Ok, I have an unheated shop (miniscule though it is). For the most part, I won't be doing stuff when it is below around 40 or so, though. I know about fluorescents with cold start ballasts. What else do y'all use/suggest? I'm almost thinking about keeping the standard 2-tube fluorescents (4') I have and adding some clip-on lighting above the tools.
Ed
Halogens. Set one close to the bench top too to keep the sandwich warm or to fry eggs.
How long is a piece of string?
You don't say how big your shop is, whether there is daylight through windows or other apertures, what the decor is, how good your eyesight is....
I have a garage which is about 16' x 8'. It is painted white inside and is lit with four single 5' fluorescents. I use a clip on light, with a 60W spot bulb, I can move about to give extra light where needed. According to my optician I have a slight milkiness which will develop into cataracts when I am older (I am 61) He says I may have noticed I now need a stronger light than I used to for fine work - yes he's right and sometimes I wish I had a bit more in some parts of my garage workshop.
The answer to your question is: "Can you see adequately to do what you want to do?"
If not, add more light. If you can then you're OK as you are.
Add some halogens fixtures on a separate switch. This way you don't run them when you have adequate light with natural light or the fluorescents, or when you don't want any added heat in summer. In winter they can light the room plus add a bit of heat. Bouncing the harsh light off a white ceiling probably would be best.
Don't use clip on lighting, too easy to dislodge and not enough general illumination.
Go to ww.watlow.com.
They make a transparent, thin film wrap for fluorescwnt tubes.
The company I work for builds cold roms and some customers specify them instead of instead of incandescent bulbs.
We install and wire the tube covers as always on but with a B-10 type tstst in series to control the heaters at around 45 Farenheit.
This works fairly well.
.
Put the halogens near the fluorescents. If light is needed in cold weather, halogens will heat the fluorescents. After an appropriate time, turn fluorescents on and halogens off.
I bought a wall mounted halogen spot from HF for over the bench when additional light is needed. It works quite well. Here is a two light model:
Look for T8 4' fixtures. Two tubes per fixture. Gobs of light, cold start, low cost to buy, cheap to run. Get as many as you need. $ 100.00 will do your shop.
I have an unheated shop and I have both 4' and 8' 2-tube lights. Even when it's real cold, they light. At first they aren't real bright, but as they warm up, they are ok.
Dave
When I was a kid, our garage was heated but only when we were working on something. Our winters get cold, often below zero and I never recall a time any of the fluorescent lights not lighting up due to the cold.
As the lights and starters age, the startup gets worse. We used fluorescent bulbs in the barn, as they aged, it eventually got to the point that one had to rub the bulbs to get them to start up.
Oh the places one could go with a straight line like that. (grin)
Ed
Yeah, I briefly thought about that before I hit "send", but then remembered that this was going to a group of professionals who would never abuse succinct, clear descriptions. ;-)
Well... I'm not sure which is worse, my preference for wafting warm air at it with a heat gun, or your suggestion.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.