Need help with lighting choices for new shop

[ATAK, Inc.]

The building will be 36'x50' with 1/2 dedicated for garage and storage. The other 1/2 is mine, ALL MINE! 900sf should keep me happy. I need to light the whole thing but break it up into two areas.

Any ideas for the best kind of lights to use?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[shep]

4' or 8' fluorescents put out good light and don't take long to come on. They are also relatively inexpensive here don't know about across the pond.

[ls1 nova]

You type a liitle quicker than I. Here is a couple shots of mine. It is a 32x40 with 24 4' flouresent lights. I have a division wall at 26'. The ceilings are 10'. If your ceiling are high I would do it diferently.
I have the lights switched into 3 bays. 8 lights come on with each switch. Plenty of light. I you have the money I would go with the 8' high output lights. Do not waste your money on regular 8'. The electronic ballasts make a big difference if you do not have heat in your garage. Flouresents will only fire down to 50-60 degrees. The electrontics will fire well beyond that.

Hope this helps!

[monza]

If you want new tech, look into T-5's.

[ls1 nova]

t-5 is great exept where cold is a factor. Needs to be warmer for T-5. Other than that only benefits.

[ATAK, Inc.]

4' or 8' fluorescents put out good light and don't take long to come on. They are also relatively inexpensive here don't know about across the pond.

Well, our pond is due east of our house, which is west of Missouri, here in Idaho. So, I guess we are on the other side of our pond from you. I think the prices are relatively the same west of the Mississippi.

Thanks for the chuckle on Idependance Day, Have a Happy 4th.


Is north central Idaho too cold for T-5? Also, what are T-5's?

[monza]

Well, our pond is due east of our house, which is west of Missouri, here in Idaho. So, I guess we are on the other side of our pond from you. I think the prices are relatively the same west of the Mississippi.

Thanks for the chuckle on Idependance Day, Have a Happy 4th.


Is north central Idaho too cold for T-5? Also, what are T-5's?

No Way ! There's a Idaho and Mississippi in Moscow?

T-5 are high output efficient bulbs, search it... better and brighter then old school.

[JamesJ]

I friend of mine just did a shop and he got this large canister type thing about 36 inches wide and lets say about a foot deep and the inside has all that reflective coating. You cut a hole in the roof and install them, so the light comes in the top and reflects around and then the bottom has a defuser thing and it work great and its free. You will have to do the math and see how long it would take to pay them off. and if you do most of your work at night then it may not matter at all.

[JamesJ]

here is a link to some info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_tube

and what is cool is that they dont produce any heat.

[shep]

The tube lights work great. You can get the smaller versions at lowes. I have the 10" version of them in both bathrooms in my house. I never thought of using them in a shop. The 45Km east of Moscow had me confused, I was thinking Russia. This is an international board after all.

[dk239]

I use 8ft HO flourescent. They put out more light and don't flicker in cold weather.