Shop lighting

[lakeroadster]

I have the inexpensive Home Depot hanging 4 foot flourescent fixtures in my shop. When the ballast goes out it's cheaper to buy an entire new fixture. It seems we live in a disposable society anymore.

[56-210Sedan]

Laszlo i did find my old HDsupply catalog, i thought i had thrown it out during shop move in. Anyway there is a page in there that has recessed lithonia florescent lights and they are 2x4 configurations there is 2x2 as well, so i really think you should be able to get your lights from Home Depot, they might have to order them but they should be available

[chevynut]

Mary, they have them at HD, but they don't have the flange for drywall mounting. Does your catalog show 2x4 units with a flange? All they have at HD with a flange is 1x4.

I went and asked at their PRO Desk and the guy took my info and said he'd call Lithonia for me. Never heard a word from him.

[56-210Sedan]

Laszlo i will go through the catalog again and do a better check for you and give you some numbers, i am getting ready to take off for a little bit, LOL in fact one stop is HD but when i get back i will get back to you what i find, so stay tuned

[56-210Sedan]

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LITHONIA-Drywall-Grid-Adapter-Kit-1THV5


Darn my part numbers i just put in there did not go through Arrrrgggghhh

OK so we try again part number 325160 and 324900 both Lithonia products

[chevynut]

Holy crap....$90 for JUST the adapter? I only paid about $50 for each light in the other shop. I can still get lights for $53 with bulbs.

I may try to get the fixtures made for suspended ceilings, and just add a wood frame using interior window/door moulding. That is, if they fit between the trusses like my other ones do.

[chevynut]

This is more like it, but even $54 is OUTRAGEOUS for what you get. The whole darn light fixture doesn't cost that much


http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LIT...&cm_vc=IDPBBZ2

[56-210Sedan]

The adapter was just something else i cam across if the other lights did not work

[Rick_L]

Gee, that's a rip off. Looks like it should be $10-15, if that. Grainger is not known for good prices, just convenience.

Have you tried McMaster-Carr?

[chevynut]

Okay guys, I did some research on shop lighting. The recommendation is about 2 watts per square foot of shop space. Personally I think Lumens are better measure, since you can get more light per watt from a fluorescent bulb than an incandescent one.

My old shop has 32 40-watt bulbs installed. That comes out to 1280 watts in little over 1100 square feet of interior space, or about 1.15 watts per square foot. I personally wouldn't want it any less bright than it is.

What's interesting to me is the difference in the bulbs. I just bought a pack of Philips Daylight Deluxe bulbs to replace the bulbs I have installed, which are Philips Cool White. The Daylight Deluxe LOOKS way brighter, but the Lumens are actually less at 2325 versus 3200. The color temperature is 6500 for the Daylight Deluxe versus 4100 for the cool white so the light is a lot whiter, but less lumens.

Come to find out after closer examination, my old fixtures really DON'T have a flange all the way around, like I thought they did. I just had them drywall tape up to the edge cleanly. So they're exactly like one I just bought this weekend at HD to try out. How 'bout that. I can't remember stuff like that from 10+ years ago, I guess.

Anyhow, to maintain the same level of light in my new shop, I would need 36 bulbs or 9 fixtures. I plan to install 11 or 12 of them in 3 rows. I've been considering offsetting the middle row to try to eliminate any shadows, instead of lining them all up. Seems like that would help.

I read one place where they recommend 2 watts per square foot. That would put me at 2500 watts and 16 fixtures...that seems overkill.

How many watts per square foot do you guys have, and do you think it's enough?