winter is coming

[sunnybob]

and its getting dark in my man cave.
i have a few spot lamps salvaged from a skip and a couple flourescents that are barely operating. So its time to go LeD.

My machinery is in two rows along each side of a single car garage (NO CAR!), so suggestions please to get light over the working areas without them being so low I bang my head (6ft 2") or they block the wall shelving.
ta.

 

[PAC1]

You can get LED tubes for your existing tube lighting. I have also seen very thin LED panels that can fixed on the wall or ceiling

 

[sunnybob]

Dont really want to keep the flourescents. They are only 2 x 3 fts, and over a 15 ft run of wall, have no value at all at the machine face.

 

[AndyT]

Watch Peter Millard's helpful video on this subject on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/TrukKsGFGO8

 

[Beau]

LED flat panels seem to be the way to go. Just put one in over my metal working bench and just love the light from it and lack of shadows. There was a good thread on here a short while ago about LED panels with links to some well priced ones which several members recommended.

Edit. led-battens-t106625.html

 

[Richard863]

With the cost of LED replacement units cost sub £25 the lighting difference is phenomenal, the power saving factor is more pennies for G&Ts if thats your pleasure. Whilst initial surge current is far higher but this only lasts micro seconds then in my case with 3 x 5ft units is 30Watts
Go for them
Richard

Oh google QVS

 

[sunnybob]

Hmmm, I like the idea of those square panels, but the roof of my garage is sloped and tiled with a lot of unused space up there and I have a region specific problem. Even in winter I suffer from a large amount of creepy crawlies in the garage due to having wild ground all around me. I dont want to think what might make its home on top of those and then fall on my head as I'm routing something. In summer it could be a big as a 5 inch gecko.

Also, as I cant mount them directly above my work area due to wall shelves, will I cast a shadow over the bench?

Dont really want to spend 100's on tubes, but if I have to put a false ceiling in to protect myself from flying lizards, thats about the same cash.

 

[sunnybob]

has anyone built their own custom shape LeD boxes? i think i will need some about the shape of normal flourescents because those square panels are just not going to work for me.

 

[Beau]

has anyone built their own custom shape LeD boxes? i think i will need some about the shape of normal flourescents because those square panels are just not going to work for me.

Not me but remember seeing this guys page some years back. Dont know how up to date it is though http://wookware.org/DIY/LEDlighting.html

 

[El Barto]

I need to do this too. I've got one fluorescent (in a socket, not switched) in the corner of what is essentially a small barn. But it's so expensive getting it all wired in!!! Arghhh. Peter's LED panels look great though, thanks for that.

 

[monkeybiter]

Is your workshop painted white Bob [including the ceiling]? If so, how about a couple of LED spotlights pointed at the ceiling so as not to shine into your eyes, they're cheap as chips and might provide sufficient diffused light.
Might work for you El Barto.

I wish my workshop was full of geckos.

 

[sunnybob]

The walls are painted concrete, a kind of off white / magnolia, but there are loys of shelves and brackets. The ceiling is T&G wood brown stained in a double sloping and tiled roof.
i need light only on the work areas, rather than panels in the middle of the ceiling. I want LED though, so something like kitchen under shelf style, but bigger and brighter would be ideal.
I have to go to the electrical wholesaler tomorrow, so i shall ask them whats available here.

 

[El Barto]

Is your workshop painted white Bob [including the ceiling]? If so, how about a couple of LED spotlights pointed at the ceiling so as not to shine into your eyes, they're cheap as chips and might provide sufficient diffused light.
Might work for you El Barto.

I wish my workshop was full of geckos.

It's a good idea in theory but unfortunately it's a dark old barn as you can see here: https://imgur.com/oOhoRXU

(Excuse the mess we just moved in & I share the space with my girlfriend who's a ceramicist).

Sorry for hijacking the thread!

 

[sunnybob]

I wish my workshop was full of geckos.

nah you dont.

They make a lot of noise that I wasnt aware of before coming here and they live in between the tiles and the T&G, and all you can hear are the pitter patter of little clawed feet scurrying about. Sounds like birds on the roof.
And every so often it gets spooky when you find a tin on its side when you KNOW it was upright yesterday.
Luckily they are starting to hibernate now, so not so many rushing about.
I was watching a small house gecko up on the flat ceiling of the porch a while back, 3 metres above ground, upside down, and it was only about 3" including its tail. They eat the moths and flies up there. As I watched it fell. Straight down. about 40 times its own body length. I heard the smack as it hit. It didnt even hesitate. it got itself right way up and climbed straight back up to the roof again. Amazing things.