Can you have too much garage lighting?

[Jelly_Sheffield]

I would say that there is such a thing as too much - especially with the harshness of modern LED, it can be fatiguing if you are concentrating on details, or swapping between the darkness of outside and coming into a very brightly lit work area.

The general recommendations are:

Infrequent work area: 300 lux minimum
Continuous work area: 500 lux minimum
Detailed work area: 1000lux minimum
Close detailed work: upto 2000lux without shadow.

Lux being Lumens per m²

Generally it should be fairly straightforward to achieve switching between those three levels and adding with task lights for close work when required.

I get round the outside thing using floodlights on tall tripods if I am working outside in the dark.

So I would say, go for lots of light, but arrange it so you can switch them for different levels/activities.

Exactly!

 

[Jaeger_S2k]

@JOEPRO.
With all the flexibility of LED strips etc, it would be worth considering putting a couple across the garage door.
When opened, most of the time, right above your head for welding etc, when closed lower level lighting, in fact a light wall!

 

[JOEPRO]

I got this done today. I went for the higher power 4 foot ones. Bent wall brackets and mounted both sides that way so they are even in the garage and no welding. (Sectional door frame is off centre)

Excellent lighting to all areas of the garage now door open or closed doesn't matter.

I can see all around the car on the ground. The white walls do help as others have mentioned. Very pleased with this setup.



Before



After




It's plugged in for today. Tomorrow morning I will remove the old light fitting and make the final connection with a ceiling rose.

 

[voipio]

That's a huge improvement.

 

[graffian]

No.

I had six 125W tubes and eight 100W tubes and there was not enough light in this double garage!
I wasn't to happy with the light and decided to paint the walls white, for a few minutes after painting the place I was happy.
Then I started putting lights in that lit up parts of cars I thought I was painting blind, so lights that could be dropped down to light sills.
The more light you have the more you want.

I haven't painted a car for 30 years and the last few years I don't even turn the lights on most days.
I have pulled three of the tubes out of the overheads and taken the side light away, it's bright enough in here.
But a few years ago I replaced one of the 125W tubes with two 4 foot LED battens. The LEDs are brighter than
the tube was and maybe as bright as the pair of tubes were!

 

[Woody.v8]

Just get some of that paint off Delboy

 

[LiftedDisco]

Sorry, too late to help the OP, but should anyone else need inspiration, I have four of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/200W-LED-Garage-Light-Pack/dp/B096M7C4ZQ/ref=sr_1_10?crid=FEPW6NUZGD09&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8dmsYRdGnpZmc6Biu4J-J-tqdMiP_pNPE3xmlx8k_QbYJJvG-OFYGXzlevZAZAfET5juc1wzWABejXHNi2sURWaw8e46SUUddYppyG18AIYFFISl-9QM_AJN3iSR7t4N1ranmvORQpf04Rmq0YZfpb6s1OR0s3yWIyJoaYdeVDHL6D4SsXO95rhzrRqFIkh6-IrklifSPhr5-ZVpZ8ATS55RVmDWKdqmDEzE46ee-KjenpGM31l_hG14mVEKvGZtysSuvwgq2-8FeSK95zyr9eBYnaKClzy-I5D3VJAjaKZ4dluG5eI-qiOdFZ8EDqG9fZLStHR3M5G0KzsuOzmWZvfLq_lxZVcQNa_5F-N2BAcXltyajHNX2__5grgvH2dTg4ro7Ff3xQe9yQlcryS09VR4PfW2w68BpmM7X4L88FNx_kGD4ANdUQTWXBa_9BTG.Ur3nhKWUjCixZ0XNd63DqvTH3Jow3CaLVLLgM18MxqA&dib_tag=se&keywords=ses%2Bled%2Blights%2Bgarage&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1735505244&sprefix=ses%2Bled%2Blights%2Bgarage%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-10&th=1

Fabulous levels of lighting…\

 

[MattF]

Too much light is greatly tiring on the eyes.

That's my problem. I don't like too much lighting in the workshop, & it has to be warm, rather than white, light. I'm somewhat light sensitive.

I simply have a couple of small, low wattage lights on the ceiling, one above the bandsaw, & then use battery lamps or spotlights if I need more light elsewhere. I also have a low wattage flexi lamp over the lathe.

 

[MattF]

That's a huge improvement.

That's my idea of lighting hell.

 

[voipio]

That's my idea of lighting hell.

I agree that too much light can be a pain rather than a benefit, but for getting quality finishes on things like car bodywork, it has its uses.

