Pierre Gillet Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 Before any winter upgrade I need to improve the lighting of my garage. Who knows the number of Watts per square meter that would be necessary to have a comfy work place with no shadow ?Cheers, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edzup Ezzer Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 I don't think that 'watts per square metre' is the criteria you need. The larger the light source the better for eliminating shadows which generally means flouresecent tubes. I think these are more usually sold by length than anything else. The other useful thing to do is white paint on the walls (and ceiling if possible). Make the most of what (light) you've got as they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted November 17, 2001 Share Posted November 17, 2001 I have 4 X 150w halogen lamps in a 20 foot square garage. They have the added benefit over flourescent that they heat it too! Fat Arn The NOW PROVEN R500 Eaterid=red> See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morls Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Pierre, It's all done in Lux. 100Lux is dull, 300 Lux is good. The watts neeeded depend on light/diffuser/reflection quality and distance from the worksurface. I have a design calc sheet at work which I can check tommorrow and post tommorrow night. This will say how many of a given fitting will be needed. Flouro fittings will work out much better than tungsten filaments for any general lighting. Low level perimeter lighting is also very handy to avoid dark corners and is best done in the sturdy bulkhead type fittings. More info due tommorow. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Gillet Posted November 18, 2001 Author Share Posted November 18, 2001 So that 300 LUX would probably be best for working on our tiny autos! Mark, I am looking forward to the calculation. My garage is about 4 m X 4 m. I figure a combo of flourescent tubes as mentioned by Ezzer,and halogen lamps "à la Arnie" for the heating function. Would it be an acceptable design ? Cheers, Pierre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millsn Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Here's one then - I've been trying to find omewhere that does that sort of lamp that you see below signs outside cinemas that they put flush n the concrete floor. My reckoning is that coulod light up the underside of a 7 quite nicely and do away with th need for lead lamps etc. Can I find any? No. Any suggestions as to how to light the underside of the car? Nigel Mills - 2.0 Zetec carbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morls Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Pierre, The Halogen lamps are inefficient as a lighting medium in summer due to energy being lost as heat, as a heating medium the radiant heat generated only acts on surfaces it falls on and without air movement will take a while to warm up an area. The other problem with using any, (non forced air movement), heating system at high level in a garage is the almost immediate loss of heat through a non insulated roof. Electric fan heaters, or preferably a fan coil connected into the central heating, are ideal for a couple of hours in the garage as the moving air will bring the area up to temp quickly. If mounted at high level and pointed down into the work space this design will tend to recirculate the already warm rising air rather than allow convection to take all the heat to (and through) the roof. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny. Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Funny this thread has come up as I'm just finishing a week completely re-jigging garage for the arrival back of my 47 (outstayed its welcome at mates garage) to sit next to 7. The main thing I've done is put plaster board ceiling in.......this straight away has stopped light from dispersing high into rafters. I've painted walls brilliant white and freshly floorpainted. It now looks really bright.....question for the boffins.... It's a 38foot long by 13foot wide garage and I have 3 off 8 foot flourescent tubes equi-spaced......is that ok?...other point is how do you seal or cut down on draught from a roll over door? as that's the only draughty place left now. I like the idea of the floor uplighters and I also am now thinking about what Arnie said about the Halogens......can I just directly swap them for the flourescents and how many would be needed to compare with what I have. Final tip........I've marked the "car working" areas of garage in factory style yellow lines....as a warning to the good lady not to encouch inside this area with shagged out lawn mowers, microwave boxes, heated terraniums and never to be used ab-toners. Before the clearout I reckon I had a working space of about 3 square foot!!!!!!!!!!!! Kenny HPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morls Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Nigel, Floor boxes are availible to accommodate sockets, lamps and data (for blattchatting under the car),outlets. Seperate halogen lighting-only types are availible which provide usefull undercar heat in winter. The boxes are usually galvanised to prevent corrossion and if setting into a floor the cables should be protected by 20mm conduit, (or bits of old wishbone/A-frame). We are actually carrying out a commercial garage lighing project for an aircraft hanger at the mo, most of the maintainable bits are under the wings so floor lights and low level perimiter fittings provide most of the usable task lighting. Try Newey and Eyre or City Electrical Factors for bits, or Phillips, Thorn, Whitecroft for catalogues and local supplier lists. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morls Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Kenny, The problem with swapping halogens for Flouros is the type of light produced, and the current drawn from the circuit. Halogens produce an intense (but inefficient in terms of lux/watt as plenty heat generated) light with a glare. This is dissimilar to the more gentle glow from a flouro fitting. Many Halogen fittings are 500watts each so in terms of energy usage and max no. per circuit these are not directly comparable with most flouros. The currnt drawn by a circuit is the limiting factor for number/rating of fittings. Most lighting circuits will have a fuse/breaker rating of 5A or 10A if 1.5mm cable is used. As power is current multiplied by voltage, and assuming 240V.... For a 5A fuse, 5x240=1200watts. If the total power needed to power the fittings exceeds 1200watts the fuse may blow. For a 10A circuit the total os 2400 watts. From this we can see that direct replacement of 8 flouros is not a simple option and would bump up the leccybill a lot. Warm garage tho. