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+-- Thread: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. (/showthread.php?tid=7080600)
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Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - R Clark - 08-24-2015
Another vote for plugs. Easier to change out bad fixtures, upgrade to new ones, or reconfiguring the layout of the lights if your needs change.
I have four plug outlets in my 12' ceilings; two light fixtures plug into each.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - Mandrake - 08-24-2015
Thanks to all. I like all the reasoning for plugs.
My shop is being set up with 4 rooms or areas. The main bay is 21' x 40'. That is where the 12' (not 12") ceilings are. I'm planning on 4' dual tube fixtures. 3 rows of 5, maybe use one extra row over the machines. I'll set that area on at least two switches and circuits.
The finishing room will need 4 fixtures, and I'll add a pair of incandescents on a seperate switch to I can alternate colors of light when looking at finishes. That area is 9' ceilings, so flush mount will likely be the way to go.
If I get really smart, I'll locate the boxes in a way to make the sheetrock cut outs identical from one sheet to the next. Something tells me that will be a fool's task.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - JimReed@Tallahassee - 08-24-2015
Be sure to check out LED fixtures. I converted my garage shop from fluorescent to LEDs that are brighter, cooler, and use less electricity.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - FBranco - 08-24-2015
Did mine with switched receptacles and LED lights.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - Robert Adams - 08-24-2015
I vote for plugs too. I wish we could do that above suspended ceilings instead of running mc from light to light clipping it up everywhere etc. Much easier to plug something in than to wire it into a box.
Also in commercial code requires a disconnecting means in every light fixture. That means those orange two wire disconnects or the ones I use the yellow 4 hole ones. That way you can change the ballast without turning the lights off. Just unplug it. However I see this requirement changing in the future as fluorescent goes away and there are no ballasts and the led tube are 110v. But some fixtures do have a switching power supply in them so maybe there will be some flexibility there in the future. We don't install anything but led in commercial now.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - meackerman - 08-24-2015
I did the plug route. as long as you don't cut the cords really short on the lights it makes it pretty easy to move them around a little if you move tools/benches around. Also gives a place to plugin cord reels and such.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - Mandrake - 08-25-2015
For the LED users, would you happen to have information on what you use? Manufacturer, lumen, watts, etc? Definately something I'd like to pursue. I google / youtube search turns up a great deal of varried data.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - Robert Adams - 08-25-2015
Mandrake said:
For the LED users, would you happen to have information on what you use? Manufacturer, lumen, watts, etc? Definately something I'd like to pursue. I google / youtube search turns up a great deal of varried data.
Up until recently I haven't seen a benefit to led for t8 replacements. The products available would never pay for themselves and many had very yellow light. It's different now.
It's hard to compare lumens directly as the light output is different and I'm not sure if everyone is using the same testing procedures.
The phillips t8 replacements are pretty good and under 20 each at depot. For whole fixtures the best bang for the buck are the 4' ones at sams or costco. Both have good points and around $36. They are usually around 4100k which is perfect for work areas. Basically I have found the fixtures to be equal in light output with half the wattage draw.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - DustyDan - 08-25-2015
I like the plug in lights but back oin 1999 when I sold my old house the lights in the garage that I added were plug in ones and hung by a chain from the joists. The home inspector let me know that they did not meet code that way and that the garage had to have a hard wired light.
Since these plugged into the existing bulb socket with a converter, simply unplugging them and screwing back in the incandescent bulbs would meet code ! I left the florescents hanging so the new owner could plug them back in. Go figure.
Re: Suspended shop lights, how to wire them. - Pirate - 08-26-2015
In my 30 x 30 metal shop, I have 4' 2 bulb fluorescents hung around the shop, plugged in to boxes.
Before installing them, I installed a pull chain switch in each, so I could turn off ones not needed.
If I'm going to be standing at one place in the shop for hours doing some operation, why light the whole shop up.