Garage/shop lighting ???

[JackHoleRacer]

Finally get to enclose my carport, going to be about a 25' x 18' garage. I plan on using 4' fluorescent lighting. Just wondering if there is a rule of thumb or guide line to use when determining how many fixtures are required? Things like distance between fixtures and distance from the walls. I know more is always better ;D, just tryin to spread the $$ as far as it will go!
thanks

 

[BIG_UGLY75]

If its gonna be your work sanciary.... first off height. Makes a dif. Second off how bright do you want it..... I ve had friends put them in the walls for all around lighting.... but generaly if you looking at ten foot ht. Or so.... about 7 or 8 ft. Apart should be sufficient.....

 

[Edger6]

It sucks not have enough lighting to see what your doing. Don't skimp on this area, But do you research. I have a 16 x 16 shed. and I have 3 4 foot 2 bulb fixtures and it seems to be enough. I also have from Home depot and string light extension cord. which has light sockes every 10 feet. I put that in my pop up garage.

 

[broncosam]

Never can have too much light in my opinion. My garage is 30 X 32 feet and I have six 8 foot flourescent fixtures with 2 bulbs each in there and while it's enough, it could be brighter.

 

[gritz]

A friend of mine that is an electrician told me you should be able to read a newspaper 3' high from the floor for a rule of thumb.

 

[Broncobowsher]

My last garage was a standard 2-car with a 2' extension. It came with a 4' 2-bulb fixture. I added 4 more fixtures. Total of 10 bulbs at 40W each. That was boardering on too bright (never thought you would hear that from garage lighting).

Current shop is a 3-car garage. It's really a 2-car with one bay double deep. I have a total of 12 4' bulbs in this one. They are the smaller 32W but higher output versions. I feel this is real nice. Everything is well lite up. It works out to (4) 4-foot bulbs per 10x20 parking spot. This formula also worked out well in my brother's place.

As for placment, I like 1 fixture in front, a little in front of the bumper if possible. The other near the rear axle but not centered over the vehcile, off toward the wall. White (or off white) walls reflect a lot of light. I can park in the middle of the 2-bays and then the lights are on both sides.

In my case the tandem part of the garage was very limiting. There was a builder installed light fixture centered above the spot and no access to anything else due to a second floor above. so I put a quad 4' (8' would have worked but I wanted to keep with 1 bulb) and that lights up the bench area nicely.

All my experience is with 9' finished and painted ceilings.

 

[ransil]

my garage is 36x60 I have 20 8' 4 bulb fixtures. layout was done by a lighting store to calculate the lumins (sp) at floor level.

 

[JackHoleRacer]

Ok thanks guys! I was going to go Waay over board apparently.

 

[bknbronco]

I can say that there is no need to get super crazy! You dont want to be blinded and were not doing surgery. Dont waste money on HO fixtures!!!! I would get the twin bulb T8 48" fixtures. I think the large bulb oldschool fixtures are t12.

The T8 bulbs are brighter and there ballasts are electronic and will start cold wheras a T12 has a magnetic ballast and suck in the cold.

We have a few of the $20 48" T8 fixtures from the home depot and there plenty of light! You could probably get by with 4 or 5 of them. You can get them with a plug in cord or hardwire them.

 

[bflippinw]

I'm a commercial electrician. Best thing u can do is paint the whole inside white. Makes a huge difference.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I can say that there is no need to get super crazy! You dont want to be blinded and were not doing surgery. Dont waste money on HO fixtures!!!! I would get the twin bulb T8 48" fixtures. I think the large bulb oldschool fixtures are t12.

The T8 bulbs are brighter and there ballasts are electronic and will start cold wheras a T12 has a magnetic ballast and suck in the cold.

We have a few of the $20 48" T8 fixtures from the home depot and there plenty of light! You could probably get by with 4 or 5 of them. You can get them with a plug in cord or hardwire them.

That sounds exactly like what I got. The T8 is 32W while the T12 is 40. The Lumens (light output) is higher with the lower watt T8s.

And yes, spend a couple extra dollars on the electronic ballast to get rid of the hum. That hum will drive you nuts after several hours. My first lights were the cheapest T12s that hummed. The quiet T8s are so much better.

 

[bknbronco]

Yup Yup. the T12's are old school. T8 are more common nowadays. There is alot of hype about HO T8 fixtures. There tons brighter but i have heard there WAY to bright, and WAY to expensive. The standard T8 fixtures are cheep and the best way to go.

A T12 bulb is 12/8" in dia, a T8 is 8/8" in dia, they might even have T5 fixtures (5/8" dia) but i have only used them over my fishtanks.

 

[patterdale]

Talk to electricians and lighting designers and maybe visit some shops. I had 5- 4' 2 bulb old school fixtures in a 2 car garage (about 24 x 24) painted white inside for woodworking and it was not enough. Spend the money to get the cold start ballasts unless your garage is heated all winter.

 

[bknbronco]

Spend the money to get the cold start ballasts unless your garage is heated all winter.

Or just move to arizona!!! I bet its been cooler in phoenix than its been here the last month?? Weve had 95+ deg days for at least a month! Im afraid to shave off my winter coat because i know in a month or so ill be back to normal here (40 deg).%)

I believe the T8 fixtures all are good down to at least freezing. Cold start ballasts are a thing of the past i think. Last month my brother looked at the depot for similar fixtures and they all said starting temps down to near freezing.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Or just move to arizona!!! I bet its been cooler in phoenix than its been here the last month?? Weve had 95+ deg days for at least a month! Im afraid to shave off my winter coat because i know in a month or so ill be back to normal here (40 deg).%)

I believe the T8 fixtures all are good down to at least freezing. Cold start ballasts are a thing of the past i think. Last month my brother looked at the depot for similar fixtures and they all said starting temps down to near freezing.

I live in AZ, just outside of Phoenix. You still want the cold start ballasts even out here. It still drops into the teens in the winter.
What you really want the electronic ballasts for is the no hum.

 

[bknbronco]

I live in AZ, just outside of Phoenix. You still want the cold start ballasts even out here. It still drops into the teens in the winter.

That sucks. I guess there are mountains in arizona ant there? My grandpa lives outside of phoenix and he never brags about the temps in the teens he always tells us its nice there in the winter. I knew grandPOP was full of sheet! Well better than 30 below and blowing 40!