# Best lighting for a workshop?



## Froggy (12 Dec 2016)

Hi All,

Just considering converting a barn into a bench working area and wondered what you considered good lighting for a dark barn? Fluorescent, sodium or something else?


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## Fitzroy (12 Dec 2016)

Oh, this will be interesting, thinking about the same thing myself. I'd add the following option for good or bad option. LED flat panel ie. 

https://www.ledbulbcentre.co.uk/product ... 7QodOq4EaA

F.


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## Neil S (12 Dec 2016)

Not really lighting but painting it white inside will make a huge difference and is very economic

I have lots of florescent tubes in my garage and a small anglepois lamp over the workbench to when I need to light something specific
-Neil

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk


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## deema (12 Dec 2016)

I've just placed lighting in my new Workshop and asked Ansell to design the lighting, which they did for free, they recommended LED fluorescent style lights, which are absolutely awesome. Virtually no shadow anywhere in the workshop, andbetter than daylight!

I would definitely include some units with emergency lighting for when you trip the power! Makes a high difference for safely getting things sorted out.

Ansell are not cheap, but then again, the cost difference is not that much. They are I believe recognised as one of the better light manufacturers.

I bought the units from shop4electrical, best prices I could find.


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## Froggy (12 Dec 2016)

deema":1vaqpvg1 said:


> I've just placed lighting in my new Workshop and asked Ansell to design the lighting, which they did for free, they recommended LED fluorescent style lights, which are absolutely awesome. Virtually no shadow anywhere in the workshop, andbetter than daylight!
> 
> I would definitely include some units with emergency lighting for when you trip the power! Makes a high difference for safely getting things sorted out.
> 
> ...



What size is your workshop? And what size and how many lights did you fit?


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## Froggy (12 Dec 2016)

Neil S":22forhgl said:


> Not really lighting but painting it white inside will make a huge difference and is very economic
> 
> I have lots of florescent tubes in my garage and a small anglepois lamp over the workbench to when I need to light something specific
> -Neil
> ...


Thanks Neil, I'll probably paint the ceiling white but I'm not sure about the walls yet. I did think about a lamp for the work bench but I find with lamps I always get shadows as I change the angle of work.


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## NickN (12 Dec 2016)

I've specified these for my workshop shed, electrics to be installed soon:

https://www.led-supplies.com/led-panels ... 0mm-4000k/

Daylight LED panels - even more important for me as there are no windows. These ones also have brackets available which enables fitting to a wall.


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## deema (13 Dec 2016)

My workshop is 30' by 45'. I've used 12 lights, they are all ASLED 2x5 58w


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## Phil Pascoe (13 Dec 2016)

As above - paint everything white first. Put in just enough lighting to see what you're doing if it's dark, and put good LED lighting where you actually need it. You don't need the place lit like a xmas tree - I can work at my bench comfortably with 20w of lighting. Why pay more?
If you must light the whole place well, put in different circuits so you can switch off what you don't need at any given time.


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## SteveF (14 Dec 2016)

I am using these
not the cheapest but good light
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/KBBAT5.html

Steve


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## deema (14 Dec 2016)

There are lots of good LED solutions, I chose lighting which was sealed, the reason being that if water can't get into it....dust can't either. I've found that standard light fittings soon get clogged with dust and the actual light output reduces quickly. This is irrespective of the quality of the dust extraction!

Beware of LED lights that claim a certain output, it's not the wattage that's important, it's the actual LUX of light. Some units have LED drivers that over drive the LEDs and reduce their life expectancy to achieve a higher LUX at a lower manufactured cost.


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## andersonec (14 Dec 2016)

Daylight LED's must be the answer, not only for the cost of running but the colour of the light which is close to daylight. my instructor back in the 60's said not to use fluorescent lighting because the frequency it operates at could mimic the speed of your planer blades and in a noisy workshop and with ear defenders on it could have a strobe-like effect and make it look like your blades are at a standstill, never experienced it but could be a talking point.

Andy


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## Beau (14 Dec 2016)

Still on fluorescent tubes in my workshop. They are still every bit efficient if not more so than most LEDs at around 100 lumens per watt. There is more to it than that though as colour and direction of the light can make big differences to usable light.

Watching this thread with interest and found this in my travels. Worth scrolling down the the chat below for some interesting discussion.
http://lumald.com/2013/05/29/leds-not-a ... he-answer/

Edit. Oh and as said paint them walls and ceiling white to make the most of whatever you put in there.


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## Froggy (14 Dec 2016)

andersonec":2nnq26ek said:


> Daylight LED's must be the answer, not only for the cost of running but the colour of the light which is close to daylight. my instructor back in the 60's said not to use fluorescent lighting because the frequency it operates at could mimic the speed of your planer blades and in a noisy workshop and with ear defenders on it could have a strobe-like effect and make it look like your blades are at a standstill, never experienced it but could be a talking point.
> 
> Andy



The 'strobe light effect' won't be an issue with me as the room I'm lighting won't have any machinery in.


