Metal Building Lighting?

[JSanders10]

In the main barn, I installed three two bulb 8' florescent fixtures.
Two more on the side wing where will clean deer, and another in a walled locked up area.
So far this is enough light, but we can easily add two more fixtures in the main area when needed.

 

[grsthegreat]

How many total fixtures? (I have a 40 X 60 X 14)

I ran 10 total. Very bright

 

[ducks13]

I just skimmed the thread, I responded a couple of years ago. I design lighting for commercial buildings. I would be going with T-8 fixtures unless you are going to burning them 10 hours a days or so. If you are going to have them on a lot, like a commercial building, then there are just now LED fixtures on the market with good output for a resonable cost. Anything that is not from a major manufacturer may fail prematurely and even some from major mfg. will probably fail earlier than you would think.

 

[Todd727]

12 total fixtures? Is each bay switched separately? Thanks,

The first two bays (8 fixtures, 16 bulbs) are on one 20 amp circuit.

The last bay is actually divided into two rooms with 8 bulbs each on their own 20 amp circuit.

All of my circuits are 20 amps. I have to use 12AWG per code anyway, so it made sense to make everything 20 amps.

 

[LD1]

Separate circuits as in breakers? or just separate switches?

All your lighting total is under 10a

 

[grsthegreat]

Separate circuits as in breakers? or just separate switches?

All your lighting total is under 10a

i was thinking the same thing. One 20 amp circuit can handle 2400 watts (1,980 watts at 80%).

 

[LD1]

i was thinking the same thing. One 20 amp circuit can handle 2400 watts (1,980 watts at 80%).

Yep.

I have 8 6-bulb fixtures on my lighting circuit. Multiple switches, but one breaker. Thats 48 bulbs, plus the outside 175w security light.

 

[MFWD]

Hello,
After I posted a response to this thread the other day, I got to thinking about what I said. I DID NOT run 3 circuits for the downstairs lights, just three switches. I have (12) 4 bulb 4' lights downstairs and each bulb is 32 watts. So a total of 1536 watts when all are on......the lights are on a separate 20 amp circuit, nothing else on that circuit, but three switches that control 4 lights each. However, that is still the best way to do it......I can control the lights in each bay and not need to burn the lights in the other bays when not needed. 1536 watts is like running a portable electric heater and we all know how they run up the electric bill !!!!!

MFWD

 

[JPRambo]

My garage is not as big as others here have. But, I find I need more light than I used to. The lights in the garage are starting to give me problems to light up. I found LED tubes at Grainger . com that go in the 10 year old fluorescent fixtures without a ballast change. They start instantly, and give more light per tube. Plus they use about half the watts. They have a 5 year warranty, and 50,000 hour life. A little pricey for the non-grainger purchaser. I bought them though my work account for a lot less. Only a bulb change and I was done.

 

[Mace Canute]

My shop is 40' by 60' with a 15' 4" ceiling....white ceiling and walls inside...and we installed 8 fixtures in two runs, each 4 feet long with 6 T-5 tubes per fixture. We used 8 switches total and every pair of fixtures can have 1/3, 2/3 or all tubes on at once. Two breakers power them and the total power draw with all on is 24 amps. It's very nicely lit and I wouldn't want to have any less light.

 

[newbury]

IF I were building, I would use cree 60w LED's in a porcelain or plastic "barn light" fixture attached to a round workbox. Box + fixture + cree let ~$10. <snip>

Could you give a link for that combo for $10?

One advantage to this approach if you use A19 bulbs is the ability to screw in a higher ouput bulb where you need more light.

My garage is not as big as others here have. But, I find I need more light than I used to. The lights in the garage are starting to give me problems to light up. I found LED tubes at Grainger . com that go in the 10 year old fluorescent fixtures without a ballast change. They start instantly, and give more light per tube. Plus they use about half the watts. They have a 5 year warranty, and 50,000 hour life. A little pricey for the non-grainger purchaser. I bought them though my work account for a lot less. Only a bulb change and I was done.

LED tubes for fluorescent T8/T12 replacement are rapidly coming into acceptance and low price. Prices for 4' bulbs have dropped down to about $10 and even HD is selling them.

Especially great if you are having to replace T12 ballasts.http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/338919-led-workshop-lighting-saga-continues.html?highlight=

 

[LD1]

Round box...$1 Carlon 1-Gang 20 cu. in. New Work Ceiling Box with Captive Nails-B520A-UPC - The Home Depot
MEtal boxes are ~$1 too if you like metal

Plastic lamp holder Leviton Plastic Keyless Lamp Holder-R50-08829-CW4 - The Home Depot
Or porcelin Leviton Porcelain Keyless Lamp Holder-R50-09875-000 - The Home Depot

Phillips 60w LED Philips 60W Equivalent Soft White A19 LED Light Bulb-455949 - The Home Depot
Cree 60w LED Cree 60W Equivalent Soft White (2700K) A19 Dimmable LED Light Bulb with 4Flow Filament Design-BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-3U100 - The Home Depot


$1 for a box
$1.50 for a lamp holder
$5 for a bulb

$7.50 combo.

 

[hitecredneck1]

in a new 40x60 I just put in ~7 4' led fixtures from lowes . kind of expensive but very bright..

 

[newbury]

Round box...$1 Carlon 1-Gang 20 cu. in. New Work Ceiling Box with Captive Nails-B520A-UPC - The Home Depot
MEtal boxes are ~$1 too if you like metal

Plastic lamp holder Leviton Plastic Keyless Lamp Holder-R50-08829-CW4 - The Home Depot
Or porcelin Leviton Porcelain Keyless Lamp Holder-R50-09875-000 - The Home Depot

Phillips 60w LED Philips 60W Equivalent Soft White A19 LED Light Bulb-455949 - The Home Depot
Cree 60w LED Cree 60W Equivalent Soft White (2700K) A19 Dimmable LED Light Bulb with 4Flow Filament Design-BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-3U100 - The Home Depot


$1 for a box
$1.50 for a lamp holder
$5 for a bulb

$7.50 combo.

I thought you were writing about "barn light" fixtures such as what shows up if one searches the net using google and the term "barn light".

 

[buckeyefarmer]

i've found those plastic lamp sockets to be worthless, they break easily. I had to replace a few with ceramic ones.

 

[LD1]

I actually find I like the plastic better than the ceramic. Gonna leave the screws a little loose or when the bulb heats it up it breaks.

Newbury: I think they are actually called lamp holders or lamp sockets or something. But everyone around here just calls them barn lights

 

[Todd727]

Separate circuits as in breakers? or just separate switches?

All your lighting total is under 10a

Yes, I set up separate lighting circuits in each room. Additionally, having separate lighting circuits, which is quite common in a shop, ensures that if I do trip a breaker with a power tool, I don't lose any lighting. Also, as I said, by code I have to run 12AWG. The price of 15 amp and 20 amp breakers is exactly the same and it was just as easy to buy one size. Finally, I didn't have any luck finding 5 amp breakers. :laughing:

 

[LD1]

I won't loose any light either if I trip a breaker with a power tool. The single breaker that all the lights are tied to has no where to plug a power tool in.

 

[FatTire]

in a new 40x60 I just put in ~7 4' led fixtures from lowes . kind of expensive but very bright..

Which one?

 

[kminnick]

in a new 40x60 I just put in ~7 4' led fixtures from lowes . kind of expensive but very bright..

And what layout/orientation, height from the floor, etc. Thanks,