just sorting out the new garage, walls are painted white and floor will be done this week nut i need to sort out the lights (currently single bayonet!)

the garage is 5M * 2.5M with workbench on the end wall

how many fluorescent tubes should i put in there? thinking 3* 5ft singles, one over bench, then one a third down and the last 2 thirds down?

what does everyone think?

my other idea was 4 longways (two lines of two running parallel to rafters?)

need to do this as cheap as possible as skint now!

Wilkinson do the florescent strip lights for £7.4 a pop.. I would put 4 in...

Dan

[Edited on 14/9/09 by Bluemoon]

The more the better. If you plan on doing any spraying then you'll want loads so yu can sand back any imperfections.

I currently have two tiny low energy light bulbs. I can see bugger all at night!

i've got a similar size garage, and i have 3 x 2x58w and 1x70w.

Probably a bit excessive, but nice and bright

I have more electrical sockets in my garage then all of my downstairs!!!!

I've got 2 diagonally opposite (one at back left, one at front right)

Gives more than enough light for most work but will probably put 2 more in to even it out at some point.

I lined the ceiling on my old garage with tinfoil. Cheap as chips and worked quite well

I've got 5 x 4ft, 2 down each side in line and one across above the workbench.

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Originally posted by wicket
I've got 5 x 4ft, 2 down each side in line and one across above the workbench.

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Originally posted by m8kwr
i've got a similar size garage, and i have 3 x 2x58w and 1x70w.

Probably a bit excessive, but nice and bright

I have more electrical sockets in my garage then all of my downstairs!!!!

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Centrally above the bench; the side ones are about 18" in from the walls

I used it like this | = = | being single70w - 2x double 58W - single 70w, all with reflector backings

One of the 70w above the workbench.

got them from an old supermarket that was being renovated.

My garage is 9mx3m btw hence the extra light

Here's 2 pictures of before the 70w ones were installed, bit dark at the ends


garage1
garage2

[Edited on 14/9/09 by Werner Van Loock]

[Edited on 14/9/09 by Werner Van Loock]

My original work shop was about that size, 4, 8ft double florescent units placed around the perimeter of the work area.
Fit them so they light up the front, back, and sides of the car being worked on, with the one over the work bench sharing the light between the car and the bench.

Hi All

Sorry to hijack the thread but where you have more than one strip light, are these all running off one switch ?

I have one ceiling rose fitting at the moment with one switch and wanted to fit a strip light as my next prep job...

Can you link say 3 strip lights to each other so they all work off the same switch ? If so how are they wired ?

thanks
Paul

Well my garage is 8m x 7.5m and i have fitted 9 5ft single strip lights arranged in 3 banks of 3. They are on a 4 way switch, one for each bank of 3 and spare for 5 x 150W halogen floods that were used on an exhibition stand. Will only usually use the floods if i am doing some detailing but good to have in reserve. Must get round to getting them mounted up and the rest of the garage arranged



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height is also an important consideration! how high are the lights from the floor. a rough rule of thumb that has stuck with me since my apprentiship days are if you double the height you quarter the light! it generally would not affect a garage unless your ceiling was higher than the average

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Originally posted by pdm
Hi All

Sorry to hijack the thread but where you have more than one strip light, are these all running off one switch ?

I have one ceiling rose fitting at the moment with one switch and wanted to fit a strip light as my next prep job...

Can you link say 3 strip lights to each other so they all work off the same switch ? If so how are they wired ?

thanks
Paul

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Originally posted by richardR1
Well my garage is 8m x 7.5m

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Originally posted by matt_claydon

quote:

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Originally posted by richardR1
Well my garage is 8m x 7.5m

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I want your garage!

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Head torch, the light is where you are

Well that's the locost option anyway.

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Originally posted by matt_claydon

quote:

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Originally posted by richardR1
Well my garage is 8m x 7.5m

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I want your garage!

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Off Topic but RichardR1, I spy a mk1 Uno Turbo at the back of the garage there! Looks in good condition. I have an '85 Turbo awaiting restoration at the mo.

My garage is 7.5mtrs x 3.5mtrs with 5 x 5 foot strips. I found that placing 1 in each corner about a foot away from the walls and 1 in the centre of the ceiling stopped all the shadows, even over the work benches (3 off).

I could also do with improving my lighting, but atleast I have enough room

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Originally posted by GRRR
Off Topic but RichardR1, I spy a mk1 Uno Turbo at the back of the garage there! Looks in good condition. I have an '85 Turbo awaiting restoration at the mo.

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what you want are High Frequency ballast start lights.

Flicker free lighting, they give off a whiter light as they run at a higher temp. I changed 6 singles for 3 twin sets of these and its about 40% whiter light in my garage.

