Im addicted to lighting

[Garage5.9]

I really can't stand it when im working on something and i get shadows near something or i just cant see i really get irritated. So my solution to that is lights and lots of them id say for only a 2 car garage. I already have 2 t8's , 1 4 footer over my tool box in the corner out of view and i have 2 more t8's that have yet to be installed. The other 2 t8's will go parallel with the exsisting one.

[jtshusker]

what kind of bulbs are you running in those fixtures? have you ever tried a 5000K bulb? It is a little higher in spectrum than cool white 4100K but not as high as a a daylight bulb 6500K which drives me insane. I run a 5000K bulb in my garage, which is so nice for working because it is a clean light but not annoying if you know what I mean.

[Garage5.9]

Originally Posted by jtshusker

what kind of bulbs are you running in those fixtures? have you ever tried a 5000K bulb? It is a little higher in spectrum than cool white 4100K but not as high as a a daylight bulb 6500K which drives me insane. I run a 5000K bulb in my garage, which is so nice for working because it is a clean light but not annoying if you know what I mean.

Im not really sure what K im running i just grabbed what ever was cheapest at Lowes haha. I do know that the small 4 footer has a bluish tint to the light so i guess that is a higher K bulb. Dont really know what you mean by annoying in terms of the color of light ?

[StaggeringGoat]

I agree about the color temperature, it makes a big difference. I won't let anything other than 5000k in my shop. I tried using some cheap "soft white" CFLs and the yellow color of the light in comparison to the others drove me nuts. It's very obvious when you're running two colors side by side. Usually the 5000k and 6500k bulbs are a bit more expensive in home stores.

You can look up what color you have by putting the numbers on your bulb in google.

[Charles (in GA)]

6500K has a very distinct bluish cast to it.

I have T5HO that I installed recently and the only available bulbs (without ordering on the internet in quantities of 25) were 4100K which is a cool white (but not daylight) and they are quite OK. 5000K would be ideal as you don't get any "color" out of the light itself.

Every bulb I've looked at the specs on, both fluorescent and metal halide, the 4000K or so version of the bulbs put out slightly more lumens than the 5000K version.

Charles

[bczygan]

Flooding a space with lots and lots of light will eliminate shadows but is hard on your eyes. The best way to light a space is to use ceiling lighting to create a general diffuse lighting that lets you find your way around the space. Then use task lighting to light specific work stations. Task lighting should be movable to optimize it. Use 2 or 3 lights to eliminate shadows and reveal surface textures. Use main and fill lights at 45 degree angles from the right and left and use the overhead light to create texture in the 3rd dimension. All 3 lights should be slightly in front of the subject and angled toward it. Main should be strongest and fill second strongest. Too much light will wash out detail. The difference in lighting strengths will show off detail.

[KyleQ]

There are still shadows under the truck, need more light, lol. Addiction? My father installed four rows of side by side 8' dual bulb fixtures in a garage of your size with the highest output bulb he could find. Everything is painted white - lots of reflectivity, no shadows to be found, day or night.

[Falcon67]

You ain't close to being lit up yet. LOL

[brucer]

your getting there..
i've got 10 8ft lithonias with 5000k sylvania bulbs and 2 4footers in my 24x30, i need a couple more 4 footers myself.

[bochnak]

I have a 22' x 22', with 8 two bulb fixtures, about 1W/sq ft. I really need to change the old 2800-3200K bulbs to 4100k.

[raley]

Originally Posted by brucer

your getting there..
i've got 10 8ft lithonias with 5000k sylvania bulbs and 2 4footers in my 24x30, i need a couple more 4 footers myself.

where the hell did you fit all of that in that small space?!

[StaggeringGoat]

Originally Posted by Charles (in GA)

Every bulb I've looked at the specs on, both fluorescent and metal halide, the 4000K or so version of the bulbs put out slightly more lumens than the 5000K version.

Interesting...I just bought a case of Kumho 5000k T8 tubes rated at 3100 lumens. They are noticeably brighter side by side than my Philips alto 5000k tubes, I think only 2850 lumens.

