Garage lighting

[bulletsmith]

Do some research on the T5's, you won't be impressed.

I'm curious what specifically you are referring to? The suppliers I work with that offer cost benefit analysis for changing from T5 to LED are still saying that the payoff is still too long. The light is generally much improved even over T8's and certainly over T12's.

 

[96firephoenix]

What? No LED love? I love me some LED lights...

I believe the cost is still above what the T5's are.

Certainly not long term. New install is looking a year to save the added up front cost. Replacing a functional Fluorescent T5 with an LED is stupid, but If you do it by attrition when they fail....

I have been slowly replacing my florescent light fixtures with LED 4' fixtures. $40 a pop at Costco but SO worth it, no flickering, work in cold weather unlike the florescents that want to flicker until they warm up - if ever. (I know, you can get florescent lights that work in the cold but I can get led's and be done with it!)

I've got normal screw-in bulbs in my garage, and I love the instant light in the dead of winter that the LEDs provide vs 10 minutes to full brightness with the CF bulbs, and the one bulb that just doesn't wanna...

 

[Brian Ski]

I would go with the T-5s also. Make sure you get the High Output and cold weather ballast. Add a couple switches so you can turn them on in banks.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Menards runs the cold start 4 ft light weight fixtures on sale. Install T5 and carry on with adding switches or just use the breakers to turn them on or off like I do for my shop.

 

[Brian Ski]

Menards runs the cold start 4 ft light weight fixtures on sale. Install T5 and carry on with adding switches or just use the breakers to turn them on or off like I do for my shop.

It is nice to put outlets in the ceiling and cord the lights. Then switch the outlets. If you want to change them or move them around you just unplug. An electrical box with an outlet is about a buck.

 

[Lectric102002]

This:

The Garage Light for Garages and Shops | Big Ass Light

 

[JettaKnight]

Do some research on the T5's, you won't be impressed.

Yeah, I'm not sure T5's are right either.


Go with a "high bay" type quality fixture from Metalux (Cooper).


FYI - Fluorescent lamps will be dead in a decade. The switch to LEDs has already happened. They even make T8F32 replacement lamps that are LEDs - no ballast change required. The reason is primarily related to relamp cost and secondarily energy cost.

 

[JettaKnight]

This:

The Garage Light for Garages and Shops | Big Ass Light

Because yellow == rugged.

That's a lot of money for one fixture. But I guess if you got the cash for the garages in those photos then you got $300+ to spend on one fixture.

 

[JettaKnight]

I've got normal screw-in bulbs in my garage, and I love the instant light in the dead of winter that the LEDs provide vs 10 minutes to full brightness with the CF bulbs, and the one bulb that just doesn't wanna...

And that's another reason FL's are dead to the lighting industry.

 

[Gluemanz28]

It is nice to put outlets in the ceiling and cord the lights. Then switch the outlets. If you want to change them or move them around you just unplug. An electrical box with an outlet is about a buck.

That is what I did. I put a recep where ever I wanted a light. I can turn the light off above the media blaster to keep glare down when needed.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yeah, I'm not sure T5's are right either.


Go with a "high bay" type quality fixture from Metalux (Cooper).


FYI - Fluorescent lamps will be dead in a decade. The switch to LEDs has already happened. They even make T8F32 replacement lamps that are LEDs - no ballast change required. The reason is primarily related to relamp cost and secondarily energy cost.

Our facilities guys guys for a while were replacing t8s with a replacement led strip that uses the same fixture and sockets, but you just cut the ballast out and direct wire the sockets. They were pretty cost effective until the drop in led fixtures came down in price.

 

[Dosproduction]

If you can avoid Fluorescent bulbs do it. The T12 are already banned from production. Soon the T8s will be banned and same with T5. LED is the future. If you plan on having the Garage for 20 years u might as well go LED now instead of later. LEDs are not very good when it comes to 360 lighting they have a definite field of range at about 30 degrees. And despite what people will say LEDs do not last forever. The bulb itself will last a super long time but the ballast equivalent goes out just as often as the Fluorescents does.

 

[sharkey]

I second the florescents. They give you more than enough light and are cost efficient. Only drawback to them is that some of them get testy in really cold weather and may not fire up immediately. Doesn't happen a lot, but it can, (as I well know). If your garage is heated it won't be an issue. Putting in a couple of spots over work spaces may also be an option for you for more directed light, (like over a workbench) if you want lots of light.

Heh. I just moved from a garage where the overheads behaved exactly as expected: stodgy ignition and depressing burn at cold temps. My new garage has T12's that don't want to fire up at 70+ degrees.



I am gabberflasted at the behaviour, but will use the excuse to move to LED fixtures.

 

[Brian Ski]

If you can avoid Fluorescent bulbs do it. The T12 are already banned from production. Soon the T8s will be banned and same with T5. LED is the future.

What about the big bulbs??? I got a couple 4' fluorescents that are about the size of a beer can. They are very old.

 

[Dosproduction]

Larger then T12s?

 

[Dosproduction]

Heh. I just moved from a garage where the overheads behaved exactly as expected: stodgy ignition and depressing burn at cold temps. My new garage has T12's that don't want to fire up at 70+ degrees.



I am gabberflasted at the behaviour, but will use the excuse to move to LED fixtures.

Are the ballast bad? If so they are pretty easy to swap out. I can tell you on here exactly how to do it.

 

[Brian Ski]

Larger then T12s?

Could of swore they were 4' bulbs... They are T17s 2-1/8" diameter... BTW for you bulb geeks the number after the "T" indicates the diameter in 1/8" increments.

Straight T17 Fluorescent Tubes at eLightBulbs.com

 

[Joe G]

So much misinformation in this thread I don't know where to start.

 

[Lectric102002]

So much misinformation in this thread I don't know where to start.

IKR

 

[Brian Ski]

So much misinformation in this thread I don't know where to start.

Do you doubt my T17 bulbs??? Or just trolling???