Spray Booth Light

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Leigh,
I find that an overhead light in the spray booth is not good, even if it is super bright. I do have one but it is not my only light source. I like to be able to adjust light to the project I am spraying. For instance, if I am spraying a table top mounted at a 45 degree angle (to fit in the spray area), overhead light is OK. I have an 8' hi output fixture mounted on the ceiling. My booth has curtain walls and ceiling I can slide closed when I spray and push out of the way when I am not. The ceiling has a clear vinyl panel and the light shines through the vinyl.
However, if I were spraying a table top laying horizontally, the overhead light would actually cause a glare that would keep me from seeing the spray pattern as well as I like. Then I shut off the overhead and turn on quartz work lights on movable tripods. I would set the location and height of the light to cast a glancing light across the table surface. I keep these lights upstream of the airflow so the spray really never touches them. I've seen lights as simple as the aluminum reflector lights with the squeeze clip mounted to whatever, just so you have enough of them in the right place.
If you mount small projects on a turntable, you set the lights before you start spraying then spin the project as you spray so the lights are always upstream and effective.
fmr

[Leigh Betsch]

Right now I'm using a halogen task lighting that I shine in through the plastic curtain. I think a task light will always be necessary so I can see the finish better. I'm only spraying waterborn but I can see that I'll want to spray alcohol based shellac at some time, so I'm keeping my eyes open for a used explosion proof fan and lights. Is there an explosion proof task light?

[Glen Butler]

In my spray booth it was important for me to have an explosion proof fan because all the volatile stuff was flying past it. As for lighting there is constantly clean air blowing past them. Even with out a fan the chances of an explosion are so small. Incandescent lights with as hot as they get are not capable of triggering an explosion. Add a fan to the mix so the flammable gases cannot even get to the fixtures, there really is no danger. You are probably more likely to get struck by lightening.

The problem is that you have one freak accident and legislation comes out to protect that situation. Bureaucrats have more time than common sense or field experience and it still important to protect that .00001% especially in a work environment.

[Gerry Werth]

[QUOTE= But, I need a light. I have 4ft 2 bulb sealed fluorescence lights in the rest of the shop. These were installed by the previous owner and appear to be a wash down type if light. My question is should I relocate one or two of these lights to the new finishing room, should I look for an explosion proof light, halogen, or go with an incandescent fixture or two. What type of light would be the best to have when viewing and matching colors?[/QUOTE]

Move at least two of those 4' sealed flourescent fixtures in your booth, and put in 6500K or 7000K bulbs. The higher the K temp, the closer to natural sunlight, which is the best light for color matching, run seeking, coverage determining light.

[Jack Lindsey]

The higher the K temp, the closer to natural sunlight, which is the best light for color matching, run seeking, coverage determining light.

Not exactly. Sunlight varies from about 2000K at sunrise to about 10000K at noon on a summer day in Denver. For color matching I'd use a Chroma 50 which is specifically designed for that purpose.