Shop light advice?

[caylor]

npaden: Thanks for the info on the buzzing, I had el cheapo lights in the shop from the previous owner, and really like the halogens. I visited your web site as I love Lubbock (I went to Tech) and it brought back great memories of the big sky country. I looks like your place might be in/around the Ransom Canyon area....again thanks

 

[texasjohn]

OK, thanks to all for their input and ideas.... current design point is:

using t8 6500kK, 2800 lumens, 85 CRI, 4 ft. bulbs providing 145 pupil lumens/watt bulbs
(see Purchasing Advisor: Indirect Lighting Calculator _ )
and( Lighting: HID Versus Fluorescent for High-Bay Lighting - Upper Peninsula Power Company )

100 Lumen/sq ft at working level is desired for woodwork, then

100/1.45 pupil lumens/.75 dust = 92 foot candles/sq. foot

92 FC/145 LUMENS/WATT = .634 watts needed/sq ft.

40X60 shop size = 2400 sq ft

2400 sq ft * .634 = 1522 watts of bulbs needed

1522/32 watts/bulb = 47 bulbs = 24 fixtures with 2 bulbs in each

Current fixture in top contention is from Home Depot:

$16.97 for a 5ft cord, pull chain, 7 inch reflector, electronic ballast, uses 2 48inch, 32 watt bulbs, chain included, bulbs purchased separately.

Cost is $408 for fixtures plus $3/BULB*48= $144 FOR BULBS = $552 TOTAL.

see ( The Home Depot ) whoops... FOLLOWUP EDIT: the link takes you only to their main web page, not the particular page for the fixture which is Commercial Electric model HBSL-25G

I think I now understand that T8 is more efficient, that getting CRI bulbs is good in my application, pupil lumens are very important reflectors are very important, distributing fixtures around is good to avoid shadows and dark spots as much as possible, and that having a shop light for under cars and extra light is good.

Likely I have missed something and if one of you sees it, be sure to point it out to me. If I need additional light in a particular work area after getting all the above installed, I'll install a metal halide right above the spot.

Again, thanks for all the good input

 

[npaden]

Sounds like a pretty well thought out plan to me. Remember to incorporate the others advice on having the ability to turn on and off banks of lights as needed rather than turning a bunch on or off at once. You could probably go with 4 quadrants of light but 8 would be better!

 

[CurlyDave]

Current fixture in top contention is from Home Depot:

$16.97 for a 5ft cord, pull chain, 7 inch reflector, electronic ballast, uses 2 48inch, 32 watt bulbs, chain included, bulbs purchased separately.

Over the years I have put a number of the Home Depot el cheapo shop flourescents in my garage, and one of the problems is that they seem to last a few years and then fail in a number of annoying ways.

It always seems to be associated with the sockets that the bulbs go into. The contacts and the wiring in the sockets are poor, the mounting of the sockets to the fixture is horrible. Frequently one bulb will need to bumped or jostled in order to come one, and shortly it will be both bulbs.

Others last pretty well, and it is just the luck of the draw.

I think having 24 of these would drive me nuts, although having a plug at the end of a cord is a great feature -- easy replacement.

I would look carefully at the possibility of going up a step or two in fixture quality. Either that or look for a long warranty and save your receipts.

 

[rvaitor]

I'm going to electrify my 40X60 metal shop building. I've looked at all the various types if indoor/outdoor lights available... mercury vapor, metal halide, high pressure sodium, flourescent... etc.

Daytime is plenty bright.... have skylights ... there are three 20 ft bays and one skylight on each side of each bay... 6 total.\

My electrical suppliers (have gotten bids from 2 electrical suppliers and Home Depot... went back and forth and got prices lowered several times) are in the $2000 range for the lights alone... no wire or installation which I will do with assistance from some buddies (final hookup by true electrician). Thus, I want to make sure that I "do it right the first time" if possible.

I just finished putting some more lights in an aircraft hanger. I used a new product from Lights of America - they are called Canopy lights (85 watt) and also the 100 watt Floods by the same company - I've only seen them at Home Depot, but I like them so far. I have 4 100s and 2 85s and they are mount from the rafters.

I have metal halides in another facility but I think the flourescent are a better value and probably less to operate - The MHs will last longer(fixture and bulb). The Flourescents are $49 and $59 each - you might try a couple of those - rated for 20 below. Two year warranty.

I'd be interested if anyone else has or uses these.

 

[Farwell]

Dave,
I purchased one of the HD lights you mentioned, it lasted about 6 months. It started out working intermittently and eventually quit all together. I tried to repair it and did not have any luck. I was planning on buying 16 of them but thought I would try one first. Glad I did. Ended up using the standard 8 footers. They work okay but the ballast buzzing is driving me bonkers. Thinking about trying the 300 watt halogen shop light mentioned in an above post.
Farwell

 

[GaryBDavis]

I’ve been following this thread with some interest because I need to light up my new shop in a major way. So far, I don’t have any lights at all. Here is the breakdown of the shop (multiple rooms with a large overhang – all with bright white interior insulation wrap):

Main Room – 50'x50' with 22’ peak ceiling, 16’ eve height
Store/Work Room – 25'x50' with 22’ peak ceiling, 16’ eve height
Welding Room – 25'x38' with 22’ peak ceiling, 16’ eve height
Overhang – 25’x100’ with 16’ peak ceiling, 14’ eve height

I was planning on going with five Lithonia 96” 110W High Output florescent fixtures with cold weather ballast for the interior hung directly on the ceiling for each bay (25’x50’). For the outside overhang, I want something that will hold off the bugs and spider webs better than florescent fixtures, so I was planning on metal halide low bay sealed fixtures with the quick start pulsers. I just need basic lighting out there, so one per bay (25’x25’).

As an option in the interior rooms, I was kicking around the idea of two high bay metal halide fixtures per bay (25’x50’), again with the quick start pulsers. That would be slightly more expensive, but less lights to hang and wire.

Also, I want quality lights. I learned that lesson in my last shop. No more cheap florescent fixtures for me. Lithonia commercial grade or bust. However, their high bay/low bay metal halides are much more expensive that some of the other brands. You can get some of the other brands from ebay dealers at a good discount, but I’m afraid of the quality.

Any thoughts?

 

[DieselPower]

I have florescent light's in all my garages and pole barns. If you do go with florescent lights buy the best you can get and make sure they have cold start balast. Personally I use what they call "daytime" florescent bulbs. They produce a greater spectrum of light then cool white bulbs do.

 

[wushaw]

I have a 40X50X14ft at eaves shop with 3 4ft flouresent lights running down the center with electronic ballast for general lighting that I use most of the time. I also have six 400 watt low bay metal hydride lights when I need daylight (two per switch)
Here is a pic with the flourescents and four of the metal hydrides on. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...sk-harrow-901941-homemade-disk-harrow-010.jpg

My electronic flourecents are over four years old now purchased from Lowes.
I didn't want to wait five minutes for warm up time in cool weather.

 

[GaryBDavis]

How long does it take for your metal halide lights to come on and what brand are they?