shop lighting questions

[Chuck]

I've read several posts regarding use of fluorescent fixtures for shop lighting, have a few additional questions - my basement shop is 7'6" high, open joists (and will stay open):

1. I like the idea of installing outlets between joists and plugging in pre-wired floro fixtures. Are there any code concerns around this?

1. If I install perpendicular to joists, then I lose some height; plus have also heard fire concerns about direct-mounting fixtures to joists. Any comments here?

2. Can I install them parallel to the joists, and actually recess them a bit, so the main housing is above the joists, but the bottom would be more or less flush with the bottom of the joists? I know if I go too high I will be losing light; but is this generally an OK approach? (any code concerns here?)

Thanks, Chuck

[mac davis]

I did just that in my shop in the States, and it passed the home inspection when the house was sold..

In my case, the ceiling was actually the bottom of a loft floor, with "real"

2x4's for joists.. Since my fixtures were about 3" thick, I mounted them to 3/4" furring strips that I ran between the joists... That gave me enough light distribution but still left the tubes slightly higher than the bottom of the 2x4's, so the chance of hitting a tube with a board or something is less..

I still managed to hit them a few times and decided that it was time to spend a dollar a tube for those clear plastic sleeves..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The new industrial code required that ther be a means of disconnecting the fixture from the power (they are often wired in a series) if the ballast needs replacing. Your method qualifies.

Can't speak for the code, but it makes sense to do it that way.