Author Topic: Have a look at how I did the lighting in my shop. (Read 12109 times)

David Stanton · « **on:** August 08, 2016, 04:49 AM »

I have refined the process of lighting through creating 3 new shops over the past 20 years. I hope you can pick up some tips by watching the video.

Holmz · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2016, 05:57 AM »

Ohh I like it.

bdiemer · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2016, 09:38 AM »

Thanks so much for the informative video. My shop is not attached to the house. I thought about digging line to light my path but those small solar lights would save me a lot of trouble.

Sparktrician · « **Reply #3 on:** August 08, 2016, 06:54 PM »

The lights I want are these LED fixtures. I've seen them and they throw some tremendous light.

Brent Taylor · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2016, 08:36 AM »

Quote from: Sparktrician on August 08, 2016, 06:54 PM

The lights I want are these LED fixtures. I've seen them and they throw some tremendous light.

I'm in the process of building a small shed to store my tools and lawn stuff, I placed a 4' , 4 bulb florescent light and still had a dark alcove, so I installed a porcelain socket with a 60 watt equivalent led blub. Huge difference! I'll be changing the other out asap.B

Woodwork Wizard · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2016, 12:14 PM »

The best light is daylight, so anyone building their own workshop, have the entire roof (or as much as possible) made of clear polycarbonate. You won't need any windows so you'll get more wall space too.

Sparktrician · « **Reply #6 on:** August 09, 2016, 12:47 PM »

Quote from: Woodwork Wizard on August 09, 2016, 12:14 PM

The best light is daylight, so anyone building their own workshop, have the entire roof (or as much as possible) made of clear polycarbonate. You won't need any windows so you'll get more wall space too.

And in that regard, the Solatube is wonderful for bringing in natural light. When it's dark out, I'll go with the LED lights.

PreferrablyWood · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2016, 04:43 PM »

Excellent info, I'll keep these tips in mind!

Holmz · « **Reply #8 on:** August 09, 2016, 04:58 PM »

Quote from: Sparktrician on August 08, 2016, 06:54 PM

The lights I want are these LED fixtures. I've seen them and they throw some tremendous light.

How much are they?
They give no information on that.

Quote from: Woodwork Wizard on August 09, 2016, 12:14 PM

The best light is daylight, so anyone building their own workshop, have the entire roof (or as much as possible) made of clear polycarbonate. You won't need any windows so you'll get more wall space too.

When I saw location-UK I chuckled.

rvieceli · « **Reply #9 on:** August 09, 2016, 05:21 PM »

@Holmz

Here's a link to the store:

https://store.bigasssolutions.com/lights?_ga=1.30783359.139266014.1470747652

BUT USD $400 to 570

James Metcalf · « **Reply #10 on:** August 09, 2016, 05:49 PM »

My shop is 40' x 60' with 16' side walls. I built it about two years ago. I used four of the high bay Big Ass lights. You could not want more light and my light bill is never over fifty dollars each month. The saying " Cry once and then it is over" applies here.

Sparktrician · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2016, 06:11 PM »

Quote from: rvieceli on August 09, 2016, 05:21 PM

@Holmz

Here's a link to the store:

https://store.bigasssolutions.com/lights?_ga=1.30783359.139266014.1470747652

BUT USD $400 to 570

Yup. One thing they're not is cheap. Really good, but definitely not cheap.

Cheese · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2016, 06:17 PM »

Interestingly enough, the Bad Arse lights are available from Home Depot for $400.

Motown · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2016, 06:39 PM »

Well done! That is a great looking shop you have there....

teocaf · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2016, 09:07 PM »

here's another recent shop lighting setup. has anyone else tried these low profile led lights? i'm also looking to get away from the fluorescents.

Cheese · « **Reply #15 on:** August 09, 2016, 11:30 PM »

@teocaf
Sweet...I've missed some of your lengthy, comedic and interesting dissertations...just kind of confused, why did you need to populate the box with those many drivers? Couldn't you have driven that array with 1 gigantic driver or several more powerful drivers?

Kev · « **Reply #16 on:** August 10, 2016, 02:48 AM »

Another interesting thing that's touched on is solar power .. leads to the obvious storage complications. Anyone he got serious about storage?

IWANTBLUE · « **Reply #17 on:** August 10, 2016, 03:46 AM »

Do this ggat gave fluorescent not use high frequency with rotating tools etc?? Especially lathes and the like?? Some fluorescent can give the effect of a still chuck/blade etc. At the wrong speed...