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## Froggy (14 Dec 2016)

Beau":23vuo8l2 said:


> Still on fluorescent tubes in my workshop. They are still every bit efficient if not more so than most LEDs at around 100 lumens per watt. There is more to it than that though as colour and direction of the light can make big differences to usable light.
> 
> Watching this thread with interest and found this in my travels. Worth scrolling down the the chat below for some interesting discussion.
> http://lumald.com/2013/05/29/leds-not-a ... he-answer/
> ...



Very interesting article Beau. On the one hand I couldn't make my mind up which option was best (fluo or led) on the other hand they seemed so close it doesn't seem worth stressing over it because they are both so close!
Didn't really want to paint the walls white, but I have conceded that it may be wise to paint the area where I need the light most (around my bench).


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## Froggy (14 Dec 2016)

deema":12xkcsyf said:


> There are lots of good LED solutions, I chose lighting which was sealed, the reason being that if water can't get into it....dust can't either. I've found that standard light fittings soon get clogged with dust and the actual light output reduces quickly. This is irrespective of the quality of the dust extraction!
> 
> Beware of LED lights that claim a certain output, it's not the wattage that's important, it's the actual LUX of light. Some units have LED drivers that over drive the LEDs and reduce their life expectancy to achieve a higher LUX at a lower manufactured cost.


Deema how do we spot the ones that do and don't have the 'over drive'?


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## Froggy (14 Dec 2016)

phil.p":10jqkd2b said:


> As above - paint everything white first. Put in just enough lighting to see what you're doing if it's dark, and put good LED lighting where you actually need it. You don't need the place lit like a xmas tree - I can work at my bench comfortably with 20w of lighting. Why pay more?
> If you must light the whole place well, put in different circuits so you can switch off what you don't need at any given time.


Good points Phil, I'll definitely put in different circuit. The place is 9 x 4 metres and most of the time I will be only using it for bench work in a small corner.


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## PAC1 (14 Dec 2016)

Earlier this year I changed all my fluorescent tubes to LED tubes. The light is better and more even. I am happy with the change. The 2013 article was interesting but the price point of LED's has changed so I would suggest checking the current price.


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## woodpig (14 Dec 2016)

I don't like the quality of light I've seen from some LED's. I've also read that many don't last anywhere near as long as they're claimed to. There's also the health aspect, it's not just about running costs:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... hting.aspx

I'm sticking with fluorescents for the time being.


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## Froggy (14 Dec 2016)

No one has mentioned Sodium lights yet. I guess there's a reason for that! I only bring them up because a friend of mine says he put two in a large barn and lit the place up like daylight and they were cheap to run. I have to point out that this friend is not known for his reliability, hence asking you guys!


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## Beau (14 Dec 2016)

Froggy":3ry3bvc1 said:


> No one has mentioned Sodium lights yet. I guess there's a reason for that! I only bring them up because a friend of mine says he put two in a large barn and lit the place up like daylight and they were cheap to run. I have to point out that this friend is not known for his reliability, hence asking you guys!



Councils are replacing sodiums streetlights with led which suggests they are cheaper to run not that everything councils do makes sense :roll: 

Metal halide is another option but again pretty sure they are not up with LED and fluo for efficiency.


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## skipdiver (14 Dec 2016)

Funnily enough, when i did my workshop refit, which involved boarding and painting the walls, i clonked 2 of my flourescent tubes and smashed them. Got 2 new ones and they are much brighter than before, despite being the same bulbs. Some of that will no doubt be the reflected light from the newly painted boarding but they seem brighter over and above that, which i think is down to old bulbs losing their sparkle over time? I was going to change to LED strips but i don't think i'll bother now. It's also quite confusing with LED strips when you read up on them and there is talk of removing the ballast from the light and some bulbs not having the correct safety rating. As ever, there are unscrupulous souls out there selling sub standard bulbs to the unwary.


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## deema (14 Dec 2016)

Sodiums loose luminescence very quickly, so what was bright initially quickly dims. From an efficiency perspective they are a poor choice, with a poor colour of light.

Flurecent tubes also loose their brightness with time, as do most light sources with the exception of LEDs that hold their brightness for longer with little dimming.

Without taking a LED light unit apart and knowing how to work out if the driving current has been maximised, there is no real way to know if a LED is being over driven. If it is, you will know when it prematurley fails! This is why there is some bad reviews / experiences with LEDs. The only real way to ensure you have a quality product, is to buy a quality brand from a reputable dealer / outlet to avoid fakes.


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## Beau (14 Dec 2016)

Froggy":2g07cu02 said:


> No one has mentioned Sodium lights yet. I guess there's a reason for that! I only bring them up because a friend of mine says he put two in a large barn and lit the place up like daylight and they were cheap to run. I have to point out that this friend is not known for his reliability, hence asking you guys!



Seems your unreliable friend is onto something http://lighting-guide.wikidot.com/f6-ge ... n-of-light


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