Shop Lighting

[Rob Wilson]

I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Debating using shoplights vs strip lighting - with T8 bulbs in either case. Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater area, and fixtures look more substantial. Shop lights a little easier to install and no "lost light" to the ceiling. Your opinions welcome.

BTW, bought 2 "shop light" fixtures to try out a few locations - instructions said to install bulbs and plug in before mounting - and return to store if it didn't work. Lo and behold, it didn't work - nothing like doing the QC yourself! :p

[Barry O'Mahony]

Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater areaYep, and it's not an illusion. For long, continous lines of lighting, the intensity drops away linearly with the distance, as opposed to point sources like light bulbs or short tubes, where the intensity drops away with the square of the distance. That's why strip lights are a good idea for ceiling-mounted lighting; even down at bench level, the light level is still pretty bright.

[lou sansone]

I use a combination of lights :
A. 4 foot industrial lights with reflectors that allow some light to be directed up wards,

B. 3 - 250 watt low bay Metal Halide lights

C. Several incandescent bulbs in 16" white reflectors

4.Some explosion proof fixtures with 100 watt bulbs

5. A couple of spot lights in certain areas

works good for me

lou

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

The only thing I'll add is that you should put in more lights than you think you need. As we get older (I'm told :rolleyes: ) out eyesight goes, so if you put in what you need now, in 10 years or so, you may be installing more lights. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be putting those lights up now, than when I'm 10 years older :D

Cheers!

[Mike Cutler]

The only thing I'll add is that you should put in more lights than you think you need. As we get older (I'm told :rolleyes: ) out eyesight goes, so if you put in what you need now, in 10 years or so, you may be installing more lights. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be putting those lights up now, than when I'm 10 years older :D

Cheers!

I have to drag a mini desk light light spot around with me most of the time for extra lighting. Sure am glad that I put 115 receptacles next to every 220 receptacle.:eek: ;)
Shop lighting for me is 5, 150 watt halogens, and a bunch of incandescants.
I thought about going the flourescent tube route, but decided to use the same type of lighting in the shop, as found in a home. It helps me to see how something will actually look in the house when finished.
I also found that if you were agreeable to closeout fixtures, from an actual lighting store, you could beat the pants off the Borg stores for price and quality. You also walked out of the store with All of the necessary parts.

[tod evans]

rob, it sounds as though lou has close to optimal indoor lighting, my shop is height challanged so metal halides are out. i have primarly 4 tube 4` commercial fixtures with some indoor spots. i also have a few salvaged 8` 2-tube fixtures.....far from optimal in the winter or at night...02 tod

[Chris Damm]

I've got 9 two bulb 8' t12 fixtures in my 25'x25' shop. It worked out to about twice the recomended light but to my "older" eyes, it is perfect. No eye strain, no shadows, and no need for task lighting! I also have 4 100w incandesant bulbs for short trips to just get a tool. All my older buddies are impressed with how well lit the shop is. My shop is also painted a semi gloss white and you would not believe the difference that makes!

[Alan Turner]

On the recommendation of a lighting designer, I went with 8' fixtures, with 4, 4' t-8's, in pairs, end to end (in each fixture), and then put these end to end. They are 8' high, on 8' centers, arranged perpendicular to the benches. There is plenty of light at bench height for most every need. I went with a 10% pierced white reflector to give a better look to the shop, but this was just aesthetics.

The new shop lighting is shown on the home page and studio pages of Philadelphia Furniture Workshop website. Just posted them.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

My approach is the most sophisticated I have ever encountered. ;-)

I add light when I want more light. Slowly over the years I have increased my light usage.

My preferred lighting is the 4' double full ballast shop fixtures sold in the BORG for about $15 to $20 a pop.
Reason: I can leave them on 24-7 and not worry about the electrical bill.

Of course it won't hurt to have a couple of those time honored "north facing windows."

