Lights for my Garage/shop annex

[Cameron Reddy]

I spent a couple three hours reading threads on lighting over at The Garage Journal. I had recently purchased a eight or nine T-12 strips for my basement shop and I was going to do the same for the garage...

I hate those guys over at The Garage Journal. :mad:

What was going to cost me about $50 ($10 each for five, two bulb 4' strips) just cost me nearly 10 times that!

It's a two car garage (soon to be heated with that Dayton 73 heater) with about a 10 foot ceiling. It has my chop saw and will soon have my PM2700 shaper (I've sort of decided I'm not going to get that beast in into my basement).

I went with MADE IN USA lights: http://www.warehouse-lighting.com/item/107861/4-Foot-T5HO-Industrial-Strip-Light-Fixture.aspx. It's a 4' two bulb T-5 strip. And I purchased a small case of bulbs (25 bulbs) for another $100. I'll use the bulbs as I replace some of the T-12 units in my basement.

[Eric Gustafson]

I gotta ask since I just bought and am in the process of installing 7, 2-bulb T8's in my garage (shop), why T5's? They gotta look cool. Are they 5/8" dia?

[Cameron Reddy]

They apparently produce much more light and, at the same time, use less electricity. The owner at Warehouse-Lighting told me that the T5 would probably be TOO bright for use in my basement as my ceiling is standard height and thus too low. The T8's are good lights, he said. Just not as good.

He doesn't even sell T12s.

[Rollie Meyers]

T5 HO ballasts are more expensive to replace, T8 are a bit more reasonable then T5, & a lot of T12 ballasts are no longer going to be manufactured as July 2010 is the cut-off date. http://www.advance.philips.com/

[Rich Johnson]

Curious which T5's did u get. There are lots of choices depending on the initial lumens rating and the tempeture in Kelvin. The higher Kelvin the closer to full spectrum ie more like sunlight. The higher the lumens the brighter the bulb. I beleive you can do this with both the T5 and T8 bulbs.

[Cameron Reddy]

This is what my receipt says:

Name: 54W 5000K T5 85 CRI G5 Base High Output (25 Pack)
Part#: F54T5HO850

[David Hostetler]

I am not sure this is right nor not, but I read somewhere that T-12s were being phased out over energy efficiency concerns...

[Rich Johnson]

Wow sounds expensive but I like the idea of 5000K and I see the life expentancy of the bulbs are 25000 hours. Although I dont understand what they mean by 3 hour starts vs 12 hour starts. Some T5's are used for grow lights...hope that dosnt mean I would have to put PF50 on my bald spot....grinz

[Rich Johnson]

Was wondering if you had an update? I finally got my 2 car 18x18 garage insulated and in the process of putting up drywall. Reading to much about lights. So do you have them installed? How big is your garage and how many 2 bulb fixtures did you install? Love to hear your comments on using that vendor as well...

Thanks

[Cameron Reddy]

Was wondering if you had an update? I finally got my 2 car 18x18 garage insulated and in the process of putting up drywall. Reading to much about lights. So do you have them installed? How big is your garage and how many 2 bulb fixtures did you install? Love to hear your comments on using that vendor as well...

Thanks

Rich, I do have an update. I first ordered high output T5 strips from Warehouse-Lighting.com and I had to send them back as the parts (reflectors) did not match up or fit with the housing. Mark Abraham, the owner of Warehouse-Lighting, was excellent, however, and issued a call tag and took them back no questions asked. As a result of that excellent attitude, I ordered different lights from Mark and these are EXCELLENT!

I went with 4-light units that have made my garage bright as day. These are riveted units of a much higher quality than anything else I've seen. They were $109 per unit, and three of them (added to 2 old T12 two-bulb strips) illuminate my 2-car garage like crazy. Warehouse-Lighting says they are American made, but I didn't see anything on the boxes or the units themselves that confirmed that. The ballasts are Phillips Advantage high output made in Mexico, as I recall.

The T5 bulbs are made in China, unfortunately. They were $100 for a box of 25, which is an excellent price for these high end bulbs.

Interestingly, Mark thought high-ouput T5s might be TOO bright, given my 9' ceilings. Well, they are bright, but my 50 year old eyes LOVE IT!! :):)

Whatever you do, consider HIGH OUTPUT T5 lights before you buy the wimpy T8s or the regular (and also wimpy) T5s. If you want LIGHT. You won't regret buying these HO T5's http://www.warehouse-lighting.com/item/110061/H3-4-Lamp-T5HO-High-Bay-Fluorescent.aspx

[Cameron Reddy]

I am not sure this is right nor not, but I read somewhere that T-12s were being phased out over energy efficiency concerns...

