Thread: advice on workshop lighting

Here is a list of recommended illuminances in lux (Lumens/meter^2)
Illuminance - Recommended Light Level

Lets say you are targeting 1000 lux and you have a 30m^2 shed that means you need a total of 30,000 lumens of lighting
BUT
if you have a shed height of about 3m only between 1/4 and 1/2 of those lumens will reach a bench top so you really need 3 times the above.

Of course you won't need 1000 lux everywhere in your shed - say just above wrk benches or on some machinery.

Here's some examples of real shed illuninance
Some actual shed illuminance measurements.

Remember the older you are the more light you need, eg a 60 year old needs double the lighting of a 20 year old.

Check out some LED daylight Light Panels; I have 4-5 in my shed and they are great.
I got mine [1200mm 300mm] on ebay for about $65 a panel delivered.
With my eyes the more and brighter the light, the better and of course safer for me.
Cheers

Originally Posted by crowie

Check out some LED daylight Light Panels; I have 4-5 in my shed and they are great.
I got mine [1200mm 300mm] on ebay for about $65 a panel delivered.
With my eyes the more and brighter the light, the better and of course safer for me.
Cheers

I recently bought an LED panel from Aliexpress, 10,000 lumens for $13 - you have to add you own plug/cord. I used old computer cords.

Originally Posted by crowie

Check out some LED daylight Light Panels; I have 4-5 in my shed and they are great.
I got mine [1200mm 300mm] on ebay for about $65 a panel delivered.
With my eyes the more and brighter the light, the better and of course safer for me.
Cheers

Panels indeed appear be the go especially for bright lighting of a surface like a bench top.

I recently bought an LED panel from Aliexpress, 10,000 lumens for $13! - but you have to add you own plug/cord. I used an old computer cord.

A year ago I swapped eight double fluoros for ten 1000 x 300 LED panels in my shed. They were supplied by the local sparky for about $50 each and the improvement is phenomenal. I routed slots into lengths of 45x45 and fixed them to the rafters so the panels could slide into them.

The old fluoros were hard wired on two separate circuits so I had double power outlets installed for each panel. Yes, it cost a bit, but the convenience of having ten overhead power outlets has proved an unexpected benefit. The fact that the panels plug in means I can add to the array any time I want.

mick

Originally Posted by Glider

The old fluoros were hard wired on two separate circuits so I had double power outlets installed for each panel. Yes, it cost a bit, but the convenience of having ten overhead power outlets has proved an unexpected benefit. The fact that the panels plug in means I can add to the array any time I want.

I originally installed 3 single hardwired fluoros, two wall mounted double GPOs, and one OH double GPO in the old section on my shed (built in 1978), so I've known about the usefulness of OH GPOs for some time.

When the shed extension was added I got the sparky to install 5 GPOs on 2 separate circuits high up on the ceiling, each running double fluoros. All of these (both old and new shed fluoros) were swapped for LED tubes about 7 years ago.

The ceiling height GPOs used to run the lights in the extension were too high to reach from shed floor level, but knowing of the value of OH GPOs, I got the sparky to install 3 double GPOs at accessible height and 9 double GPOs at mid wall height (2 were 15A).

These OH GPOs have proved so useful I've since added 9 more double GPOs at accessible height so I now have 12 OH accessible OH GPOs. 4 of these GPOs have expander boards on them. Have also added 4 more 15A double GPOs - 1 is OH for the big belt sander that sits in the middle of the shed.

The expander board above my workbench is attached to an adjustable height 12mm diam steel rod fixed at one end to a ceiling truss and the lower end (with expander board attached) is set at vertically at about head height just above the work bench. I need to do the same thing on the other bench as the expander board that sits onto of that bench constantly gets n the way.

I have used some of the outlets on these OH accessible GPOs and expander boards to run 4 more double LED fluoros and 5 LED spots.

I already had three OH outlets hanging in chains which my sparky installed originally when he wired the shed. Rather than call him out again to install more, I've plugged small extension leads into the spare sockets and secured the cables against the rafter with a one of those nail-in plastic devices (whatever they're called). It works for me.

mick

When wiring my shed about 35 years ago the best advice I received for the electrician was to put unswitched 3 pin outlets in the ceiling switched from wall mounted switches. I have changed the lighting so many times I have lost count and double adaptors, short extension leads etc can be used simplifying changes as needed. The lighting panels are simply the best lights I have used giving extremely even light dispersion and I have now decided to change everything to panels.

I saw today that Bunnings now carry the 1200 x 300 panels, slightly different than their online catalogue item at 3900 lumens and tri colour switching for $60. They come with a LED driver and 240 plug. I haven’t seen them in operation so can’t comment on their output.

thanks for the input, its a double garage 3.0mt ceiling 1/2 is work shop. I think I will replace 4 down lights over the benches/machines with light panels and if needed a mobile spot.
Thanks for the advice
Cheers Rick.

Originally Posted by apple8

I saw today that Bunnings now carry the 1200 x 300 panels, slightly different than their online catalogue item at 3900 lumens and tri colour switching for $60. They come with a LED driver and 240 plug. I haven’t seen them in operation so can’t comment on their output.

Went and had a look at these yesterday and the bulb and suspension system is sold separately. So ends up over a $100 per light

Originally Posted by apple8

I saw today that Bunnings now carry the 1200 x 300 panels, slightly different than their online catalogue item at 3900 lumens and tri colour switching for $60. They come with a LED driver and 240 plug. I haven’t seen them in operation so can’t comment on their output.

I too went and had a look at them and I was very disappointed with their light output. I have tracked down some 40W equivalent LED tubes for my flouros that have clear diffusers, so beautiful bright light.
Rgds,
Crocy.

Apple8
Ledvance is the new name for Osram, the hanging kit for them at Bunnings is $28. 8 months ago I bought 2 300 x 1200 Led panels from there, they are Arlec or Deta for $50 each hanging kit included. They didn't have them when I looked a month ago.

JohnQ

There are architectural lighting design standards made for safety if nothing else, for biology and chemistry laboratories.
I don't recall what the light intensities had to be at bench-top level. I can remember measuring it.
I was a photographer employed by the architects to photograph their resulting constructions.
9cm x 6cm and bigger for top quality reproduction from a camera on a rail.

My personal wood working shop in my house does not need to have light sprayed all over the walls and into adjacent rooms.
So, I use an array of LED spot lights for each power tool at a time. Same for carving. I light up where I am working.
I can move all those lights when the carving is too big to wrassle with. What else is in the room isn't very important.