Shop lighting article in PWA

[Ron in Indiana]

I just got my Sept issue of the PWA and read one of the most informative articles I've come across. The article is on shop lighting which is well written and gives insight to what is available to illuminate your work area. My hat is off the Dave Coston for explaining the various lighting choices for our shops. Well done.

[Gordon Maney]

I am glad you liked it. I thought it was great, and an important topic, too.

[75Crew]

Shop lighting article in PWA

Ron and Gordon: Thanks for the compliments. Glad to be able to share the knowledge!

[Ron in Indiana]

Dave being a contractor doesn't make me an electrician so any help I can get on the subject is good news. I have a 60 x 80 metal building in which my dad installed incandescent keyless light fixtures in 1978. Of course the life of the 200 watt bulbs is not that long usually. I have since switched to CFL's to lower my wattage and I now have a brighter light. The CFL's are $15 a piece with a stated life of 10,000 hours. I have not replaced all of the old bulbs yet but probably should. So in your article it's best to leave the lights on when I go to lunch as opposed to turning them off? I have old 8 foot fluorescent lights in my paint prep area that came from the outside of a store marquee. They do a decent job but should I be stocking up on tubes? I believe they are the single contact end tubes??? My ceiling is from 12 ft at the outside walls to 17 ft at the peak. I need better lighting than the keyless fixtures, what would you recommend? The PWA articles don't always have to be about PW's.

[75Crew]

Ron: For the life of the lamps, it is best to cycle them as little as possible. Turning off 20 - 15watt CFL's over lunch hour will only save you about $.03 per day depending on your electric rate.


It is no longer legal to manufacture 8' T-12 fluorescent lamps in large quantities so those that are available now due to remaining supply will continue to rise in price as they become extinct. One solution you may want to look at as the price rises on the 8' T-12 lamps is to convert to 8' T-8 lamps ($5-$7each) and electronic ballast ($15-$20 each) which will allow you to use the same lampholder(socket) setup that you have in your fixture. You will get some energy savings and considerably brighter light for not a lot of $$ invested.

[W_A_Watson_II]

Here's an interesting option, remove the ballast and install a LED Tube Light (available in 8').

http://www.earthled.com/flseries.html

Yikes, very pricey though! $115 for an 8'er

http://www.eaglelight.com/category/l...ights-t8t5t10/

[75Crew]

LED replacements for fluorescent lamps

In addition to being very pricey, if you look closely at the spec sheet you will find that this LED tube produces about 3000 lumens compared to about 5500 lumens for a T-8 fluorescent lamp so you would need to use about 2X as many LED tubes to light up your shop. The 50,000 hour life is nice but if you need long life (i.e. you leave your lights on 24hr/day and you don't want to change them out but every 5 yrs or so), you would likely be better off going to a 4' fluorescent fixture where lamps are available in T-8 or T-5 that also give 50,000 hour life for about 1/10th the price of the LED tubes. LED is a nice technology but the high price makes the benefits out of reach for most people.

[Clint Dixon]

I have not received my issue yet, and probably will not until after the rest of the country has received theirs (thanks to our wonderful postal disservice, but I am definately looking forward to reading the article as I hope to build a shop someday.

I would also like to see some information on different ways to heat a shop if anyone would like to write up an article. I am concerned about open flames, energy cost, etc.

[DrPepper]

Excellent article...got my PWA today...!!!

I started using the compact florescent 60W covered bulbs in my drop lights over a year ago, it's not about energy or color. I just don't like leaving my hide on the hot metal cover with a 60W incandescent. The CF bulbs are soooo much cooler to use and seem to hold up fairly well to the abuse.

Like a lot of things new shop fixtures are "on the list"...LOL.
DrPepper

[W_A_Watson_II]

Got mine today as well, looking forward to reading the article.

[712edf]

Got mine today, informative & well written article.

Now if I just had a shop.

Bucky

[Hobcobble]

I wish there were some sort of "filter" to use with my
"old school" stereo receiver I use in my new shop. I
have T-8 lamps and my receiver produces too much
static when they're on. As for the lamps themselves,
I like them.
John

[W_A_Watson_II]

That was a great article! THANKS.

[712edf]

I wish there were some sort of "filter" to use with my
"old school" stereo receiver I use in my new shop. I
have T-8 lamps and my receiver produces too much
static when they're on. As for the lamps themselves,
I like them.
John

John, does the static occur because the antenna picks it up, or is it from the lights being on the same circuit? I've had radios act crazy when something was plugged into same outlet, yet do nothing when same device (ie. shop vac, drill) was plugged in elsewhere.

And I admit, I'm a notice when it comes to all things electric.

Bucky

[Bob Thompson]

I wish there were some sort of "filter" to use with my
"old school" stereo receiver I use in my new shop. I
have T-8 lamps and my receiver produces too much
static when they're on. As for the lamps themselves,
I like them.
John

Have you tried running your receiver with a computer type power strip? They have chokes and caps to quiet transients and line noise.
If it's tube type and you have a 7cu4 it has to have the little tin shield or it picks up all sorts of noise from its own power supply. A lot of people take the shield of and discard it when they change the tube.

Yeah I know , tube theory makes me ancient.