From: http://www.everlightmfg.com/garage-lighting-ideas/
Lighting up your dim-lit garage with cheap light fixtures readily available in the market may seem pretty straightforward a process. But it’s actually easier said than done. For lighting up a two-car or a single-car garage, you must first remove the porcelain fixtures. Mind the wires and cables and take a DIY guide with you before installing or upgrading garage lighting fixtures. If you are looking for ideas for garage lighting, here are garage lighting ideas that might just fall in line with your needs and expectations.
Consider the best options cost, light output and power efficiency to light up a large garage
You need to take into consideration the lux (lx) needed for lighting efficiency. 400 lux should be enough for woodworking. However, you may need to go higher (up to 800 lux) for more detailed work. 9W garage LED lights come with a long life and the power output is around 112-187lm/W. you can easily get 60,000 hours lamp life (which translates into seven years nonstop) if you buy LED lighting fixtures from a reputable manufacturer. These LED tubes snugly fit into those T80 fixtures. The only downside of having LED garage lighting instead of fluorescent ones is that you probably need a technician to come over and do the job, which would add to the setup cost.
Are LED garage lights worth it?
Garage Lighting Ideas LED Chart
If you compare LED with compact fluorescent, the former is the obvious winner. One great advantage of using LED lights in garage or workshop environment is that these lights turn on right when you switch them on (zero cold start issues). A single LED T8 tube gives roughly 20% more light than a T12 fluorescent tube. With fluorescent, incandescent and LED, all three being in use in American garages and shops, LED happens to be the clear winner inside. It simply means that an LED lighting fixture can light up a garage space (and a quite large one) a lot better than a fluorescent one. Opt for the warm white garage lighting fixtures (LED) and you would be good to go.
Note for garage owners, when buying LED lights from overseas manufacturers, suppliers or retailers or from s hop nearby, always look for the ‘No RFI’ label. RFI stands for Radio Frequency Interference. If a product label reads ‘No RFI’, it means that the fixture does not produce any electrical noise.
Replacing fluorescent with LEDs – Wise choice for garage owners?
Though the buy-in price of LEDs is relatively high, the light output is fantastic. Do not use a light meter for comparing a traditional fluorescent garage light and an LED garage light as the meter reading would be lower than the actual. While garage LED lighting manufacturers often try to promote the idea of ‘energy-saving’ indoor lighting, there are two other great reasons which they often fail to highlight in their marketing campaigns. Light output quality and longevity are the two other reasons why you should choose LED lights for your garage or workshop.
Another nice thing about garage LEDs is that they warm garage indoors too fast. Therefore, replacing your traditional lighting for the new-age LED lights could be an even better idea during winter months. Lastly, if you are doing it yourself, screw in the lighting fixtures tightly so that the thing stays there for years together.
Here’s your checklist for installing environment-friendly, cost-effective and long-life LED lights in your garage. You need to choose the right lighting products first. Next you need to locate the wires and cables and be careful during installation.
Do not buy LED garage lights from unscrupulous manufacturers. Do a good research before buying them online.
