or two of these right over my high-use work areas, depending on my percieved additional lighting needs after getting the flourescents installed. Individual light switches for each.
E-HR4M40QZ , a $105,400 watt, 33100 lumens, 65 CRI MH, wet location flood light over roll up doors on each end and walk doors on each side of building, individually switched.
I selected 400 watt MH fixtures because when I want light, I want light. Also, cost of fixture/bulb is similar batween wattages. Since I'll either be there using the light, or it will be switched off, no need for lower power lights. Also, the color of the MH lights sold me. I did not select Pulse start because I figure that at $12 per bulb I can afford to replace any bulb that gets dim over time and not spend the extra $ on pulse start.
Portable lighting is a 500 watt halogen light on extension cord for working under vehicles, etc. Yes, my experience is that the halogen bulbs are very contrary and burn out, sometimes after only a few hours of use.
Hanging from the ceiling are three cord reels from Harbor Freight , $40 each on sale right now, to provide electricity to the center of the work areas.
I've got a 220 welding plug at each end of the building and about 20 two outlet 110v 20 amp plugs scattered around the perimeter. Square D breaker box with 40 circuits available so I should have some left over for growth.
I'm still deciding how to best connect my generator into the shop, but these sites are the best I found from the generator thread.
Interlock Kit
Gen-Tran
Whew! Well, I thought that maybe somebody out there could benefit from my findings/decisions ... I certainly appreciate all of the ideas and leads that yáll gave me... couldn't have done it without TBN!!!! I'm still installing everything... hope to post photos when it's all turned on.
