Two Questions about Garage Shop

[Matt Guyrd]

My "shop" is in my two-car garage. With less daylight and colder temps upon us, I am finding that I have both inadequate lighting and heat.

First question. On the ceiling of the garage are two standard light fixtures each fixture holding one standard 100W light bulb. Can I replace these two fixtures with two 120V fluorescent fixtures (each holding two 35W tubes) using T-8 Ballasts without any electrical issues? Physically, I know it is possible...just a matter of three wires and mounting. I believe the circuit is only 15A and do not know exactly what is on the circuit yet. Seems as though I should be able to replace a total of 200W (two 100W bulbs) for 140W (four 35W tubes), but I do not know if the ballasts require special attention.

Second question is about heat in my garage. I live in northern Virginia, so the winters are not brutal by any means, but not T-shirt weather either. I am looking for a heating source that will allow me to work in, say, 60-degrees give or take 5-degrees. There are several different types of heaters. Which type is safer in respect to a woodshop environment? Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Matt

[Tyler Howell]

Hey Matt,
Providing nothing else is on that lighting CKT you could put 4 and maybe 6 fluorescent fixtures in yourshop. I'm assuming (very dangerous in this game) that is a dedicated lighting ckt with it's own breaker.
More info on the heat please.
I like to start with keeping what I have.
Weather stripping and insulation are the first line.
Then wood, gas electric and building codes will dictate the rest.
I like to keep the garage at least 36* to keep the condensation down when not in use and about 60 when working.

[Dave Richards]

I replaced the light bulb sockets on my garage ceiling with receptacles in round plates. Then I hung two 8' flourescent fixtures that I had wired up with cords with plugs. I figure if I ever move and want the flourescents, I can reverse it all.

As far as heat, I ran a gas line out and hung a Hot Dawg heater from the ceiling. A t-stat controls it and I set it back to 45° when I'm not out there. Keeps stuff from freezing anyway.

[Matt Guyrd]

Thanks for the quick response! You can always rely on the Creek.

Tyler and Dave, thanks for the lighting info. It's good to know I can make the conversion. Dave, I particularly like the idea of using outlets with round cover plates. The fluorescent light fixtures with cords are cheaper too.

Although the Hot Dawg is a great solution, it is likely more than I need. My heating goal is strickly to keep the chill out while working/playing. My question, although not clear in the first post, is geared towards the type of heating I can use that is safe. I was thinking like something along the lines of this...
heater.jpg
Or would I be better off (safety-wise) with a radiant/electrical type heater? Mostly concerned about fires/combustion. I do not spray finishes. Mostly make a lot of sawdust, although I am diligent about keeping the space clean.

I'm from NH originally, so working in cool temperatures are fine with me. I don't need a permanent heating solution.

Thanks again!
Matt

[Jon Shively]

Just throwing my two cents in here, in Indiana since I don't keep my garage heated to a minimum like stated above at least 36 degrees, when I do go out to work I have condensation and my equipment tops, TS, Joiner and stuff has the option of rusting quickly and badly.

[jay hanks]

I tried the heater like the one pictured but did not like it that much. I eneded up getting a fan assited torpedo type heater, still gas fired but it works well enough. I just warm the place up let it cool off and then clean up any dust and cover it up. I move it to my outside storage shed at the end of the winter season.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Matt,

Using a non vented propane or gas heater will make the condensation even worse as they give off water as they burn. If you can get or have lower cost eletric for heating that would be my choice or look for a vented heater like the Monitor brand www.monitorproducts.com (no conection) or other that is vented.

[Mark Patoka]

Matt, I'm pretty much in the same setup as you. I have 3 of the 4' flourescent fixtures just plugged in using extension cord to an adapter in the standard light bulb socket.

For heat I use a propane torpedo type forced-air Reddy Heater to take the chill out when the garage temp drops below 50. It doesn't have to run long to get it to 55-60 degrees and I don't leave it run constantly on low so I'm not too worried about fumes or any gases. I don't have spray equipment and am careful about extreme dust generation to avoid any type of explosion hazard.

Being from North country also I don't mind working out in a cold shop. Just have to move some gluing and finishing operations inside during extremely cold periods.

[JayStPeter]

Matt,
I live near DC as well. I had a 2 car uninsulated garage and found electric heaters too wimpy to do any good at all. I wound up with a propane heater and on colder days it still took an hour to get it up to reasonable temps (ie 50s). If I hadn't moved, I'd have insulated and installed a hot dawg type heater.

In my old garage there were two light fixtures on the ceiling. I wound up hanging 5 dual bulb flourescent fixtures. I climbed into the attic and ran wires from the two boxes to the other fixtures. It still wasn't as much light as I'd have preferred, but much better than I started with. I left the 2 100-watt bulbs also.

[Frank Fusco]

One of the round kerosene (K1) heaters should do a good job for you. I used to use one in a two car garage and after a couple hours it would run me out with the heat. They are safe but do consume oxygen so you should have a couple small 'leaks' for O2 replacement. I reccomend. But do use ONLY K1 kero, the water clear stuff. Ordinary heating fuel or diesel in one of those will put off fumes that will kill you.
An alternative would be an unvented propane gas heater. Very efficient and not expensive. In winter humidity is low, the added water vapors won't be noticed.

[Tom Henry]

I had some duct work that was running through the ceiling and I just tapped into that...

[David G Baker]

I tried a non vented propane heater and found that it had a major moisture problem. My shop is a 30x40 pole barn that I keep at around 50 degrees all winter with a 75,000 BTU Hot Dawg natural gas heater. The building is very well insulated and it costs around $35 a month for gas.
As for using fluorescent lights on power tools, it may be OK for wood working tools but can cause problems in viewing your cutting tool and metal when using a metal lathe or milling machine.
I use tungsten lights for direct over head lighting and fluorescent for general over all lighting. It takes a while for the fluorescents to reach full light output in cold weather because I do not have the cold temp ballasts.
I was going to insulate and heat my attached garage but found that the warm air accelerates the corrosive action of the road salt on my vehicles.
DG Baker

[Matt Guyrd]

Thanks guys...all very good info to ponder, particularly the moisture issue as it would pertain to my tools. I have my surfaces waxed well. My wife and I actually park our vehicles in the garage still, so moisture from wet cars (rain and/or snow), hasn't been an issue yet...I keep a good eye on the cast iron surfaces.

For what it is worth, I live in an interior unit townhouse, so three of the four walls and the ceiling are insulated...the biggest lost of heat is through the garage door itself, which isn't too bad. I like the exchange of air.

I'll consider electric, vented and non-vented LP, and kerosene for heat sources...cost may be the driving force.

I saw the standard light fixture with an outlet at the borg for 3 bux...hanging corded fluorescents seems like an easy and effective lighting solution.

As expected, I am armed with a lot more info than when I started...thanks again. Do you guys offer investment advice too?

Matt

[Douglas Robinson]

Matt:

I just moved from NVa to NC. I highly recommend insulating your garage door if you haven't already. It is relatively inexpensive and will help regulat the heat in your shop.

Doug

[Rick Christopherson]

One thing that I have not noticed being discussed is that not all florescent lights will work well in colder temperatures. Make sure that whatever fixtures you get can handle the colder temperature.

As for how may lamps, a dedicated lighting circuit can handle over 1500 watts of light. Even though your lights probably share the circuit with another lighting system, you won't likely exceed the circuit capacity.