Grakat · « **Reply #18 on:** August 10, 2016, 07:09 AM »

Only on single tube fittings. A double tube fluro fitting will not give a strobe effect to a machine. I have worked on lathes where a double fitting was hung over it....no problem. However the single tube fittings can generate a stroboscopic effect, making moving machinery appear stationary, but only at certain speeds.

Holmz · « **Reply #19 on:** August 10, 2016, 08:19 AM »

Do LEDs not flicker/strobe as well?

Cheese · « **Reply #20 on:** August 10, 2016, 09:14 AM »

Quote from: IWANTBLUE on August 10, 2016, 03:46 AM

Do this ggat gave fluorescent not use high frequency with rotating tools etc?? Especially lathes and the like?? Some fluorescent can give the effect of a still chuck/blade etc. At the wrong speed...

I regularly use a small metal lathe (just yesterday) under a pair of 8' fluorescent lights and also have a powerful LED task light pointing at the chuck area where the part I'm turning is mounted. Both are powered on the 60 Hz mains without any strobe issues effecting the lathe. Just lucky??? Dunno...

teocaf · « **Reply #21 on:** August 10, 2016, 11:31 AM »

Quote from: Cheese on August 09, 2016, 11:30 PM

@teocaf
Sweet...I've missed some of your lengthy, comedic and interesting dissertations...just kind of confused, why did you need to populate the box with those many drivers? Couldn't you have driven that array with 1 gigantic driver or several more powerful drivers?

@Cheese
thanks for the shoutout. i should make it clear that the video link i posted was not my shop lighting, but rather something i found recently on youtube that addressed this thread and also my concerns as i'm now trying to individually replace some of my dying fluorescent ballasts with the led option. i don't have an answer as to why the guy is using so many drivers for individual strips, but if anyone here knows or has better solutions, i would also be interested in the info.

i've only got 2 led lights so far in my own shop: one that i got on sale from rockler exactly like the one mentioned in this thread, and it replaced one crapped out fl. ballast. so far it works great and i hope it lasts as long as the hours it's rated for, because as i understand it, you just throw them out after that unless you find a way to retrofit them with fresh led strips. the other one is a short modular one i got from home depot and it goes over one my workbenches. it also replaced a fluorescent that i kept having to smack every time until it lit. the new one is meant to take additional strips in a chainlike fashion. as expensive as they are, they do have some nice advantages and can be moved around easier as the shop evolves or moves. perhaps that is one reason that the dude in the video decided to have them all individually driven. i'll be looking at this and other lighting threads as i'm mulling over my own needs.

as to the lack of sparkling commentary from me on this forum, it's probably a combination of reasons, but no need to derail the lighting thread. still, i hope to see some of you foggies at festool connect soon.

-

Richard/RMW · « **Reply #22 on:** August 10, 2016, 05:46 PM »

I received an email ad from Global Industrial offering 2' by 4' drop ceiling type led lights for around $85 each shipped free. 50W - 5000 lumens - 4000K.

Was thinking about using a couple of them in conjunction in a t-bar grid along with the 2' by 4' radiant heat panel to both finish the shop ceiling and provide heat/light.

Price seems good for the amount of light they should provide.

RMW

Coach.carpenter · « **Reply #23 on:** September 04, 2016, 03:32 PM »

Thanks David, that's really helpful. I have absolutely terrible lighting conditions in my workshop and have been collecting light fittings over the last couple of months and all the necessary cabling etc to revamp it. I actually have a couple of lights on stands that i place over my bench or table saw. a junk set up that i will be working on.

Quote from: David Stanton on August 08, 2016, 04:49 AM

I have refined the process of lighting through creating 3 new shops over the past 20 years. I hope you can pick up some tips by watching the video.

neilc · « **Reply #24 on:** September 04, 2016, 09:30 PM »

I looked at the Big A** lights but settled on these - https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/174170/PQL-55214.html

Equivalent light output for 1/3 the price and better CRI.

I installed 8 of them in a farm shop - 18' sidewalls with a space of 50'x75'. Walls and ceiling are insulated with white-backed insulation so I get excellent reflection.

Very pleased so far. Granted, these are rated at 50,000 hours versus Big at 150,000, but I felt like 25 years was plenty of useful life!

jobsworth · « **Reply #25 on:** September 08, 2016, 01:16 PM »

Quote from: Woodwork Wizard on August 09, 2016, 12:14 PM

The best light is daylight, so anyone building their own workshop, have the entire roof (or as much as possible) made of clear polycarbonate. You won't need any windows so you'll get more wall space too.

Hey Ive been to a guys shop like that