[StaggeringGoat]

Originally Posted by brucer

your getting there..
i've got 10 8ft lithonias with 5000k sylvania bulbs and 2 4footers in my 24x30, i need a couple more 4 footers myself.

I had that in my old shop, which was also 24x30, except all mine were 8' T12HO tubes, 110w each. I won't be happy with less than that much light ever again.....

[z28toz06]

As we age our eyes require more light. I just installed 4 5000K bulbs in my garage. I had 2 300 watt "painters" incandescent in 2 fixtures and 2 85 watt (300 watt equivalent) bulbs in the other 2 fixtures. What a difference in light! Eventually will go with t8 or t5 4 footers, hopefully the closest I can get kelvin wise to natural light as I can, but these will do in the interim.

[brucer]

Originally Posted by StaggeringGoat

I had that in my old shop, which was also 24x30, except all mine were 8' T12HO tubes, 110w each. I won't be happy with less than that much light ever again.....

i wanted ho's, my wallet didnt

[Garage5.9]

Originally Posted by bczygan

Flooding a space with lots and lots of light will eliminate shadows but is hard on your eyes. The best way to light a space is to use ceiling lighting to create a general diffuse lighting that lets you find your way around the space. Then use task lighting to light specific work stations. Task lighting should be movable to optimize it. Use 2 or 3 lights to eliminate shadows and reveal surface textures. Use main and fill lights at 45 degree angles from the right and left and use the overhead light to create texture in the 3rd dimension. All 3 lights should be slightly in front of the subject and angled toward it. Main should be strongest and fill second strongest. Too much light will wash out detail. The difference in lighting strengths will show off detail.

When i get some extra cash ill put some light on the walls too like how a paint booth has them

Originally Posted by KyleQ

There are still shadows under the truck, need more light, lol. Addiction? My father installed four rows of side by side 8' dual bulb fixtures in a garage of your size with the highest output bulb he could find. Everything is painted white - lots of reflectivity, no shadows to be found, day or night.

hahah yeah there are some shadows and yes im addicted to lighting if thats possible.

Originally Posted by brucer

your getting there..
i've got 10 8ft lithonias with 5000k sylvania bulbs and 2 4footers in my 24x30, i need a couple more 4 footers myself.

Just curious how many circuits all of that is run out as it sounds impressive


any one have light in ground facing up ? like buried fluroscents protected by plexi glass ? sounds crazy but i bet it would make working under vehicles real nice

[djd99]

Originally Posted by Garage5.9

When i get some extra cash ill put some light on the walls too like how a paint booth has them

hahah yeah there are some shadows and yes im addicted to lighting if thats possible.


Just curious how many circuits all of that is run out as it sounds impressive


any one have light in ground facing up ? like buried fluroscents protected by plexi glass ? sounds crazy but i bet it would make working under vehicles real nice

Now that's funny I just wired up my 30x40 with 25 recepticals in the ceiling for light, there can never be too much light, I'm planning on using 4 foot t8's from home depot.
I split them up into 2 circuits. However it might be a while before I have them all full, if I bought them all now id have 700 just in lights witch I can't afford now. Dam class a chimney pipe it broke me installing a barrel stove in my garage.

[jtshusker]

I feel like the 6500K daylight deluxe which have a blueish appearance literally give me a headache, something about the light just makes me want to shatter the bulb.

[brucer]

Originally Posted by Garage5.9

Just curious how many circuits all of that is run out as it sounds impressive

its one 20amp switched circuit, 5 receptacles down the center of the garage, 12-2 wire..
the 4ft lights are on a different circuit.

[ManCave]

I have a 40 x 76 foot pole building. White interior. I'm going to run the 8 foot T8s. Probably in end-to-end rows the length of the building. How many feet apart do you think I should space those rows? I was thinking 3 rows which would be about 13 feet apart but my son-in-law thinks they need to be closer. I really have no idea as I've never had a space this large before. Would like to hear your thoughts.