Thread: New large shed - lighting help

Phwoar - nice shed. I'm sure you'll fill it up in no time.

Interested in the possibilties for high-powered LED high bay lights; I've considered doing the same for general lighting, and just have some LED battens for task lighting over benches, etc. There are so many high bay lights available with different outputs, colour temperature, angular coverage that it's hard to know where to start?

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

Phwoar - nice shed. ...

I'm envious, too!

There has been a lot of discussion on this on the Forum over the last 4-5 years, so do some searching. Here's one:
Shed Lighting

The consensus seems to be that LED panels have now taken over from 1200 fluros as the best light source. My view is that you have two options:

Used Fluoros
Salvage yards have used fluoro fittings with multiple spare tubes at absolute bargain prices.

LED Panels
The 1200 x 300 mm panels seem to be the future and prices are coming down.

Installation
Get sparky to install heaps of double plugs so you can add and reconfigure easily in future.

Main Bay
I do not like single bright lights as they cast hard shadows - mulitple dispersed lights are better.

My Experience
I seem to keep adding lights!

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Used Fluoros
Salvage yards have used fluoro fittings with multiple spare tubes at absolute bargain prices.

Just be aware/remember that it is possible with fluro lights to have a saw blade spinning at the "right" speed to appear stopped when viewed under fluorescent lighting when it's actually spinning.

For this reason alone I would never put a fluorescent light in a workshop in today's day and age - they may be cheap to buy, but decent LED's will give better light, and lower running costs, with the added safety of eliminating this issue (albeit very very unlikely, Murphy is a real guy...)

Hi wanna shed

My shed is 12m x 9m x 3m high but the actual workshop area is about 7m x 9m (rest is storage and laundry/toilet). I have 3 rows of 3 x double battens with fluoro daylight tubes in this area but I still find I need extra lighting over the main workbench. I also have drop saw, tormek and other benches with vices set along the walls. Also need extra lighting above these as I cast a shadow from the other lights when I use them. The benches are where fiddly stuff happens so needs better lighting - this wasn't the case when I was a bit younger but age is catching up and my eyes (and ears for that matter) are slowly wearing out.

I think you would benefit from having an extra couple of double battens in each row along each side bay - yours is 14m long with 2 rows of 3 double battens for each side bay on your plans. I don't think this will be enough.

I can't really offer much comment on your centre high bay as I have never used those lights but I think more is better. You can't have too much light.

Two of my double batten fluoros with electronic ballast krapped out after 3 years (deta brand from the BGS) so I ripped out the ballast and rewired the battens for replacement LED daylight tubes. They sit amongst the fluoro battens and I can't notice a difference in light, even though there is a small difference in the 'K' ratings.

Hope this helps a bit.

Twosheds

Originally Posted by Midnight Man

Just be aware/remember that it is possible with fluro lights to have a saw blade spinning at the "right" speed to appear stopped when viewed under fluorescent lighting when it's actually spinning. ...

I thought fluoro tubes were in pairs to overcome this problem. Absolutely agree, single tubes are dangerous.

Until quite recently virtually all professional workshops had fluoro lighting

... For this reason alone I would never put a fluorescent light in a workshop in today's day and age - they may be cheap to buy, but decent LED's will give better light, and lower running costs, with the added safety of eliminating this issue (albeit very very unlikely, Murphy is a real guy...)

Sure, LED's are much cheaper to run but fluoros are so cheap that the break even time for me is about 30 years. And if I am still in the workshop at 107 then I shall rejoice in the electricity I have expended!

A guide to lighting levels. Illuminance - Recommended Light Level The level in my shop are 1,000 Lumens at the bench as measured with my cell.

I have 6000K baton lights in my shop and like the light they put out.

Do some reading on what constitutes high bay. I vaguely recall high bay lights were meant for ceilings higher than yours but will sit corrected if wrong. What is the interior colour? If white or similar the light will reflect down as far as I know.

Nice building to put a shop in.

Pete

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

Phwoar - nice shed. I'm sure you'll fill it up in no time.

Interested in the possibilties for high-powered LED high bay lights; I've considered doing the same for general lighting, and just have some LED battens for task lighting over benches, etc. There are so many high bay lights available with different outputs, colour temperature, angular coverage that it's hard to know where to start?

