In the first "Garage Lighting" thread, we talked about innovative ways for getting lighting in areas under garage doors.
However, what about just getting lighting?
I've experimented with cheap work lights (burn out and difficult to mount) and fluorescent tubes (weak light during winter).
Are there better options for cheap and plentiful light for a plug-in garage? I currently run an extension cord to my rented garage, so all lighting ideas will need to be run via plugs.
The key to getting fluorescent lighting to work in cold temps is Tube Guards or in really cold temps with T8 lamps is Double tube guards. We install Highbay lensed insulated fixtures in freezers down to -20degF. with min light loss. Same idea as a storm window. Make sure to remove when ambient temps rise.
If you're using the older style T12 fluorescents (the large diameter tubes) they magnetic ballasts that will be slow to start even in moderately cool weather. However, modern T8 fluorescent (the skinny ones) have electronic ballasts that are good down to 20 or even 0 degrees F, depending on the brand. You can also get ballasts rated for even lower temps, down to -20 F.
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Indoor-Lighting-Industrial-Shop-Lighting/h_...
These are listed on the box as being rated down to 0 degrees F. Reasonably priced too. However, I will concur with the reviews about short lived ballasts. I've bought about 10 of them over the years for my garage and my g/f's garage and have had about a 25% failure rate. But... it's a fairly cheap fluorescent fixture that works in a freezing cold garage.
I spent some money and went with recessed lighting and LED bulbs. SO much nicer than flourescents, and I'm lighting an entire 20' x 26' garage for slightly more electricity than a single 100W incandescent would draw.
I've used halogen lights on stands in the winter. Provides a lot of light right where I want it and helps heat up my uninsulated garage.
kreb wrote:I spent some money and went with recessed lighting and LED bulbs. SO much nicer than flourescents, and I'm lighting an entire 20' x 26' garage for slightly more electricity than a single 100W incandescent would draw.
I looked into that a few years ago... unfortunately, the price made me go: 
...I suppose prices have come down some. And I think they put out more light now than when I ran the calcs. I needed a zillion fixtures to get the light levels I wanted.
What fixture did you get? Ceiling height? Spacing?
Aw man, I thought we were talking about this:
For garage lighting, I responded to a CL ad for an air compressor. When I got there, it wasn't working. But the guy was really cool and he was about to move, and he gave me about 3 shop lights (4 x 48" tubes) with grow lights in them. He said that they had paid for themselves already and he'd just give them to me.
I wonder if they promote the growth of my facial hair. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
Ian F wrote:I used 10 fixtures. Each one uses 9.5 watts of power for equivalent lumens to a standard 65 watt incandescent! I think that the bulbs were on sale for $40 each, and the cans around $12 each. The bulbs are supposed to last at least 35,000 hours. That probably means that my kid will have to replace them a few years after I'm dead! My only regret is not placing an extra one directly over my workbench. General lighting is perfect, but I need a tiny bit more at the bench.kreb wrote:I spent some money and went with recessed lighting and LED bulbs. SO much nicer than flourescents, and I'm lighting an entire 20' x 26' garage for slightly more electricity than a single 100W incandescent would draw.
I looked into that a few years ago... unfortunately, the price made me go:
What fixture did you get? Ceiling height? Spacing?
edit: this is the bulb. They were on sell for signifcantly less: bulb
I used flood light mounts and CF flood lights.
The flood light mounts are about $10.00each, and the CF flood lights are about $9.00 each.
Each light is 30W and puts out the same amount of light as a halogen 90W bulb.
You can aim them where you want, and if a bulb goes out you just replace it.
Technolux 8300 brite white neon !! Or larger 18mm and up cold cathode lighting. Its a tried and true method for lighting that has some how been cast aside.
kreb wrote:I used 10 fixtures. Each one uses 9.5 watts of power for equivalent lumens to a standard 65 watt incandescent! I think that the bulbs were on sale for $40 each, and the cans around $12 each. The bulbs are supposed to last at least 35,000 hours. That probably means that my kid will have to replace them a few years after I'm dead! My only regret is not placing an extra one directly over my workbench. General lighting is perfect, but I need a tiny bit more at the bench.
Got any pictures? And what layout did you use? When I lay out 10 fixtures in a 20x26 space, it just doesn't look like enough light for me. Plus, when I did point calcs using can fixtures, the results had a lot of "hot spots." However, I'll admit there's often a difference between calculations and the real world. A couple of my best lighting designs were done totally by gut-feel.
I went from 2 single point 75W bulbs to 4 T8 reflector fixtures. The fixtures were from Lithonia Lighting, and have a mirror underside, are cable hung and came with standard plug in recepticle ($35 each at Home Depot) so a couple of screw-hooks and extension cords would work for you...
