Garage Lighting

[DonJuan692006]

So I'm looking at upgrading the puny light in my garage and wanted to see what kind of suggestions you guys have. If I go with a straight fluorescent light I will be mounting it parallel to my garage door to keep from moving the entire fixture. I've attached a few pics to help. Toss any ideas this way.

[davidg]

Not sure of your budget or wiring experience, but I have LED's wired in place of my drop lights and halogen stands. Been really debating them going into the shop. You can pick up 20W and have a TON of light, but they are about 50 bucks each.

[LFairbanks]

Any shop (industrial) light fixture at your local home improvement store.  Stick with the Daylight Deluxe (Home Depot) bulbs for brightness, or something similar.  They will have a chart showing brightness of each bulb on display, so you can compare.  And stay away from anything with the T12 bulbs as they are being discontinued. 

Edited October 8, 2013 by LFairbanks

[CooperS7777]

Cheap, T6 fixtures will do the trick nicely.  IMHO, in a space like a garage they throw a much more usable light and fill the space better than LED's.  Make sure to get something with a diffuser over it (the chinsy plastic covers).  It will help disperse light and will help prevent smacking the bulb with a ladder/rake/shovel or whatever else you may be moving around the garage.

[Chewy]

I am going to put lighting in my garage in the future as well and I'll just stick with cold weather capable fluorescent tube fixtures.  I saw Jay Leno talking about some LED tubes he was putting in his garage and he was talking to the rep about the conversion and holding the LED tube asked the question; "how much is this tube?" The man answered; "75 bucks".  Jay then asked; "OK so how much is a standard fluorescent tube" and the man answered; "about 3-4 bucks".  

 

You should have seen Jays expression.  

 

I think Fluorescents will be going in my garage.  lol  The savings would take 30 years+ to recoup for me. 

[ForceofWill]

I put the HO t5's in there.  They're smaller diameter than the normal tubes but they're SO MUCH brighter.  Put two dual bulb 4' fixtures in, front and back of garage.  Best thing I ever did in there.

[Chris@Adams]

I am going to put lighting in my garage in the future as well and I'll just stick with cold weather capable fluorescent tube fixtures.  I saw Jay Leno talking about some LED tubes he was putting in his garage and he was talking to the rep about the conversion and holding the LED tube asked the question; "how much is this tube?" The man answered; "75 bucks".  Jay then asked; "OK so how much is a standard fluorescent tube" and the man answered; "about 3-4 bucks".  

 

You should have seen Jays expression.  

 

I think Fluorescents will be going in my garage.  lol  The savings would take 30 years+ to recoup for me. 

I was looking at 48 1/2" LED lights at Lowes on Sat. they were 80.00 each....I couldn't make my mind up so I didn't buy them, if I would replace all my garage lights I would have 1300 or 1400 dollars in them...

[Chewy]

Chris, do the math on how many years it'd take to pay for those in energy and lifetime savings.  I'm sure you're in your garage a heck of a lot more than I am, but still.  T5 or T6 bulbs will last several years. 

[Chris@Adams]

Chris, do the math on how many years it'd take to pay for those in energy and lifetime savings.  I'm sure you're in your garage a heck of a lot more than I am, but still.  T5 or T6 bulbs will last several years. 

The only reason I was even considering them was because of the brightness......like anything else I think the price will come down after they are around for a while.

[ledger64]

i have been slowly replacing the lights in my garage can't get too many at once gotta keep them under the radar from the better half... anyways.

 

go to lowes they have 4ft utilitech flourenscent T8 fixtures with cold weather start for like $18 bucks. then get a box of T8 bulbs. can't go wrong.

 

i have like 3 more to go and the garage is done. 

[DonJuan692006]

I wanted to get a four bulb fixed fixture to keep from having to switch the mount over to a plugin but I'm leaning more towards that route. The only fixture I've seen through preliminary searching on Lowes' website that supports 64 watts (32/bulb) has only two bulb spots. The search continues but thanks for the input.

[LFairbanks]

I wanted to get a four bulb fixed fixture to keep from having to switch the mount over to a plugin but I'm leaning more towards that route. The only fixture I've seen through preliminary searching on Lowes' website that supports 64 watts (32/bulb) has only two bulb spots. The search continues but thanks for the input.

 

Plugin???  You can get them to where they are hard wired.  Unless there is something that I'am missing.

[Chewy]

Oh geez, I plan to have an electrician install mine.  I have three of those spec style ceramic based fixtures right now with 300W light bulbs in them.  I plan to get 9 fluorescent fixtures installed at some point.  

[DonJuan692006]

Plugin??? You can get them to where they are hard wired. Unless there is something that I'am missing.

You're right but from looking at Lowes site yesterday there was only one hardwired ballast that was rated for 32w bulbs. All the others where plugins.

[CMDChase]

Any shop (industrial) light fixture at your local home improvement store.  Stick with the Daylight Deluxe (Home Depot) bulbs for brightness, or something similar.  They will have a chart showing brightness of each bulb on display, so you can compare.  And stay away from anything with the T12 bulbs as they are being discontinued.

 

I agree. Did the same thing and they work great

[the shine shop]

I have the high bay 6 lite fixtures from Home Depot.

About 100 with bulbs,t8 day lite .

[LFairbanks]

As small as your garage is you could either add a couple more lights and put them on separate switches or go all out on something that it is super bright for the one box that you have.  But then it is all or nothing.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-Lighting-4-Light-T5-White-High-Output-Fluorescent-High-Bay-IBC-454-MV/202838871?N=bvn2#.UlYhSxbEPzI

[DonJuan692006]

I ended up grabbing a Metalux fixture from Lowes that supports four 32w T-8 bulbs. I grabbed four of the GE 6500K 32w bulbs to go in it. Definitely a significant improvement but there's still some shadow areas by the door. They have some corner mount single bulb fixtures that I may put on each side of the door at the ceiling but that will come later.

[LFairbanks]

I, and a couple others meet for breakfast every Friday.  One of them sells light bulbs and fixtures for a living, and has done so for about 25 years.  I asked him what was the brightest light available in a fluorescence tube was.  His response was that he recommended 4 foot T5 High Lumen.  T8 if your looking for brightness but also looking for efficiency.  However not as bright as the T5's.  Daylight Deluxe is just a color.