[Tyler Howell]

[quote=Rob Wilson]I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Debating using shoplights vs strip lighting - with T8 bulbs in either case. Seems like the strip lights would spread out the light over a greater area,

Please define strip lighting:confused:

[Jim O'Dell]

I used the T-8 strip lights, but built my own reflectors. Todd, my shop is height challanged also, so I recessed the lights up into the ceiling joists, with the "reflectors" goin from the bottom of the 2 ceiling joists that mad up the bay for the light. I think that they will work well for my situation. If interested, see post #54 on this thread for a picture. Post #53 tells what material I used for the reflectors. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=14427&page=2&highlight=coolmeadow+creations
Good luck, Rob! I agonized over the placement and quantity of lights for a long time. Jim.

[Bill Lewis]

My basement 32' x 17' shop uses 9 4 foot, 4 bulb troffers (HD Best, electronic ballast) in a drop ceiling. It's perfect, plenty of light with no need for spot or task lighting. I followed the guildlines set forth in an article printed in either a Fine Homebuilding, or Fine WW'ing mag (I belive the author is a member here) I subscribe to both.

Stu, as you get older you do need more light, I only recently hit the age that this happens. It was like someone turned off the lights on me. When I was following the guidlines from the article, I followed the one for the older age bracket, even though it hadn't hit yet. I'm glad I did.

[Matt Meiser]

I went to a local lighting supply place and had them design my lighting, which was a free service. They recommended 8' high output fixtures which have been great and start at low temperatures no problem. The fixtures were expensive, but worth it. For my finishing booth, I bought 3 4' fixtures which aren't enough. When we replace the track lighting in our kitchen, I'm going to put them in the booth for additional lighting.

[Rob Wilson]

[quote=Rob Wilson]I'm setting up shop lighting now.

Please define strip lighting:confused:
Tyler, here are a couple of pics - strip light (solid mounting to ceiling, no reflector) and shop light (suspended from chains, needs minimum of 3" between ceiling and fixture, and has reflector).

[Jamie Buxton]

I've had shops equipped with fluorescents. I've bought the best bulbs I could find -- that is, high CRI (color rendering index). The results have been unsatisfactory: the wood color isn't right. It is washed out and green. Twice in the past 15 years I've tried to convince myself to live with that ugliness, and eventually replaced the fluorescents with halogen floods.

[Tyler Howell]

[quote=Tyler Howell]
Tyler, here are a couple of pics - strip light (solid mounting to ceiling, no reflector) and shop light (suspended from chains, needs minimum of 3" between ceiling and fixture, and has reflector).
Thanks Rob. Knowledge is power;)

[Chris Fite]

I have four high bay lights. I agonized, read, and fretted over lighting for the longest time when building my shop. These seemed to offer a lot of light, reasonably priced.


I am finding that there is not quite enough light to be free from shadows. I think that augmenting these with T8 lights across the shop will help fill the shadows. I have 12 foot ceilings, so the height of the fixtures was not a problem.

[Rob Wilson]

eventually replaced the fluorescents with halogen floods.
Jamie,
Can you give me a little more info on what you are using for your halogen floods. With the exception of this

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=27277-290-HSL300&lpage=none

the only fixtures I have seen are the outdoor, security type halogen fixtures.

I would be concerned about bright spots and shadows since they would act more like point sources of light.

[Ted Harris]

I use a combination of lights :
B. 3 - 400 watt low bay Metal Halide lights
lou
Can you tell me the cost of the fixtures and bulbs, the height of the ceiling, and the mounting height?

[Rob Beckers]

I'm using 'industrial' wrap-around 4' dual-F32T8 fluoresent fixtures. They have electronic balasts and cost around US$25 (from Home Depot). I have them spaced at just under 3' from the edge of one to the next, in both directions. My workshop has a low ceiling, 93", so dispersion is a problem. The plastic lens on these fixtures helps, and I find the light very pleasant (no shadows). Thanks to the electronic balasts these fixtures are completely silent.