I have 2 outlets in the ceiling that have a double tube light rail in each. Its ok ish, but I still find myself wanting more light. I think Im going to go to the flood mounts shown above...I think with CFs, I could get away with 2 fixtures per "outlet", and not draw as much as those long tubes.
Also, I plan to mount some LED Rope lighting underneath my upper cabinets over my workbench. I think it will do wonders for task lighting. I may mount it to a swivel of sorts that would allow me to swing it out from under the cabinets so its kinda pointing out into the garage - this would allow me to utilize the light under the hood when Im working on the car too...Hmmm ideas ideas...
It bears repeating, wall and ceiling finishes make a big difference when lighting a space. A garage with open rafters will be much more difficult than one with a finished white ceiling. The finish of the walls and floor is a factor as well.
I've got a low ceiling in my garage, at its highest its only about 8'.
I run an extension chord from my basement, 20' across my backyard into my garage. I rent my apartment.
Then, inside the garage I've got a web of extension chords running to my new lighting setup:
2x T8 48" dual light fixtures and 2x 100w CFL screw in bulbs in brooder fixtures. This allows me to position the brooders when I need more light, but the T8s are above my work area.
Not crazy amounts of light, but it will do.
I honestly had no idea how bright the T8 bulbs would be. My neighbor was skeptical. He's got 6 dual T12 fixtures, so he thought bigger bulbs meant more light.
The T8's do a really good job. Next time I'll be sure to get more of those.
So far I'm still skeptical of the led's. Not enough longevity testing yet. They have installed some in a couple of our schools. So far not to impressed as the lights may last 35,000 hours but the ballasts don't seem to. Yes these use ballasts also. If you want good lighting you need to get up into the 8000 Kelvin rating or higher. This will be close to full spectrum as you can get but without the cost of a full spectrum lamp. If you really want to light it up you need to get T5 lamps with the reflective lenses. Then you will need to wear sunglasses in the garage also.
This spring my free if you take'em out 20 year old 8ft florescent gave up...4 ballast with in a week i could not see a dam thing in the garage. I went High output T8. They start up even at below zero. nice warm light and other then one attracting a dragon fly this fall two days in a row there so nice. Got the fixtures at HD but got bulbs from a real electric supply house. They were cheaper $ wise and more lumen's and longer life rating then what HD had. I spent a week calling around getting prices and talking with people the guy at the supply house told me go to HD for fixtures but come here for bulbs. he was right the best savings was that way. I did 8ft fixtures that take 4 4ft bulbs one row above the garage door so light come through the door window with door open then one row about 4 ft off the front wall of the garage. The T8's don't have the big reflector on them so sheets of bathroom white fiberboard (1/8inch with smooth bright white finish) went up 1st. I had it already waiting to be put up. On the project side i did a fixture in the middle too so there no shortage of light on the machine shop bay side the kayaks hang from the ceiling so it was pointless to put any there. No more problems with light...untill the upstairs free lights go out...
So this is what the inside of my garage looks like with the recessed LEDs. They were a bit of a splurge, but I've had crappy lighting in the past, so I wanted to do this one right. The drywall and epoxy floor both reflect a fair bit of light too. Also, in case the economy really takes a dump, or I need the money for my kid's college, I built the garage to be convertible into a rentable cottage fairly easily. And flourescent lighting doesn't cut it in one's living room.
brad131a4 wrote:So far I'm still skeptical of the led's. Not enough longevity testing yet. They have installed some in a couple of our schools. So far not to impressed as the lights may last 35,000 hours but the ballasts don't seem to. Yes these use ballasts also. If you want good lighting you need to get up into the 8000 Kelvin rating or higher. This will be close to full spectrum as you can get but without the cost of a full spectrum lamp. If you really want to light it up you need to get T5 lamps with the reflective lenses. Then you will need to wear sunglasses in the garage also.
LEDs generally have a high infant mortality rate.. in other words.. they fail on startup. The Building at Harrahs is covered in millions of the things.. we don't turn them off.. ever. We just dim them down so that the accountants and suits don't realise they are on during the day
My shop has 12, 4' x 2 tube fl fixtures. As the ballasts go, I'm replacing each one with two 23W cfl bright white bulbs. The boxes, lamp holders, and bulbs are about $5/set, and so far half the shop is done, and the new setup looks better, and brighter than the old setup.
brad131a4 wrote:If you really want to light it up you need to get T5 lamps with the reflective lenses. Then you will need to wear sunglasses in the garage also.
I put three 8 foot T5 fixtures in my 20X30 garage. Each one has 4 4ft 54W bulbs. All I can say is don't look up when they are on. Plenty of light. They also fire right up in cold weather. I'n in MI and have a detached garage.
I bought them at Home Depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-Fans-Indoor-Lighting-Industrial-Shop-Lighting/h_...
