Garage lighting

[rickyquicky]

Me and the missus are nearing the end of a 4 month refurbishment and are looking to move in (finally!) in the next 2 weeks

Now it's nearly done I can just about get away with giving it a little love!

It's a one car sized garage, about 2.5m wide and 4 or 5m long

I want to stick a few flourescent lamps inbetween the joists to finish it off, question is how many lamps should I fit?

I would like it well lit, I'm thinking either 2, 3, or 4 lamps - how do I know for sure? Any of you guys with flourescent tubes in the garage?

Cheers
Ricky

[Steve H]

Speak to Guy (E36GUY) on here about LED tubes, I used them and they are a much nicer light than normal fluorescents.

In terms of numbers, fit as many as you can if you are going to be doing any hobby stuff in there, you can't have too much light.

[Craikeybaby]

LED tubes sound interesting - I think I need to get back in touch with Guy... When I asked before he also had some LED panels, but I think I'd prefer tubes.

I'm also interested to find out how many I'll need in my garage 4m x 5.5m, I was working on the basis of 5 - 1 above the workbench and the rest spaced evenly, but I'm not sure how that will work with the garage door mechanism etc.

[Simpo Two]

rickyquicky said:

I want to stick a few flourescent lamps inbetween the joists to finish it off, question is how many lamps should I fit?

I would like it well lit, I'm thinking either 2, 3, or 4 lamps - how do I know for sure? Any of you guys with flourescent tubes in the garage?

Back in the '80s when life was simple a standard single garage was supplied as new with one 5-6' fluorescent tube in the middle. So one each side should be more than ample for working.

[zed4]

I thought I had some photos, but can't find them now. I recently fitted 4x double 5' strip lights in my single garage. It's mega bright, definitely bright enough.

[Snake the Sniper]

As has been said, fit as many as you can. It's almost impossible to have too many. I went for loads, just shy of 450W in my garage. 4 x 4' tubes down either side, 2 x 4' tube recessed into the front section ceiling and then 3 x 3' lights in the rear half, with the one above the bench being a twin tube unit. My old single garage had 5 4' strips in it. Make sure you have at least one light just for your main work area/work bench if you have one. The issue isn't lots of light, it's having few shadows.

[williredale]

Snake the Sniper said:

As has been said, fit as many as you can. It's almost impossible to have too many. I went for loads, just shy of 450W in my garage. 4 x 4' tubes down either side, 2 x 4' tube recessed into the front section ceiling and then 3 x 3' lights in the rear half, with the one above the bench being a twin tube unit. My old single garage had 5 4' strips in it. Make sure you have at least one light just for your main work area/work bench if you have one. The issue isn't lots of light, it's having few shadows.

Nice B!

You have lots of light there. I'm in the process of installing lights in my garage. My two neighbours have gone for two 4 foot tubes and I'm going to put something similar in depending on what I can find. I have no workspace at the back otherwise I would have gone for extra there.

[SPT28]

Snake the Sniper said:

As has been said, fit as many as you can. It's almost impossible to have too many. I went for loads, just shy of 450W in my garage. 4 x 4' tubes down either side, 2 x 4' tube recessed into the front section ceiling and then 3 x 3' lights in the rear half, with the one above the bench being a twin tube unit. My old single garage had 5 4' strips in it. Make sure you have at least one light just for your main work area/work bench if you have one. The issue isn't lots of light, it's having few shadows.

That's the dream - unfortunately my garage is only about 7.5' in width and so nearly impossible to work in but it is long...

[eatontrifles]

I recently fitted three 2ft twin lamps in my single garage (workshop & storage, really) which is around the same size as yours. One each in the front and back thirds mounted centrally and one in the centre third offset to one side over my bench area. It's bright enough, although I'm considering adding a fourth opposite the centre to balance out the offset one.

ETA - I paid £16 each for IP65 enclosed units and £20 for 10x T8 tubes.

Edited by eatontrifles on Tuesday 22 July 15:15

[Steve H]

This is how I did them in mine -



It's a bit of a cavern so I've also put floods in over the ramp for extra light but the strips do the job generally.

[Snake the Sniper]

williredale said:

Nice B!

You have lots of light there. I'm in the process of installing lights in my garage. My two neighbours have gone for two 4 foot tubes and I'm going to put something similar in depending on what I can find. I have no workspace at the back otherwise I would have gone for extra there.

Whilst the do look the same when in bits, it's actually a Sprite! One thing worth pointing out is that my lights are split front/back so I can switch each set on independently. Much nicer working in there sometimes with just the rear half on.

[Renovation]

I never have tubes in garages - I always hit them with something (ladders, pieces of wood etc) and shards of glass everywhere isn't fun.

[colin2296fs]

be aware that a fluorescent lamp will strobe 100 times per second, and if you are looking at something rotating at multiples of 100 then it will appear to be standing still

[williredale]

Snake the Sniper said:

Whilst the do look the same when in bits, it's actually a Sprite! One thing worth pointing out is that my lights are split front/back so I can switch each set on independently. Much nicer working in there sometimes with just the rear half on.

Oops! I looked at the hard top and thought it didn't look right. But then posted anyway

[Snake the Sniper]

colin2296fs said:

be aware that a fluorescent lamp will strobe 100 times per second, and if you are looking at something rotating at multiples of 100 then it will appear to be standing still

Only likely to be an issue if you have a lathe or mill, but it is something to bear in mind. But then the usual filament lathe work lamp will cover that problem.

[VxDuncan]

I have 2 rows of 4 x 4ft single fluorescent tubes in a garage roughly 6x4m. Decent amount of light. Do make sure that you get diffusers over the tubes as you will bash them. I keep whacking mine(!). Having two independent switched rows means I can light bench / tool area or car work area independently. Also have additional switch near the main door so the lights can be turned on either from the pedestrian or vehicle door. Best thing I did was ensure there were enough tubes and spaced far enough so that when working on a car engine bay the light wasn’t shaded by the car bonnet – they are directly overhead. For me using lots of single tubes over a wider area better than 2 or three large double units.

Never seen the strobing issue on the milling machine. Might be more pronounced with a lathe.