The lamps I use are these full spectrum bulbs (http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=306). I've only put these lights up about 6 months ago, so it's been a relatively short time. So far I've been very happy with them, colors seem to be true (ie. they look the same in the workshop as they do outside, making painting and matching colors easier).

On the whole I'm pleased with the end-result. The amount of light is a little more than I need right now, but I can see that in a few years (as eyes get less) it'll be just about right IMO.

-Rob-

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie,
Can you give me a little more info on what you are using for your halogen floods. With the exception of this

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=27277-290-HSL300&lpage=none

the only fixtures I have seen are the outdoor, security type halogen fixtures.

I would be concerned about bright spots and shadows since they would act more like point sources of light.

In one shop I used the simplest ceramic fixtures, which mount directly to the electrical boxes. In another I used metal fixtures sold for outdoor lighting. The outdoor ones are aimable, which gives a little flexibility in where the boxes are on the ceiling. I use halogen floods -- generally 75W to 90 W...whatever is on sale. For me, it is important to use halogens, not incandescent; the color is much better. (Caution: Phillips' "Halogen-A" is not halogen.)

Spottiness can be an issue. I put the floods where I think the bench and the major machines are going to be, and some in the assembly/finishing area, and that is enough. My current shop (about 450 sq ft, with 12' ceiling) has seven floods. My old shop (also about 450 sq ft, but with 8' ceiling) had nine. The higher ceiling allows each light to spread out more.

Me, I prefer spot source light over diffuse light sources. The spots produce shadows which allow me to see stuff which disappears under diffuse sources. For instance: skratches which still need more sanding; misaligned boards in a glue-up; skips or misses in surface planning.

[Rob Will]

On the recommendation of a lighting designer, I went with 8' fixtures, with 4, 4' t-8's, in pairs, end to end (in each fixture), and then put these end to end. They are 8' high, on 8' centers, arranged perpendicular to the benches. There is plenty of light at bench height for most every need. I went with a 10% pierced white reflector to give a better look to the shop, but this was just aesthetics.

The new shop lighting is shown on the home page and studio pages of Philadelphia Furniture Workshop website. Just posted them.

I will confirm that Alan's shop has great lighting. I went there last week and liked what I saw so much that I plan to copy some of the design elements into my own shop. The tandem T8 flouresents give a nice even light that is free from harsh shadows.

Rob

[richard poitras]

What I used in my shop is 4 ft. shop lights. I just put up plugs on the ceiling and switches on the wall, when I put in the machines all I do is put the $12.00 (HD) shop lights where I need them and just pug them in. so if I ever change my shop or add machines, it is simple to get light to it just plug more fixture's in and you are done,plus 4ft. bulbs and fixture's are cheaper than 8ft's and if the ballast go bad just take them down and put up a new one, cheaper and easier than to replace the ballast on the old light

[Bill Fields]

I bought 8 or 10 dual 150w Halogen strip lights from Northern Tool, for about $22 apiece and put them up about 2' down from the ceiling of my 3-car shop/garage. BARGAIN! not

The problem is HEAT--in "winter" here in AZ it's sort of welcome. I have not yet done the summer thing yet, but it's already been 85 degrees here, and I'm not looking fwd to the generated heat.

The LIGHTING aspect is pretty good. I also have 2 ceiling mounted 2 x 40x flourescent fixtures, and 2 over-bench 2 x 40x flourescents for better direct lighting.

Still have to augment with w/halogen spots and other means.

I'm 70, and yes--it's true---Ican't remember what the "first thing to go" was.

BILL

[lou sansone]

Can you tell me the cost of the fixtures and bulbs, the height of the ceiling, and the mounting height?

grainger and your local electrical supply house carries them

here is the catalogue page

BTW ... I must of had a brain spasam... I believe I have 250 watt units, not 400 watt units.

the metal halide lights are very nice

lou