incandescent reflectors

[zxcvbob]

I have about decided on the lighting for my new garage -- plain ol' bare
bulb incandescent. In the summer, I can unscrew them and use 20-something
W spiral fluorescents, and in the winter I'll use 150W 'A' lamps.

I'd go with linear T8 fluorescents, but I'm not sure they'd start when the
weather gets *really* cold.

The garage has open rafters, so I'd like to use some kind of reflector. I
looked for some RLM reflectors, and was shocked by how expensive they are.
I expected them to be about $5 or 10 in the electrical section at the
local farm suply store, but they are about $35 each. Internet search turns
up over $100 apiece for common RLM fixtures! I guess they are not so
common anymore. I almost bought a pair on eBay:
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2363199653> but I quit
bidding kind of low because I got to thinking, "what is the cutoff for
these reflectors? Will 2 fixtures like this light a 22 x 22' room with a
ceiling height of 8'?" They might only light a circle area right
underneath the fixture. It would probably take at least 3 or 4 fixtures to
do it right.

How about if I paint a cheap 14" steel pizza pan flat white and center it
directly behind each 4" octagonal box? Would that reflect most of the
light that would otherwise go up in the rafters but not cut off any of the
light to the sides? If properly done, would it still look stupid?

Bob

 

[TKM]

I have about decided on the lighting for my new garage -- plain ol' bare
bulb incandescent. In the summer, I can unscrew them and use 20-something
W spiral fluorescents, and in the winter I'll use 150W 'A' lamps.

I'd go with linear T8 fluorescents, but I'm not sure they'd start when the
weather gets *really* cold.

<SNIP>

but I quit

bidding kind of low because I got to thinking, "what is the cutoff for
these reflectors? Will 2 fixtures like this light a 22 x 22' room with a
ceiling height of 8'?" They might only light a circle area right
underneath the fixture. It would probably take at least 3 or 4 fixtures to
do it right.

How about if I paint a cheap 14" steel pizza pan flat white and center it
directly behind each 4" octagonal box? Would that reflect most of the
light that would otherwise go up in the rafters but not cut off any of the
light to the sides? If properly done, would it still look stupid?

Bob

Standard T8 fluorescent lamps in an enclosed fixture with a 0 degree (F)
electronic ballast will do just fine in temperature situations well below
zero from my experience. I wondered, however, why you didn't just go with a
metal halide "low bay" fixture or two with maybe a small incandescent for
instant light.

A simple white reflector behind the boxes will certainly reflect more light
toward the floor, but a much more visually comfortable solution would be to
paint the rafters themselves white. Think of the garage as a room. You
want all of the surfaces and especially the lower walls and floor to be as
bright and evenly lighted as possible without glare because your work area
could be anywhere including the floor underneath the car. Any light going
anywhere else will be absorbed and lost unless it can be reflected.

Terry McGowan

 

[zxcvbob]

<SNIP>

but I quit



Standard T8 fluorescent lamps in an enclosed fixture with a 0 degree (F)
electronic ballast will do just fine in temperature situations well below
zero from my experience. I wondered, however, why you didn't just go with a
metal halide "low bay" fixture or two with maybe a small incandescent for
instant light.

A simple white reflector behind the boxes will certainly reflect more light
toward the floor, but a much more visually comfortable solution would be to
paint the rafters themselves white. Think of the garage as a room. You
want all of the surfaces and especially the lower walls and floor to be as
bright and evenly lighted as possible without glare because your work area
could be anywhere including the floor underneath the car. Any light going
anywhere else will be absorbed and lost unless it can be reflected.

Terry McGowan

I think I'm worrying about it too much. I need to just put a couple of
bare bulbs up so I can finish the electrical and get it inspected. I don't
have to get everything the way I want it on the first pass, just get it to
code. Then set up my shop area and figure out proper task lighting. Then
I can redo the ceiling lighting with whatever makes sense.

If I can get 48" T8 fixtures that will start at -25 degrees, that's the way
to go. Actually, I think I have some old T12 fixtures, so all I need to
find is the right T8 ballasts.

Best regards,
Bob

 

[Paul Furman]

How about if I paint a cheap 14" steel pizza pan flat white and center
it directly behind each 4" octagonal box? Would that reflect most of
the light that would otherwise go up in the rafters but not cut off any
of the light to the sides? If properly done, would it still look
stupid?

Might work. Test it quickly & see. That's the way lighting designers
find out what works. You should know that there are bulbs with
reflectors built in though with various spreads. They are supposed to be
the most efficient and precise.