workshop lighting

[jg123]

need lighting for a shed that is being converted to a workshop. 60x40 with 13ft to the eaves. what is the best lighting (value for money) not simply the best money can buy. needs to be better than livestock building lighting

a few good spotlights, or one spot either end and fluorescent tubes in the middle or just lots of cheap tubes?

LED's better? a lot more expensive?

was thinking lots of tubes to avoid shadows but seems quite an old fashioned way to go. instant light would be nice but definitely not essential. any advice on the different types of lights, ie what is the difference between halogen, LED, mercury etc etc. it is for farm use so will probably be on most days but not all day

 

[RWG Contracts]

LED's are no good for workshop, firm i used to work for pulled all the Low Bay lighting out and put LED's in, then the welders and us joiners all complained we couldn't see very well and they swapped back to low bays. the LED's didn't project light very well somehow, the building looked nice and light but someone it wasn't when you tried to read a tape.

I have Low Bays in my workshop, they're great only problem with them is they take a few mins to warm up and if you turn them off you can't turn them on for another 15 min

 

[jg123]

LED's are no good for workshop, firm i used to work for pulled all the Low Bay lighting out and put LED's in, then the welders and us joiners all complained we couldn't see very well and they swapped back to low bays. the LED's didn't project light very well somehow, the building looked nice and light but someone it wasn't when you tried to read a tape.

I have Low Bays in my workshop, they're great only problem with them is they take a few mins to warm up and if you turn them off you can't turn them on for another 15 min

are they just fluorescent tubes in a fitting hung from the roof or sodium bulbs, what sort of wattage will i be needing and what spacing? i will need to keep the lights up near the roof (at least door height) to avoid hitting with combine etc

 

[RWG Contracts]

are they just fluorescent tubes in a fitting hung from the roof or sodium bulbs, what sort of wattage will i be needing and what spacing? i will need to keep the lights up near the roof (at least door height) to avoid hitting with combine etc

They look like this
http://www.lyonlighting.com/acatalo...p-LB400.html?gclid=CJSQ1vz94MgCFSIewwodLJoBOA

I'm guessing they are sodium bulbs

as for wattage i don't know, the most i do with electrics is turn the switch on, my brothers the sparky but he's on his hols.

I have two per bay, in the middle of each half, if that makes sense, and i have them chained from purlin about 300mm from roof about 4500mm from floor, on a 30' wide shed its perfects

 

[Grassman]

I have led floodlights in the workshop but they aren't as good as I expected. As @RWG Contracts says they just don't seem to work right. I put old style fluorescent lights round the wall where most work happens.
In another shed I have some old hi bay lights out of a shop and they are excellent.

 

[hang-on]

I have low bays in the main part of my shed but the bit that we use as the workshop has 6ft twin vapour proof fluorescent fittings. Also have a few on one wall that's a really good job.

 

[Cowcalf]

if cash is an issue secondhand fluorescents are as good as anything

 

[jg123]

I'm thinking fluorescents, I've been looking and I can have a load of them for the same price as a few LED lights, put a few switches in so I can choose how many I want on at any one time. Could always change the tubes for LED Tubes in a few years when they are hopefully brilliant and dirt cheap

Just wanted to check I wasn't missing out on some brilliant cheap lights that people are using

 

[Pan mixer]

I have a switch by the door for a small number of strip lights around the edges in selected area like where the hand tools are stored and over a small bench so that I can do small jobs or find a tool quickly.

Half way down the shed I have the switch for the low bays - so that on a serious workshop mission I have to walk down there anyhow and switch them on, usually spending a short time assembling some tools or whatever in the dingy glow of the striplights whilst the best lights ever for workshops of this size (sub 20 feet to the eaves) warm up.

Top tip don't put all the low bays in a line, stagger them a bit as you do get shadows, the light is brilliant though, just about bright summer sunny day at midday.

 

[zyklon]

I would never install High Frequency Flourescents unless you know the brand will be reliable.

I had 8 fail in the past 12-months and I have a delivery of led tubes coming tomorrow. Cheaper than buying a new light or replacement ballast.

 

[simon-0116]

I would never install High Frequency Flourescents unless you know the brand will be reliable.

I had 8 fail in the past 12-months and I have a delivery of led tubes coming tomorrow. Cheaper than buying a new light or replacement ballast.

name and shame the brand. had a bad batch of tubes here. makes you look a fool when fitting new lights

 

[zyklon]

Mostly Ansell which my wholesaler now stocks which is a dirt brand when it comes to lights of all descriptions and I had two Thorn pack up. Thorn are not what they used to be either.

 

[manhill]

Just replaced a 5' fluorescent tube in the kitchen with a led tube. Happy with it so far. Twice the price, half the wattage but should have a much longer life. Had to modify the holder wiring as the tube has both terminals at one end and dummy ones at the other.

 

[chickens and wheat]

our kitchen led tube was too bright so its now upside down, the light bounces off the tube holder box and gives a nice spread

 

[TheTallGuy]

Never had a problem with Thorn or Fitzgerald HF units and I've used hundreds of Philips hf ballasts in retrofits without issue. I've had a lot of trouble with newer conventional ballasts as they are mostly made under poor qc Even had a case where 6 month old units all caught fire over a two week period.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Although we've retro-fitted LED floods outside, and GU10 type in the house, have stuck to fluorescent tubes in the workshop. Basically a better quality of indoor light for the money (at the moment), although LEDs are still steadily improving year on year - kind of like PCs back in the day.

We've definitely not yet reached anywhere near the pinnacle (or plateau) of LED lamp development.

No doubt some will argue, and it may not be the case next year, but that's been my recent experience.

 

[lojerledlighting]

There are a lot of low quality replacement led TUBE types,which because they do not have heat sinks for their led chips perform very poorly and only last half as long as our professional grade IP66 battens,which are impact and flame resistant and designed to British Standards.Please got to oour web site lojerledlighting.co..uk of call us on 01635865882
N.B. these project a more natural daylight unidirectionally where you need the light,not up or side ways

 

[lojerledlighting]

Although we've retro-fitted LED floods outside, and GU10 type in the house, have stuck to fluorescent tubes in the workshop. Basically a better quality of indoor light for the money (at the moment), although LEDs are still steadily improving year on year - kind of like PCs back in the day.

We've definitely not yet reached anywhere near the pinnacle (or plateau) of LED lamp development.

No doubt some will argue, and it may not be the case next year, but that's been my recent experience.

I agree,but;
There are a lot of low quality replacement led TUBE types,which because they do not have heat sinks for their led chips perform very poorly and only last half as long as our professional grade IP66 battens,which are impact and flame resistant and designed to British Standards.Please got to oour web site lojerledlighting.co..uk of call us on 01635865882
N.B. these project a more natural daylight unidirectionally where you need the light,not up or side ways

 

[Nearly]

I've just bought a couple of these led floods as a trial compared the the £45 ones I bought in my local supplier last year.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261844714128

 

[chickens and wheat]

Ive had some like nearly's in a poultry shed for near 2 years now as extra lighting they are only on at chick start so maybe 10 weeks a years total, but they get dusty then get power washed so far all 10 are still working
the rest in shed look similar but are dimmable they fail occasionally but are on probably 18 hours a day 320 days a year