Can you have too much garage lighting?

[JOEPRO]

I am still clearing out my front garage for car lift install.

Lighting has always been very poor. Just one batten light. And the sectional garage door means it totally blocks this light when the door is open! It is open most of the time I am in there welding at cars etc.

I have a 6 feet LED batten light of this spec:



I am thinking of mounting it on the motor rail of the garage door so it's positioned right above the car at the front 3rd of garage.

Then I am thinking of adding 2x more lights to both sides of the garage possibly even bracket these from the door frame too.

Like locations below.



This is really the only way I can install permanent batten lamps in this garage that won't be blocked by the door or cause shadows.

So I need to pick up 2x more 4 foot LED battens.

Would 37w 4400 lumen maybe be too bright for these? https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-oxbo-twin-4ft-led-batten-37w-4400lm-220-240v/733pp?ref=SFAppShare

There are other ones around half that output and would be more efficient. Thoughts please.

 

[Barking Mat]

You probably can't have too much lighting.

But having different lights on different runs / switches may be wise.

So it's controllable.

 

[leadpig]

personally i dont think so, my new work shop is a pain in the ass at the minute. after 2pm i have a 240v led flood light a dewalt led and the dewalt led dome light running and i still get shadows etc, the owner has a load of led strip lights coming and i cant wait, but as mr insane mathew pointed out separate controls is probably a good idea

 

[voipio]

Having some additional low level lighting can be useful for working on the undersides of vehicles, when they're up on the ramp.

 

[reb78]

I am still clearing out my front garage for car lift install.

Lighting has always been very poor. Just one batten light. And the sectional garage door means it totally blocks this light when the door is open! It is open most of the time I am in there welding at cars etc.

I have a 6 feet LED batten light of this spec:

View attachment 478212

I am thinking of mounting it on the motor rail of the garage door so it's positioned right above the car at the front 3rd of garage.

Then I am thinking of adding 2x more lights to both sides of the garage possibly even bracket these from the door frame too.

Like locations below.

View attachment 478211

This is really the only way I can install permanent batten lamps in this garage that won't be blocked by the door or cause shadows.

So I need to pick up 2x more 4 foot LED battens.

Would 37w 4400 lumen maybe be too bright for these? https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-oxbo-twin-4ft-led-batten-37w-4400lm-220-240v/733pp?ref=SFAppShare

There are other ones around half that output and would be more efficient. Thoughts please.

Even this could be a pain when the cars on the lift. Some at waist height might even be useful! My four post used to have battens installed along it's inner length before my ownership. I keep wondering about reinstating them.

 

[Guineafowl]

Just put in seventeen 4 and 5 ft LED battens in mine - it’s not just the number, but the distribution that makes a difference as well.

White walls and ceilings really help, too.

 

[JOEPRO]

Thanks all, yes I guess you can't really have too much lighting can you. So I'll give these a go tomorrow since I can get em at the local Screwfix

 

[Pete.]

I have got 9 600x600 LED panel lights in my 13m long workshop. If it was bare wood walls it would be woefully inadequate but now I have it lined with OSB painted light grey there is plenty of light in there.

 

[gaz1]

sometimes placing them in the corner is the wrong place

whilst behind you would mean you need another light offside of you

whilst ceiling mounted does do the job you would still need an off side light behind you for better light

 

[Agroshield]

If you need to wear your welding helmet set at shade 12 to enter the garage, you have too much light.

 

[brightspark]

general lighting in a garage is 50 lumens per square foot. workshops etc are 300 lumens per square foot easy to check using a lux meter i use one in offices schools and public buildings when the staff get arsey about lighting levels . it soon shuts them up when you arrive with it and give them the charts and figures

 

[8ob]

I am with Gaz on this, no amount of ceiling light is going to benefit you under a car on a ramp or under the bonnet of a car unless you remove it.

Bob

 

[JOEPRO]

I am with Gaz on this, no amount of ceiling light is going to benefit you under a car on a ramp or under the bonnet of a car unless you remove it.

Bob

Yes agreed.

So I need general ceiling lighting.

And also good task lighting. I have alot of strong LED task lighting so that one is ticked. That is rechargeable magnetic lamps.

I have no decent ceiling lighting which is the issue here.

 

[angellonewolf]

when i done the otherhalfs dads garage i put 2 strip lights half way down the wall


id say 3 either side and 2 allong the walls if you can turn off the wall ones should not be that hard be better incase you give them a wack

 

[JOEPRO]

when i done the otherhalfs dads garage i put 2 strip lights half way down the wall


id say 3 either side and 2 allong the walls if you can turn off the wall ones should not be that hard be better incase you give them a wack

I'll not be doing any wall lights right now. There is alot of work needs to happen in here including removing and re pouring the concrete floor and installing the lift.

Very high chance of breakage. And I am quite happy to use task lighting anyway. This particular garage is primarily for car storage only. And maybe 5 days of the year I'll be working inside it with a car on the lift so for that low level of usage I think LED re chargeable or plug in lights will do me just fine.

But will keep it under review after all work is done and I get to work on my cars in there

I think I am going to get these 3x ceiling lights installed tomorrow. It's been like this for years and finally now I feel like addressing it so strike when the iron is hot so to speak.

 

[JOEPRO]

Regarding this lighting install I am planning to keep this simple and avoid any additional surface containment. Hence making use of the sectional door frame itself.

I will remove the existing batten light and install a pendant fitting with flex terminated inside it.



This white flex will carry around the sectional door frame itself by means of self adhesive cable tie brackets inside the webs of the framing. The installers of the door ran their sensor cables inside the frame like this.

The 2x existing light switches and cables are all behind the ceiling so that will stay like that.

And will leave me with no obstructions to run new high level perimeter containment I plan for new wall socket drops as the garage only has 1x double socket at present. I plan on adding 6x or 8x double sockets plus a socket for the wall mounted compressor, new lift install and a 32 amp welder socket. And at the same time tidy up the existing untidy surface cabling by Sky installers.

Keeping the lighting install as simple as possible and using the door frame will be great. I'll have to bracket off one side more than the other so the lights are an equal distance off the masonry walls both sides. And angle them at 45 degrees from vertical.

 

[W.olly]

This year i put this up with this lot. pefect for me. I dont want lower down lights as that jsut does my eyes in as not good with direct light in my eyes. Underneath i just use a portable light if need be.
All are LED, infact got a bargain as i got eight for £40, three were tube so fettle the wires. five 6 footers of 72w twin tube. garage is 24 x 12foot.

SWMBO knows where i am aswell haha

 

[Pete.]

One place you can have too much lighting is behind your head when you're trying to weld. I've had to put a cloth over the back of my welding mask to keep it from being lit up on the inside before now.

 

[Morrisman]

Screwfix led battens around edges, because I don’t have massive headroom and would probably batter one moving things around if they were more central. Walls and ceiling is painted gloss white, which helps no end.

They don’t seem to use any power, as my smart meter reading thing doesn’t vary if they are on or off.

 

[brightspark]

so the meter must be crap if it cant monitor power usage theres at least 150 watts there