You are right.

[Rich Johnson]

How about glair....that would be the only issue that might result from bright bright bright lights.

[Rollie Meyers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Hostetler http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1284879#post1284879)
I am not sure this is right nor not, but I read somewhere that T-12s were being phased out over energy efficiency concerns...


You are right.

Popular T12 magnetic ballasts are being phased out this summer, lamps are not. Electronic T12 ballasts should not be affected.

[Jeff Geltz]

I have a question. I have seen everyone and their kid brother trudging down the fluorescent path when choosing lighting for a shop. I have had very good results with Halogen fixtures. Just 3-4 of them light up my entire 1200 sf shop along with a few incandescents sprinkled in the "non-work" areas.

Any reason I seem to be the only guy using them?

[Cameron Reddy]

How about glair....that would be the only issue that might result from bright bright bright lights.

I'll try to get a picture posted. Not sure if it will accurately, ah, reflect, :) the illumination provided by my lights. We shall see.

[Ed Griner]

I have an 18'x30' timber framed,four bay shop.The peak is 17',each bay has 400watt,mh,low bay fixture,individually switched.(so I can shut them off when I'm not working in that bay)I have two benches with one 8" fixture over each,with two f96t12 lamps in them.(the fat ones) I have old eyes.I would suggest over lighting and turning them off and on as needed.On the east end of my shop,their is an 8'x11'steel framed window which lets in a ton of sunshine until about 11:00am,but I still need the eight footers over the benches.I would be reluctant to let a sales person determine what my lighting needs are. Be patient,nobody knows better than you,what your illumination requirements are. Fat lamps forever!!!!

Ed tired eyes

[Rollie Meyers]

I have a question. I have seen everyone and their kid brother trudging down the fluorescent path when choosing lighting for a shop. I have had very good results with Halogen fixtures. Just 3-4 of them light up my entire 1200 sf shop along with a few incandescents sprinkled in the "non-work" areas.

Any reason I seem to be the only guy using them?

They are expensive to operate, hot, short lived, nothing more then a incandescent lamp on steroids.

[Rich Johnson]

Never considered it mainly because I havent seen any Halogen fixtures that would work on a 9 foot ceiling. How tall is your ceiling? Can you supply a link to where you got them?

Thanks

[Jeff Geltz]

I have 9 foot ceilings. I bought the fixtures from Amazon for short money and wired them into existing incandescent boxes: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E8UZJY/ref=wms_ohs_product

I find they provide fantastic light without the huge investment in tons of fixtures and bulbs that I've seen with fluorescent installations. Maybe its just me but my former fluorescent lighting just wasn't bright enough unless I supplemented with incandescent at each workstation which defeats the point.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have a question. I have seen everyone and their kid brother trudging down the fluorescent path when choosing lighting for a shop. I have had very good results with Halogen fixtures. Just 3-4 of them light up my entire 1200 sf shop along with a few incandescents sprinkled in the "non-work" areas.

Any reason I seem to be the only guy using them?

Probably because you have 1,500 or 2,000 watts of incandescent lighting!

Wow, you could obtain the same of light for about 1/4 to 1/5 the energy by using T8 lamps.

Regards, Rod

[David Hostetler]

I have a question. I have seen everyone and their kid brother trudging down the fluorescent path when choosing lighting for a shop. I have had very good results with Halogen fixtures. Just 3-4 of them light up my entire 1200 sf shop along with a few incandescents sprinkled in the "non-work" areas.

Any reason I seem to be the only guy using them?

Heat. Up north Halogens are great, they provide additional heat to your work space, at least here in Texas, for 90% + of the year, additional heat is the last thing you want...

[Jeff Geltz]

Probably because you have 1,500 or 2,000 watts of incandescent lighting!

Wow, you could obtain the same of light for about 1/4 to 1/5 the energy by using T8 lamps.

Regards, Rod

Now we are getting somewhere. I haven't priced fluorescent units in a while so can someone tell me what the fixtures are running these days and what I should expect for wattage (light output) from each?

[Don Jarvie]

Has anyone used the 18.00 Lithonia Lights from Home Depot Model 3348? They also have lights for 32.00 and it looks like the difference is the ballast. the 32 one seems to be better.

I need 10 of them and 180 is better than 320 unless the 18.00 really stink. They are Lithonias and that seems to be a reliable brand.