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Originally posted by franky
what you want are High Frequency ballast start lights.

Flicker free lighting, they give off a whiter light as they run at a higher temp. I changed 6 singles for 3 twin sets of these and its about 40% whiter light in my garage.

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quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP

quote:

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Originally posted by pdm
Hi All

Sorry to hijack the thread but where you have more than one strip light, are these all running off one switch ?

I have one ceiling rose fitting at the moment with one switch and wanted to fit a strip light as my next prep job...

Can you link say 3 strip lights to each other so they all work off the same switch ? If so how are they wired ?

thanks
Paul

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in your rose of the existing light there will be a live and a neutral. Just connect this to the lights, and loop in and out to the end of the run.


[Edited on 14/9/09 by JoelP]

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I just bought three of these off Ebay, they're really good:

NEW 500W HALOGEN SECURITY LIGHT FLOODLIGHT WITH MOTION PIR SENSOR | eBay

It's like daylight in my garage now with 1500W + of lighting, although it does mean it's about 15p an hour to light it. The other benefit is a bit of extra warmth which is quite nice.

[Edited on 2/3/12 by rodgling]

I got my flur tube for £7.50 from wilkinson:

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Originally posted by Confused but excited.

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP

quote:

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Originally posted by pdm
Hi All

Sorry to hijack the thread but where you have more than one strip light, are these all running off one switch ?

I have one ceiling rose fitting at the moment with one switch and wanted to fit a strip light as my next prep job...

Can you link say 3 strip lights to each other so they all work off the same switch ? If so how are they wired ?

thanks
Paul

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in your rose of the existing light there will be a live and a neutral. Just connect this to the lights, and loop in and out to the end of the run.


[Edited on 14/9/09 by JoelP]

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Do NOT wire them like that.
Connect the earth wires in as well, as the flourescents have metal cases.
Better still, if you are not sure how to wire your lights up safely, get someone in who is.

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My lighting




And a night time picture of my garage before the kit moved in. it was pitch black outside when I took this.

In my opinion the more light the better. I once did a project were I needed lots of light and different varieties of light for pennies. I also use light a lot in my job (exhibition designer). Here is what I have found out over the years.


White walls, white floors white everything. White reflects light so this is the correct colour.

Filament

Good light quality - poor lumens per watt

Halogen

Beautiful light, makes your work look lovely, gets very hot. Poor lumens per watt

fluorescent strip or compact

Poor quality light, readily available and cheap. Reasonable lumens per watt.

Metal Halide

Stark bright lights, deep dark shadows if not in direct light, can dazzle, fixtures get very hot. Long start up times. Amazing amount of lumens per watt. At work I used 1 70watt metal halide instead of a 500watt filament lamp.

High Pressure Sodium

Cheap to buy, cheap to run, amazing watts to lumen ratio - nasty yellow light that seems to fill everywhere. Long start up time




In my garage I run 3 types of lamp. One 2x 70w strips above the workbench. For instant on when I need something quick in the garage. I have 1 250w high pressure sodium that floods the entire garage with light. 2 x 70w broad beam metal halide spots that I move around to suit. I am lit up like a christmas tree


All bought from ebay when I see cheap ones going on ebay. The high pressure sodium is a outdoor car park flood light like you see at Tesco's on top of tall poles. It has a cracked case and was only £15 quid from ebay. But it fills the garage with light and balances out the cold metal halides and fluorescents.

For example a 70watt fluorescent tube is about 5000 lumens. A decent 250watt high pressure sodium is 28000 lumens. Balance the yellow out with white metal halides and it makes a nice workshop environment.

250W High Pressure Sodium Floodlight | eBay

Yeah, i did look at metal halide floods but came to the conclusion that it was almost too much light, and hard to get an even spread of it in a fairly full room. Its a largish double garage, but with two cars and wall units on two sides.


Daniel

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Originally posted by Stott

quote:

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Originally posted by Confused but excited.

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP

quote:

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Originally posted by pdm
Hi All

Sorry to hijack the thread but where you have more than one strip light, are these all running off one switch ?

I have one ceiling rose fitting at the moment with one switch and wanted to fit a strip light as my next prep job...

Can you link say 3 strip lights to each other so they all work off the same switch ? If so how are they wired ?

thanks
Paul

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in your rose of the existing light there will be a live and a neutral. Just connect this to the lights, and loop in and out to the end of the run.


[Edited on 14/9/09 by JoelP]

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Do NOT wire them like that.
Connect the earth wires in as well, as the flourescents have metal cases.
Better still, if you are not sure how to wire your lights up safely, get someone in who is.

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Can I ask - why not?

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