Workshop lighting - Page 2

Workshop lighting · 10-01-2009, 12:42 PM

I just finished a 26'X26' workshop and need to make a decision on lighting. I have read quite a bit on the web about it but would value any ay dvice from folks with experience. At this point I arm considering T8 lights with extra over my main work area.

Advice is welcomed.

Tarhead · 10-05-2009, 10:14 AM

One idea I picked up on the recent Charlotte shop crawl (Second stop...sorry, my mind is a terrible thing...can't mamember names anymore

) was to use multi bulb bathroom light fixtures (like over the sink) mounted flush on the ceiling picked up for I think I heard mention of a few bucks at the Habitat RESTORE. Double bulb adapters were inserted into each socket. 100w or 150w CFL bulbs inserted into each adapter socket. This results in a bunch of light output without overloading the fixture if you need lots of cheap light. I did it on the bulbs in garage door opener (directly over my tablesaw) and it is a big improvement vs the 2, 60w incandescent bulbs in there previously.

Tarhead · 10-05-2009, 01:20 PM

As mentioned above...Here's a photo showing double 100 watt CFLs in a 60 watt socket on my garage door opener. Each CFL pulls 23 watts so I'm using less power than one 60 watt bulb and getting the equivalent of 200 watts of output. It's bright. I could go as high as 150 watt equilivant CFLs but they need to come down a little in price. Double adapters were ~$2.50 at Lowe's.

scsmith42 · 10-05-2009, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Tarhead

As mentioned above...Here's a photo showing double 100 watt CFLs in a 60 watt socket on my garage door opener. Each CFL pulls 23 watts so I'm using less power than one 60 watt bulb and getting the equivalent of 200 watts of output. It's bright. I could go as high as 150 watt equilivant CFLs but they need to come down a little in price. Double adapters were ~$2.50 at Lowe's.

Nos THAT's what I'd call a "bright idea"....

mountaintop · 10-12-2009, 11:04 PM

I had stand t12 4 ft workbench lights from lowes and have been replacing them with new T8 housing with a cage guard. THe old lights blinked in the cold morning for 10-15 minutes as they has the old style ballast. The t8 are alot bright and off a number of bulb choices for color range. Most of them have the reflective back so that also helps. The wrap around cage saves the raining of glass when I move long boards in the shop. Get full spectrum bulbs