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny. Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Thanks for the answer Mark...I'll stick with the flouro's as they do seem quite a lot better now garage is minted up. Better get back to it, brew time over, one more piece of plaster board to go and finished. Kenny HPC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Martyr Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 The design lighting level for engine test cells and similar areas is 500 lux measured at 1 metre above floor. If you make the floor reflective you can even work more easily lying under it like I have been all weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHRIS CLARK Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Arnie is...............:- The answer to the electricity generating companies dreams !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjwb Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 F*** me! You have enough light when you can see!!!!!!!!!!! I am finding it increasingly difficult to reconcile some of the questions on this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asklepios Posted November 18, 2001 Share Posted November 18, 2001 Kenny, Garage door--lag with insulating wool/rockwool.Cheap and easy. Draughts from up and over are tackled by tacking thin plastic flashings over the gap.This only applies to the lower inner half of the door ,or else the mechanism jams.If you use Arnie`s halogen floodlights,you may welcome a draught or two. Once complete I assume you will house Rowland and tribe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 The flood lights are the best option, but you will need 4 of them as stated and this will create plenty of heat. I reccomend 12v strip lights. These can be purchased in a set from places like B&Q. The come with a 240v transformer. You just screw the strip to the rood and power then clip on bulbs. They are 50w Halogens and give off good quality light. You could run with 6 on each side of the car. They have the added bonus of being adjustable so you can point each one in a different direction. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILL FLY Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 The most important thing when lighting a garage, is to paint the walls and ceiling (floor optional) white. If you've got a breeze block garage, whatever lighting you fit will be hopelessly wasted trying to reflect off dull walls and ceiling. I've got a single garage with 3 x 5 ft single flourescant lights down the middle which is fairly adequate. See the build diary on my website for photos. See willfly.net for more info. If you don't spin you ain't trying smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 Surely predictable, but I have gone OTT and installed 7 double 5 ft striplights in my double garage together with a head melting 500watt floodlight for inspecting belly button lint. I've made a start on the walls too.. You can *never* have too much light. Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 In that case install a 200M ton Hydrogen Bomb and detinate, will provide plenty of light..... teeth.gif X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Perry Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 Like Oily, I agree you can never have enough light, I have 5 seperate 6 foot flouresants in mine, slightly staggered so that they also illuminate the sides of the car. I also have two 500w halogens on stands (blinding!) to direct light where you want it. Oh and an enormous space heater, that fires flames out the end, that provides some light ! Have to use it with the door open as its meant for heating large barns and it will warm the garage in about two minutes . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julians Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 I need some light in my garage, however I have a problem. The problem is that there is no mains electricity and it is too far to run an extension cable to. Anyone got any bright ideas on how I can light it (pardon the pun). Doesent need to be super bright, just needs to be bright enough to work in. I'm thinking of buying a caravan leisure battery and run some 12v strip lights off this. Not sure how long they would last before the battery would need recharging, and not too sure whether the light from this would be bright enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILL FLY Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 You'd be better buying a small generator and run the flurescant lights of it, they don't use much current you you wouldn't need Sizewell B to power them. It would also run an electric drill if needed. How about one of those sunbed things on a stand for when you work under the car or on the engine bay, a la F1. See willfly.net for more info. If you don't spin you ain't trying smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 12v is the only way to do it quietly. You could get a generator but that would be loud and the fumes unpleasent. I will calculate how long you can run the 12v lights for one moment. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red SLR Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 A car battery is about 60 Amp/Hr If you had 6 12v 20w spots then you will be putting a load of 10A on the battery. So in a perfect world you will get 6 hours use out of the battery. As it is not a perfect world I would say the light will dim at 4hrs. Get a good 100 A/H battery and you should get 6 - 7 hours use. That is enough for most work on the car. X777CAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julians Posted November 19, 2001 Share Posted November 19, 2001 I had considered a generator, but they are expensive (£200-£300), and I'd need some way of getting the fumes from it out into the open. Although it would be handy for 240V stuff ( and I suppose it would generate some heat). Plus the last generator I used was V noisy (but it was an old one), not sure if they're any quieter these days. I can get a 100amp/hour battery for about 45quid, and some 16w neon strip lights for 20 quid each from a caravan accesory shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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