 

[JOEPRO]

That's my problem. I don't like too much lighting in the workshop, & it has to be warm, rather than white, light. I'm somewhat light sensitive.

I simply have a couple of small, low wattage lights on the ceiling, one above the bandsaw, & then use battery lamps or spotlights if I need more light elsewhere. I also have a low wattage flexi lamp over the lathe.

That's my idea of lighting hell.

I think I might know what's going on here. I have a few questions if I may;

Do you have a strong dislike to garlic?

Do you sleep during the day?

Do you have to be invited in to enter someone's house?

 

[Turbo]

I got this done today. I went for the higher power 4 foot ones. Bent wall brackets and mounted both sides that way so they are even in the garage and no welding. (Sectional door frame is off centre)

Excellent lighting to all areas of the garage now door open or closed doesn't matter.

I can see all around the car on the ground. The white walls do help as others have mentioned. Very pleased with this setup.

View attachment 478366

Before

View attachment 478368

After

View attachment 478365


It's plugged in for today. Tomorrow morning I will remove the old light fitting and make the final connection with a ceiling rose.

Just a tip - don't rely on those spring clips to hold the light fitting in place. Any knock at all and the light falls down.
I added a clear cable tie to secure the lights I fitted. You could also drill and fit a self tapper through the clip and into the light, hopefully avoiding the wires!

 

[8ob]

Sorry, too late to help the OP, but should anyone else need inspiration, I have four of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/200W-LED-Garage-Light-Pack/dp/B096M7C4ZQ/ref=sr_1_10?crid=FEPW6NUZGD09&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8dmsYRdGnpZmc6Biu4J-J-tqdMiP_pNPE3xmlx8k_QbYJJvG-OFYGXzlevZAZAfET5juc1wzWABejXHNi2sURWaw8e46SUUddYppyG18AIYFFISl-9QM_AJN3iSR7t4N1ranmvORQpf04Rmq0YZfpb6s1OR0s3yWIyJoaYdeVDHL6D4SsXO95rhzrRqFIkh6-IrklifSPhr5-ZVpZ8ATS55RVmDWKdqmDEzE46ee-KjenpGM31l_hG14mVEKvGZtysSuvwgq2-8FeSK95zyr9eBYnaKClzy-I5D3VJAjaKZ4dluG5eI-qiOdFZ8EDqG9fZLStHR3M5G0KzsuOzmWZvfLq_lxZVcQNa_5F-N2BAcXltyajHNX2__5grgvH2dTg4ro7Ff3xQe9yQlcryS09VR4PfW2w68BpmM7X4L88FNx_kGD4ANdUQTWXBa_9BTG.Ur3nhKWUjCixZ0XNd63DqvTH3Jow3CaLVLLgM18MxqA&dib_tag=se&keywords=ses%2Bled%2Blights%2Bgarage&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1735505244&sprefix=ses%2Bled%2Blights%2Bgarage%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-10&th=1

Fabulous levels of lighting…\

Interesting looking units, bought two and they should arrive today. Going to try them above the bench.

Bob

 

[Farside]

Interesting looking units, bought two and they should arrive today. Going to try them above the bench.

Bob

Not impressed by the owners' reports of early failure.

 

[qwakers]

this was before i repaired a few issues. there are now 10 6ft battens (5 pairs) and 5 4 ft battens in there.

no, you definitely cannot have too much light...

 

[Ed.]

I just finished my 8x8x4m shed and installed 2 x 100W led floodlights per side (400W in total for the 4 lights) which seems to work well, additionally I have a 50W LED flood light with sensor inside the shed so when I drive the car into the shed at night it activates the light. The inbuilt shed roller door motor lights are woefully inadequate. The 4 main lights are switched in pairs so I have a choice to just switch on 2 if I work on the right side of the shed or the other side lights if working on the left side or all together.

 

[dobbslc]

I think I might know what's going on here. I have a few questions if I may;

Do you have a strong dislike to garlic?

Do you sleep during the day?

Do you have to be invited in to enter someone's house?

Do you know Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Just a tip - don't rely on those spring clips to hold the light fitting in place. Any knock at all and the light falls down.
I added a clear cable tie to secure the lights I fitted. You could also drill and fit a self tapper through the clip and into the light, hopefully avoiding the wires!

Yes this^
Even in an office they get knocked off the clips.

 

[angellonewolf]

this was before i repaired a few issues. there are now 10 6ft battens (5 pairs) and 5 4 ft battens in there.

no, you definitely cannot have too much light...

thats very nice of to put in light before putting your otherhalf in there id soject a few breathing holes as well