John Dirks Jr Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 My 24'x36' post frame garage is under construction. I'm planning the wiring and lighting. I'd like some opinions on the types of fixtures and bulbs I should use. The garage will not be heated so whatever I use needs to perform well in cold temps. I will be installing two groups of three way switches (three switches in each group). One group between the two vehicle doors and the other group at the man door which is closer to the rear of the garage. My plan is to have three lighting zones which can be controlled from either location. I'm considering LED due to lower energy use and good cold weather performance. I was thinking maybe 12 of these and put them into standard 4' fluorescent double bulb fixtures and install two in each zone. These bulbs have 1600 lumens each so twelve of them will yield 19,200 lumen total. Is that enough for 24x36 garage? What are your opinions on other garage lighting ideas. I'm open to any suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 LED for sure. Not sure if your lumens are enough for the task lighting, but it should be fine for ambient. Get small spots for tool and task lighting if you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 That's the rough equivalent of a 100 watt incandescent bulb for every 72 square feet. Probably adequate for general lighting but Kurt's right, add some task lighting in there for work tables, etc. What's the ceiling height? Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 LED for sure. Not sure if your lumens are enough for the task lighting, but it should be fine for ambient. Get small spots for tool and task lighting if you need it. I had been thinking the same thing. Something portable like this for task lighting. Click to Enlarge 38.06 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 That's the rough equivalent of a 100 watt incandescent bulb for every 72 square feet. Probably adequate for general lighting but Kurt's right, add some task lighting in there for work tables, etc. What's the ceiling height? Marc 9.5' to 11' ceiling height. The front third has bottom chord truss and the rear 2/3 has scissor truss. I wanted to gain some extra height for possible 4 post vehicle lift at the back end of the garage. Bottom chord trusses near the front provide some limited storage but also facilitate supporting vehicle door tracks and door openers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Framing partially completed Click to Enlarge 84.96 KB Front view. The right post look crooked in this picture for some reason. But trust me, everything is square and plumb. Click to Enlarge 133.9 KB Side view Click to Enlarge 82.34 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I've like these type too. Click to Enlarge 14.98 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 I like the cheap clamp on types for my stationary power tools and one of those gooseneck jobs for my bench. I went LED in the apt. building; I got 4 times more light for about 1/4 the previous cost. Le Depot de Maison has some really good prices on LED stuff nowadays; I put 7 LED overheads in the boiler room...bright as can be and about $15 each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Port Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 You should be able to get some extra light just by pulling the yellow vehicle into the garage. I can't remember if that is the Vette or the Dodge truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2014 You should be able to get some extra light just by pulling the yellow vehicle into the garage. I can't remember if that is the Vette or the Dodge truck. Click to Enlarge 92.13 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Got Light? Here's one fixture with 2 Phillips T8 LED tubes. The tubes are 14 watts each so 28 watts per fixture. My plan now has 3 rows of 3 for a total of 9 fixtures at 252 watts total. Each row will be individually switched at both the man door and vehicle doors. Click to Enlarge 19.03 KB Click to Enlarge 63.16 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 I'd put the outer rows on a single switch and the inside row alone on another switch. With LED, I might even put the center fixture on it's own switch and the remaining ceiling fixtures on another. Gives you sort of a 'night' light. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Is there some way to integrate a strobe effect and mirror ball? One never knows when dance fever might strike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtblum Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 [utube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPiwcqPWpLs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="344"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 What are your headers bearing on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Nails. Ain't got any weight on them anyway. I guess John doesn't get termites in his part of the country. No one here has built a shop on dirt in over half a century. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 What are your headers bearing on? Roof loads carried as follows; 10 trusses total 4' on center including the gable trusses. The four trusses at inner post positions are bearing directly on the 6x6 laminated Tuff Post which are notched at the top for the bearing spot. Click to Enlarge 39.86 KB Click to Enlarge 51.56 KB The gable trusses are bearing on the headers which over hang the corner posts. The end gaps are filled with 2x6 and nailed in with 16d to extend the bearing surface for the gable trusses. Click to Enlarge 34.84 KB The remaining 4 trusses are bearing on the headers and are fastened with 2x6 pieces which are sandwiched between the header gaps. Click to Enlarge 45.32 KB Click to Enlarge 54.19 KB The headers fastened to the posts with 16d and structural ledger screws. Click to Enlarge 34.98 KB Click to Enlarge 48.19 KB Click to Enlarge 29 KB Two 2x12 stacked as header for vehicle door openings and nailed with 16d including 2x6 nailed to post for additional header bearing. I think the double stacked 2x12's will do good in preventing wind from racking the building. Click to Enlarge 33.28 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted October 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Nails. Ain't got any weight on them anyway. I guess John doesn't get termites in his part of the country. No one here has built a shop on dirt in over half a century. Marc We have Eastern Subterranean here. Unlike you which also have the much more voracious Formosan. The Tuff Posts have lifetime warranty for the original owner but I'll get my pest control friend to do preventative treatment anyway. http://www.tuff-post.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Raymond Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 The stacked headers will be much appreciated by the overhead door installer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 All 9 fixtures in. The total is 18 T8 Phillips LED insta fit. 252 watts total. Plenty of light. Instant on even in really cold weather. Click to Enlarge 73.24 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 That's a lot of light for just 2 1/2 amps at 120V. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dirks Jr Posted January 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2015 If anyone is interested in led shop lights and you have a Costco near you, this is a good deal. Click to Enlarge 85.42 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHS Posted February 2, 2015 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Nails. Ain't got any weight on them anyway. I guess John doesn't get termites in his part of the country. No one here has built a shop on dirt in over half a century. Marc Pole Barns built here all the time. Some will poor a slab floor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjr6550 Posted February 3, 2015 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 My office is lit with shop lights that stay on all day and half the night. Maybe its time to convert to LEDs. I have switched out all of my high hats and quite a few other bulbs. Click to Enlarge 15.77 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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