Garage Lighting
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11,987
Likes: 14
Garage Lighting
I need to improve my garage lighting and would like to hear/see what other have done to improve garage lighting. Now that is getting dark earlier it hard to either detail my cars or work on them with having to prop up a flashlight. Right now I have the normal 75 or 100-watt bulb on over each bay. I was thinking Fluorescent Lights.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 47
From: Indianapolis IN
I was wondering the same thing a couple of years ago. I had been thinking of going the fluorescent light route, but a friend said he had something that he wanted me to try. The next day he hands me this rather large light bulb - a 300W one. I put that sucker in and boy - what a difference over the 100W bulb that I had been using. And it was a lot cheaper than having fluorescent fixtures installed.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 148
From: Magnolia Texas
I have industrial T-11 style fluorescents (2 bulbs with breakage shields) installed - 2 over each of 3 bays. all wired to single switch. went with electronic ballasts as shop is not heated and didn't want the cold weather to impact light performance.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 576
From: Pace Florida
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11
National Champs Gators 4 St. Jude '09
Replaced the single bare bulb with a four tube florescent fixture in my 2 car garage. The difference was like, well, night and day.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,753
Likes: 210
From: North Western Connecticut
Fluorescents aren't expensive and very easy to install. I have 4 double tube, 8 ft long industrial cold weather fixtures in my garage bay. Need to start them when it's very cold. With a white painted ceiling the place is bright as daylight. It's great for working on the cars. You simply can't have to much lighting when your detailing.
Even with that much light I use a 3 million candle power hand held for locating swirls or micro scratches in the paint. My advice is put up as many fluorescents as practicable. It's easy to gang them off of single power source in the garage ceiling and they simply aren't that expensive. BTW I went to a good commercial lighting store not someplace like Home Cheapo to get my fixtures....
Even with that much light I use a 3 million candle power hand held for locating swirls or micro scratches in the paint. My advice is put up as many fluorescents as practicable. It's easy to gang them off of single power source in the garage ceiling and they simply aren't that expensive. BTW I went to a good commercial lighting store not someplace like Home Cheapo to get my fixtures....
Last edited by cthusker; Oct 22, 2008 at 08:49 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
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Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 13,656
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From: Bay Shore, NY 11706 MILD2WILD (M2W)
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I installed 2 8' (2 bulbs each) high performance fluorescents, these are brighter and perform much better in cold temps. The garage is 12 x 20 and super bright
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Omaha NE
I installed 6ea 8' fluorescents with 2 bulbs in each fixture in my 5 bay garage. They are designed to work in cold tempatures and work great. I put them in even though I keep my garage at 40 degrees. They are brighter than regular flourescents and give me summer day sun shine in the middle of winter. Good for your attitude, too! I control them with three switches. Best investment I made in my garage.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
all the advice above is good re fluorescents. I did notice in my friend's place who converted from incandescent, until he got the right ballasts and bulbs, they wouldn't come on at all in cold weather in his unheated garage. Now, they work fine. So just be aware you can't just stick up any old indoor bulbs unless you get lucky.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 792
Likes: 4
From: New Jersey
I replaced regular bulbs with fluorescent tubes and instead of having them located over the center of each bay, I ran two sets of tubes down the outside of each bay. That way it would light up the sides of the cars as well as the engine compartment even with the top up. I also used hi-temp tubes so they would come on no matter how cold it got. Hope this helps and when you get finished post a couple of pics.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 9,813
Likes: 628
From: Texas
I have (6) 8' 2-tube fluorescent lights in a 19 x 27 garage. It is nice and bright. These are standard lights (not high-output) and ran about $40 per fixture at home depot a few years ago. The ballasts are loud but that is what the $40 price gets you and it's nothing the radio does not fix. Spending more should get you a quieter fixture.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 13,007
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From: Happiness is Busch in Victory Lane!
St. Jude Donor '09 & '12, '14
I have the reverse problem. Too much heat!! Living In Florida.
Hoping to light up the 14 X 22 Garage like an xmas tree.
I currently have 2 small single bulbs wired in the garage.
Cant do heat though...
Hoping to light up the 14 X 22 Garage like an xmas tree.
I currently have 2 small single bulbs wired in the garage.
Cant do heat though...
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
I have large fluorescent light fixtures (with exposed bulbs) in my garage. The lighting is more than adequate but my one caveat would be to get 'covered' fixtures. A couple years ago, after workmen were tromping around on the roof, one of the fluorescent bulbs came loose and fell about 11' onto the hood of my car causing damage.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,296
Likes: 156
From: Location: Location: kAnSaS
I need to improve my garage lighting and would like to hear/see what other have done to improve garage lighting. Now that is getting dark earlier it hard to either detail my cars or work on them with having to prop up a flashlight. Right now I have the normal 75 or 100-watt bulb on over each bay. I was thinking Fluorescent Lights.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,296
Likes: 156
From: Location: Location: kAnSaS
I have large fluorescent light fixtures (with exposed bulbs) in my garage. The lighting is more than adequate but my one caveat would be to get 'covered' fixtures. A couple years ago, after workmen were tromping around on the roof, one of the fluorescent bulbs came loose and fell about 11' onto the hood of my car causing damage.
Pro
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 577
Likes: 2
From: Downriver MI
I replaced the two 100w incandescent bulbs with six 4' cold rated fluorescent fixtures, $20 ea at Home Depot. I loaded them with the T-12 32w energy efficient bulbs. They light right up even at 0F. I placed two over each bay and two off to the sides. The side ones take care of the lighting when two of the overheads are covered by the garage door when it's open. I followed all the correct electrical codes when running the wiring. Made it real nice when I'm out there working on the car in the evening.
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 2
From: "Cedar Valley" (Northeastern) Iowa
I first tried double 100W bulbs which still wasn't good enough.....so I then made a double "Y" bulb holder and use 4 of the 16W compact spiral fluorescents in each of 3 locations in our large 3 stall garage.... Light output is excellent. I also found that the 6-pack that Home Depot sells put out more light than others such as Menards (don't know why but was noticeable)