incandescent reflectors

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:

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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

Reply to
zxcvbob
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I was looking for a fixture in Lowes the other day. They have fixtures that go down to Zero degrees now at very low prices. I think they were $15.00. Not long ago you would have paid much more than that.

I have standard fluorescent shop light in my garage. First turned on in the cold (20F) they are a little dull, but come up in a few minutes. I also heat my garage when I'm working out there so it is not a big deal. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net

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Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

<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

Reply to
TKM

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

Reply to
zxcvbob

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.

Reply to
Paul Furman

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