lights

[Jaromir Svoboda]

Hi, what lights would you use in your new shop?
I am planing my new woodshop and not sure about lights.

Thank you.

[John K Jordan]

Hi, what lights would you use in your new shop?
I am planing my new woodshop and not sure about lights.

Thank you.

Jaromir, there are a lot of threads here on lighting that you might be able to find with the search.

When I built my shop a few years ago I did a lot of research and decided on high output T5 fluorescent fixtures with electronic ballasts. They are amazing and perfect for me. I think they have several advantages over LED lighting but they cost more.

A lot of people are using LED fixtures and are happy with them too. Some of these fixtures are fairly cheap. Time will tell if they hold up over the years. Some LEDs have been shown to very gradually lose their brightness.

JKJ

[Mike Heidrick]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-Shop-lighting

[Mike Heidrick]

Shop size, layout, ceiling height, etc all play a role in determining what lights you should use.

Some people like the lights they have and I go in and cant believe they can work in it. Do it right and you will be amazed and it will be more comfortable to work in the shop.

I also did 6 bulb T5HO lights but mine are at 16' up.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jarfomir,

I used Jack Lindsey's original FWW article on shop lighting to design and set up the lighting for my shop. I used T-8 lighting and really like it.

[Julie Moriarty]

Whatever lights you choose, look into color temperature (K value), too. When you are finishing a piece, it's helpful when the lights mimic a color similar to the environment the piece will be going.

[John K Jordan]

Jaromir,

I think we would be wise to plan for the future, too. As we age our eyes get less sensitive and we need far more light. Some visitors joke that they need sunglasses in my shop, and that's with only 1/2 the bulbs lit!

One thing I really like about the electronic ballasts in the T5 fixtures is the feature that will selectively light either 1/2 or all of the bulbs. I wired them so my normal light switch powers just two of the 4 bulbs in each fixture. I mounted a second light switch higher on the wall which enables the other bulbs when I need them. For most work I don't turn them on but when needed I can flip that switch to double the light in the shop.

I also put my fixtures in zones so I don't waste power lighting areas where I'm not working, with a light-doubling switch in each zone. To go along with that, an additional switch at the door powers a string of widely-spaced recessed light cans strung from one end of the shop to the other, through several rooms. These give me just enough light to walk anywhere in the shop to get tools or supplies without powering up the "big" lights.

I wired in switched receptacles for task lighting at the bandsaw, metal lathe/milling machine, and wood lathe so I can flip on multiple directed lights with one switch. I suspect that some of the finished woodturnings I've seen from others could have been improved with better lighting.

Another thing you might want to design when planning shop lighting is emergency lighting in case of power loss. They are battery operated, cheap and are usually hard-wired but you can add cords and plug them into receptacles installed high on the walls. I have some that are lights only and one that has lights plus a big red exit sign.

JKJ

[Andy Giddings]

LED tube fittings worked best for me - a lot brighter and more consistent than fluorescent (no flickering) and available in different color temps. I have 5 double 4 foot units in a 400 sq ft shop with 9ft ceiling - gives out plenty of light for me

[John Jenkins4]

I put 12 of these in a 26" x 32" new build. Although more than needed, I always have one nearby overhead where I need it. They're on two switches (in an overlapping pattern), and I rarely turn on all 12. A bit pricey, but worth it to me.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-...L-MV/203812710

With LEDs, I'd go with 35k or 40K rather than 50K (I find 50K just too bright). Equally important is color rendition (CRI). In the shop, I wouldn't consider anything less than 80 CRI; in the house nothing less than 90 CRI.

I added plugs to mine so they aren't hard wired. If you have too many, you can unplug one. This also means I have 12 ceiling outlets scattered around. No telling when or where you might want a 110 drop in the future!

[Eric Keller]

I have less than 8' ceilings, and my family seems to jump around upstairs. I thought that was only true when they were kids, but they still seem to shake the shop lights that are hard mounted to the ceiling enough to make them rattle. So I'm converting to led downlights in j-boxes. Right now I'm not worrying about the quality of the light, but it seems fine to me.

[Bill Dufour]

I like the way my father designed his shop lighting 75 years ago. He installed quad outlet boxes where he thought lights should go. Plugged in hanging florescent fixtures where he wanted and could move them around a bit to best positions. Can add more fixtures as needs change.
Today I have similar in my shop but LED tubes now.
I am not impressed by LED lifetime. The LEDs last fine but power supplies burn out and the whole tube must be tossed. The cheap ones do not last any longer then florescents. get ones with a separate power supply.
Bill

[Keith Outten]

There is a good article here concerning shop lights.

[Allan Dozier]

Even a year or two ago deciding on LED vs. fluorescent was a tough choice but nowadays I would never go back to using fluorescent tubes. My lights were delivered several days ago. Here is what I ordered:

http://www.beeslighting.com/product-...0l-40k-d10.htm

I also am adding several high bay LEDs on the peak ceilings of part of my shop that are around 20 ft. but only the tubes on the 10 and 11 ft. ceilings.

[John K Jordan]

I am not impressed by LED lifetime. The LEDs last fine but power supplies burn out and the whole tube must be tossed. The cheap ones do not last any longer then florescents. get ones with a separate power supply.

That worries me about LEDs, along with reports that the light intensity from some LEDs have fallen off far more quickly than ever imagined. Unfortunately, if it is gradual there is no good way to know other than keep a spare and plug it in for comparison every year or so. Or monitor with a light meter. Evidently one culprit is heat with some manufacturers able to sell lights cheaper by omitting the needed heat sinks or manufacturing or even mounting in a way (e.g. flush) that keeps heat from being removed.

I bought two very nice LED porch lights for my shop porch. One quit after 2-3 years. They don't even offer that model any more. I wish I had used a conventional fixture with an LED bulb.

I bought some 4' LED fixture for the barn - if one goes bad I have to throw away the whole fixture and buy a new one. If a high-intensity T5 bulb in the shop fails I can replace it easily.

JKJ

[Andy Giddings]

I got most of my LED tubes from Amazon (Hyperikon brand) - there's been no fall off in measured intensity or any other issues in the 2 years they've been installed and I typically run them 8hrs/day almost every day. Of course they should last considerably longer (rated for about 8-9 years) but I'll probably have moved by then :-) Even if they last half that time, I would still consider them an upgrade from fluorescent.