Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Like many garages, mine came equipped with a single naked incandescent bulb in roughly the center of the garage. It was, of course, woefully inadequate. My first change was to replace the light https://10carbest.com/best-led-garage-lights fixture with a double outlet and hang two "shop-light" fluorescent fixtures, each with two 40 watt tubes. This increased the amount of light substantially, but I have two problems:

1. The fluorescent bulb light output sometimes decreases in very cold weather.
2. Bulb life seems very low.

I wonder, do some fixtures take a toll on bulb life? Does running bulbs in a cold environment take a toll on bulb life? Are there special fixtures or tubes that work better in the cold? Is there a variation in bulb life between different brands of bulbs?

That being said I'm wondering if I should replace the shop-lites with something different. LED's seem quite expensive. How about mercury vapor or sodium vapor? Do these take time to "warm up"? Would be interested in any ideas! Thanks!

I have never had a problem with flourescent light in a garage. LED is the way to go, but as you
say they are more expensive but quality ones are fit and forget.

I know these seem expensive but stick 2 in and it'll be like turning on the sun, I use 3 single 5 foots over the bike over the space of about a metre and I definitely don't have any trouble seeing.

The doubles are only an extra £5 so definitely worth it. Mine have been in a year and never had any problems with them at all. They're dead easy to put up and just link together in series with a bit of cable

I've also got a 4ft above my drill on the work bench because I like a lot of light.

When I eventually build my workshop over the bike I'll have 3 double 5fts over about 1500mm with the centre one smack over the table lift and a row of singles along the work benches, and have them one several different switches so I can turn only the ones I need on.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-twin-led ... -5ft/7223v

I have fluorescents in my workshop. I also have some mercury vapour lamps as additional lighting . Vapour lamps : Like 1000 watts in total so very expensive to run and give a strangely ghostly light , they are however very bright.
Fluorescents : they do give off less light a sthey get older and seem to fluctuate when it's cold. I have 8 x 40 watts in the workshop.
I'm about to change the fluorescents to LED T8 type , much longer life and a fraction of the cost to run. No starters to wear out , up on a ladder changing them, there always seems to be one blinking that won't come on.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T8-4FT-LED-S ... da7badf34c

My bike shed is a former 12’ x 12’ timber stable.
I’ve got two 5ft LED striplights on the roof beams which give good overall light plus, because I like bright light to see clearer, 4 led floods pointing at the bike bench. Probably £100 to £150 all in and it’s like Blackpool illuminations in there.
LED is the way to go. The improvement over fluorescent is massive and I don’t think they degrade over time. Fluorescents just get slowly worse until you realise you can’t see anything.
Also bought a 2kW infrared heater on a stand from Machine Mart and all is cozy.

I bought one of these for the bench. Quite handy, and swings out the way when you don't need it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Modern-Adjus ... 286a774ff9

I use two double fluorescents Probably five foot long, but also have back up LED lighting, powered by my Solar panels, you just never know, this electricity stuff could run on day.

Look up LED panel lights, they are great for office/workshops.
I've got a few and because they are a flat panel the light they give off is great for working under, they don't cause as much shadow as a single light point or strip light.
I also have LED strip lights (florescent tube replacement) and the panel is much better over a work bench.

Steve

I've just fitted 3 x 5ft LED batten fittings in place of fluorescent ones, the difference is amazing, I also fitted a 2ft one & a pullswitch over the bench, but I work partime for a well known supplier so got them at staff discount

I have been using two 600 x 600mm flat LED panels , with a 'daylight' colour, they are great, very little shadows almost like having a skylight and I think they were only about £20. They are screwed between two battens screwed to the ceiling and the powered via a small transformer.