My sparky has recommended these high-bays https://www.voltexelectrical.com.au/...h-90-lens.aspx. I'll go with 3 @ 26,000lm each.

Originally Posted by twosheds

Hi wanna shed

My shed is 12m x 9m x 3m high but the actual workshop area is about 7m x 9m (rest is storage and laundry/toilet). I have 3 rows of 3 x double battens with fluoro daylight tubes in this area but I still find I need extra lighting over the main workbench. I also have drop saw, tormek and other benches with vices set along the walls. Also need extra lighting above these as I cast a shadow from the other lights when I use them. The benches are where fiddly stuff happens so needs better lighting - this wasn't the case when I was a bit younger but age is catching up and my eyes (and ears for that matter) are slowly wearing out.

I think you would benefit from having an extra couple of double battens in each row along each side bay - yours is 14m long with 2 rows of 3 double battens for each side bay on your plans. I don't think this will be enough.

I can't really offer much comment on your centre high bay as I have never used those lights but I think more is better. You can't have too much light.

Two of my double batten fluoros with electronic ballast krapped out after 3 years (deta brand from the BGS) so I ripped out the ballast and rewired the battens for replacement LED daylight tubes. They sit amongst the fluoro battens and I can't notice a difference in light, even though there is a small difference in the 'K' ratings.

Hope this helps a bit.

Twosheds

Thanks - that's a good comparison. I'm going to install sockets on the ceiling instead of hard wiring the lights, so if I need to add more lights it will be easy. One wing will be for mower and garden storage etc, the other will be work bench and some other machines where task lighting will be needed, as you say. And the centre will be large machines that hopefully the above high-bays will cater for. In my last shed is installed an LED floodlight above the table saw.

Originally Posted by QC Inspector

A guide to lighting levels. Illuminance - Recommended Light Level The level in my shop are 1,000 Lumens at the bench as measured with my cell.

I have 6000K baton lights in my shop and like the light they put out.

Do some reading on what constitutes high bay. I vaguely recall high bay lights were meant for ceilings higher than yours but will sit corrected if wrong. What is the interior colour? If white or similar the light will reflect down as far as I know.

Nice building to put a shop in.

Pete

Thanks, sparky says the above high-bays work well at 5-6m height. The shed roof and all walls are covered in an insulation which is foil backed on the inside. Hopefully that throws light all over the place!


Thanks everyone, I'll keep you updated with how it works out. I love the shed! Just need to put some flashings over those exposed C-purlins on the front, paint them Deep Ocean to match and she'll be apples!

Hey mate did you get those high bays installed? I need to make some decisions about the lighting in my new workshop, and am thinking about high bays.

Hi everyone. An update on my shed lighting. I followed my original plan - 2 high-bays and 12 LED battens, per the pic in my first post.

I've only installed the two high-bays at the moment, and if this shed was used only for storage I'd leave it with only those two lights. They are 5.5m high and give a great light to all 140 sqm.

These are the high-bays: SAL UFO II LED Highbay 180W 5700k | SHB25HE180

I still need to install the 6 LED battens down each outer side. I've mounted just 2 so far as a test, and these lights combined will be plenty! These are the battens: Robus Sultan RSU4812CCT3-24 | 2x24w IP65 Weatherproof Tri Colour Corrosion Proof Batten

I'll probably install an extra outlet above the workbench to add task lighting later on.

Wow! that's lit up like the MCG at night. Good selection there.

Originally Posted by NicA

Wow! that's lit up like the MCG at night. Good selection there.

Yes, it's fantastic. Glad I went with it all. It's all working very well.

How do you go with glare?
I've been using LED lights and found that they can cause too much glare which adds tiredness with my eyes

Originally Posted by Simplified

How do you go with glare?
I've been using LED lights and found that they can cause too much glare which adds tiredness with my eyes

I haven't noticed any glare while in there at night.

What full functions do you intend for your barn style workshop? Presumably besides working with wood are you anticipating metal working or mechanical type outfitting ?
I was thinking that if I had my time again & built a workshop I would include a gantry either fixed or swing!