Garage lighting - generator
Garage lighting - generator
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Discussion

MrCippo

Original Poster:

601 posts

213 months

Thursday 10th October 2013
quotequote all
I'm in a typical council single garage and looking to get some lights in for rebuilding the car over the winter. Bought one of these bad boys :

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/...

First problem, I am in a residential area so might have to think of a way so silencing the generator down.

Second , what type of lights should I get ? Something that plugs into the generator ? Ideally hanged on the wooden ceiling beams.

Will be using the generator for other motorsport duties, hence the purchase. Would of been a bit of an overkill just for lights.

Spangles

1,441 posts

203 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
Hmm, I don't think you're going to be Mr Popular. They're flipping noisy and obviously you'd have to have it outside the garage. How residential is it?

LooneyTunes

8,405 posts

176 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
Would going 12v (LED?) be an option?

Charge a leisure battery at home before you go, run the lights off it, and just use the generator for topping it up if it runs low or you need higher voltage for tools?

Likely to be much more civilised and probably cheaper than running the generator all the time.

mad4amanda

2,410 posts

182 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
I bought some led caravan lights from a camping shop for a similar project they were about 4 feet long with 150 leds in and 2 gave enough light and a big old lorry battery powered them for ages but I used to use jump leads to topup battery with my road car from time to time.
I would imagine the genny would rattle and echo round the garages and you would become local public enemy in no time , possibly having problems with the council ending in losing the garage as a nuisance tenant.

laam999

538 posts

187 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
I used to use a 5.5kW generator in a single council garage to power my welder. It was very loud but no one ever complained to me. However I would set it running, close the four and work outside, the noise and fumes aren't nice to be around for extended periods.

B5NXJ

1,091 posts

232 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
LooneyTunes said:
Would going 12v (LED?) be an option?

Charge a leisure battery at home before you go, run the lights off it, and just use the generator for topping it up if it runs low or you need higher voltage for tools?

Likely to be much more civilised and probably cheaper than running the generator all the time.
this but with a small £50 solar panel on the roof to keep the battery topped

vikingaero

11,973 posts

187 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
B5NXJ said:
LooneyTunes said:
Would going 12v (LED?) be an option?

Charge a leisure battery at home before you go, run the lights off it, and just use the generator for topping it up if it runs low or you need higher voltage for tools?

Likely to be much more civilised and probably cheaper than running the generator all the time.
this but with a small £50 solar panel on the roof to keep the battery topped
This plus a decent headtorch.

steveo3002

10,929 posts

192 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
a 50 watt normal bulb works for quiet some time off a normal car battery , could maybe use a couple of those or try some flourescent tubes then take the battery home each time and recharge it

if its a rented garage id imagine you signed some kind of no repairing cars papers, so try and be a bit discreet and no upset anyone or you might get slung out

MrCippo

Original Poster:

601 posts

213 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
I am actually thinking to put a silencer on the generator, would an exhaust muffler do ? Its not just lights, its heat, some power tools, the kettle, etc.

Good points on the noise, 65db mine is rated to. It doesnt seem that much but i have houses 20m away.

ribiero

609 posts

184 months

Friday 11th October 2013
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mad4amanda

2,410 posts

182 months

Friday 11th October 2013
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its not just the exhaust, we use brightlights (self powered lighting towers with generator on) and they have acoustic panels all round. when you open them the noise increases dramatically. Remember if your garages are like mine in a block the sound will echo and increase in volume . And an increase of 3 Db is twice the noise. Remember if you panel it in its aircooled too.

Edited by mad4amanda on Friday 11th October 09:51


Edited by mad4amanda on Friday 11th October 09:52

A205GTI

750 posts

184 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
Be very careful, check your tenancy agreememnt.

My friend had a similair issue worked on his car in garage rented from council.

Neighbour of garage complained to council, It stated in his tenancy agreement it was for storage only.

They sent him a letter that he was risking his tenancy as he was using the garage for things other than were agreed in the agreement.

He never risked it again.

Have you looked at a local farmer who has barns as most round me rent them out as little units specifically for the purpose of working in cars.

steveo3002

10,929 posts

192 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
yeah i think you can get away with a discreet oil change on a sat afternnon or something , but sounds like you wana set up a full time garage , people wont want a genny running all day

MrCippo

Original Poster:

601 posts

213 months

Friday 11th October 2013
quotequote all
I.ll have to try and see how noisy it is, i am concerned about it and if its not good enough i will give up before anybody would make a complaint.

Garages are in a row so i expect the worse. Would only be using it 2-3 hours, but in the evening. So it might be a no depending on noise. It was a bargain off ebay so even if I sell the thing it will be at a profit.

Back to the point tho, what lights to look for to use with it ? in case noise is acceptable