# Shop lighting



## car16 (Nov 16, 2012)

I haven't posted in years but, building a new shop and am looking for input on lighting. I've been using a one car garage for years that has also stored all my other crap. Just built a 30×50 pole barn for a new shop (waiting on electric service and concrete). Twelve foot walls. Any suggestions on lighting would be appreciated. Looking for something in the 5500K spectrum, obviously LED. Unsure of number of fixtures, wattage, etc. I want decent overall light with task lighting over the table saw and other tools as needed.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I bought my led fixtures at Sam's, and they have been fine for four years so far. I think the ones they have now have multiple light levels. I would never use that feature myself, but you might like it. There are also some led fixtures with multiple color feature, which might be nice for changing to regular indoor color for finishing. If you don't have the floor in yet, think about some floor receptacles and some dust collection ducts. I have both and it sure is nice not to trip over anything.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

"Looking for something in the 5500K spectrum, obviously LED." That is the important part. I cannot fathom paying for mood lighting in a shop? Warm this, cool that, I want bright and glaring.

How many??? I put mine up in a grid, and kept adding until I can't find a shadow in my shop. Some may think it too much money, but for my 65 year old eyes I can clearly see around all of my tools. I'd ask someone thinking I may have too many doing that, if they have priced a finger lately.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

You need more lighting. It's not bright enough unless the wood starts to burn when you set your glasses down on it.

LED is the way to go.

M


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## jlozan2 (Nov 2, 2018)

> I haven't posted in years but, building a new shop and am looking for input on lighting. I've been using a one car garage for years that has also stored all my other crap. Just built a 30×50 pole barn for a new shop (waiting on electric service and concrete). Twelve foot walls. Any suggestions on lighting would be appreciated. Looking for something in the 5500K spectrum, obviously LED. Unsure of number of fixtures, wattage, etc. I want decent overall light with task lighting over the table saw and other tools as needed.
> 
> - car16


I have 10 ft Ceilings in my garage and use these:
https://amzn.to/2nsVYWH

They work great!


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

i agree with the above make it bright and led all the way.ive got a 30×30 shop and have 42 4' bulbs and i may add a few more.when you get to the point you need sunglasses your good-lol.


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## muleskinner (Sep 24, 2011)

Just to add my voice to the chorus . . . there's no such thing as too much. I started replacing my fluorescents with LED fixtures from Costco, 19 bucks apiece I think. I just kept buying a few every time I saw them until I ran out of space to hang them.


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## Brawler (Nov 12, 2018)

First of all I would paint the walls white, it is simply amazing on how much that helps. I found 4' LED "bulbs" on amazon for a little over $6 each that fit in florescent fixtures. I went with the frosted bulbs to limit harsh shadows, however that is a personal preference. LED's don't consume much energy so put in as many as you can, you can never have enough light. I have eight 4' double light fixtures in a 18'X19' shop with white walls, I have plenty of light. With that high ceiling you will probably need a good bit of task lighting too.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

3 years ago I built a 32×50 "garage" with 10' ceilings that became a 32×30 woodshop, and a 32×20 storage room. I wound up buying 4' LED fixtures from Costco and put 6 in the storage room (also a mechanical shop) and 15 in the woodshop. It's not enough, I'm planning on adding 4 more in the woodshop and maybe 2 more in the storage room. These are 4000K lights, 3700 Lumens each. There is no pattern to the layout in the Wood shop. I installed 7 ceiling outlets (woodshop) and waited for the DC ducts to be up, then positioned the lights over the tools and workbenchs. I would ahve liked the 5500K lights better, but these are very good, and fairly cheap. I've had them in service for 2 years and haven't had one fail yet, but if it does it will be an easy replace….unplug and remove the failed one and install it's replacement. So I like your plan of light temp and type, go with the outlets and you can easily move them if you get one off a little. BTW, these fixtures are so light compared to the fluorescent ones I used int the past installing them was a breeze. But to your question: there are all kinds of guidleines as to how many lumens per square foot. I at roughly 60 lumens per square foot and would like a few more…...but I'm 71. That number increases with age (I'm told).


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

Consider using can lights. You can buy LED bulbs for them at nearly the same price as regular ones. Why cans? The lights are recessed so you don't have to worry about taking one out with a piece of lumber. You can also set up a grid pattern that gives a much more consistent light than with typical bay lights like the florescent ones.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

You have enough lights when you can no longer see the ceiling.. I have upper cabinets on 3 walls, and have 4' fixtures under these as well. Lots of light is good. More light is better, especially as the eyes get older.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

A good arrangement is to use 4' or 8' LED's for general lighting and some task lights placed where needed. Place lights where your body won't cast a shadow on your work.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

I have used some LED shop lights from Sam's Club made by honeywell. Great output and you can connect several together so adding some in between is easy to do.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

It is hard to go wrong with LED lights except I found out they emit an RF (radio frequency) signal that interferes with the AM/FM radio I listen to in my shop. I tried converting my 8' flourescent fixtures to 120v LEDs, the type that works without a transformer. It worked great except for the RF problem. In my garage I converted the four 4' fixtures to direct wire LEDs (no transformer) and they work great. When I brought the radio from the shop into the garage I still got some RF interference but not as much as the 8' tubes put out.

So you might save some money by going to a recycling center and picking up some used fluorescent fixtures, 4' or 8', and rewiring them for direct 120v LED tubes. Unless you already have some. Some fluorescent fixtures need to have their tombstones (end brackets) changed but that it quite easy and inexpensive. One source of LEDs I used includes new tombstones with the tubes. There are LED tubes that are set up for electrical connections at both ends of the tube or just one end so be sure to check that out.

I like the one idea above about using recessed fixtures. Besides protecting the tubes they won't collect dust and spider webs like mine do.


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## Brawler (Nov 12, 2018)

> It is hard to go wrong with LED lights except I found out they emit an RF (radio frequency) signal that interferes with the AM/FM radio I listen to in my shop. I tried converting my 8 flourescent fixtures to 120v LEDs, the type that works without a transformer. It worked great except for the RF problem. In my garage I converted the four 4 fixtures to direct wire LEDs (no transformer) and they work great. When I brought the radio from the shop into the garage I still got some RF interference but not as much as the 8 tubes put out.
> 
> So you might save some money by going to a recycling center and picking up some used fluorescent fixtures, 4 or 8 , and rewiring them for direct 120v LED tubes. Unless you already have some. Some fluorescent fixtures need to have their tombstones (end brackets) changed but that it quite easy and inexpensive. One source of LEDs I used includes new tombstones with the tubes. There are LED tubes that are set up for electrical connections at both ends of the tube or just one end so be sure to check that out.
> 
> ...


Hello Les, I don't have that issue with the radio, is it on AM or FM? most cases AM is more susceptible to RF than FM is.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

Regarding the RF problem. Part of my situation is that I'm in a rural area and the radio signals are weak to begin with but the RF affected both AM and FM. With the weaker signal the RF just overpowers the radio.


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## car16 (Nov 16, 2012)

So just to update, I ended up going with these reflector bulbs. Three per truss for a total of 12 fixtures. So far I have been very happy with them.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Damn that is a sweet looking space!

It might be a good idea to check with your power company to see if they have any incentives on LED lighting. I own a commercial building and an electric lighting supplier was able to apply an instant credit on 2×4 LED lighting panels. I picked up 15 lights for $25 each. I think that is about what new florescent bulbs would cost.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

+1

Our local utility will rebate 50% of the LED costs so it makes them even a better idea if your utility will do something similar.

*Car16*

Must have been a real shock to see that all your stuff was stolen once you got enough light installed 8^)


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