Lighting planner

[rich42]

I have a new workshop nearing completion and i need to plan the lighting. I will be using LED downlighters, but the question is how many do I need? Is there a formula to follow or guidelines to look at?
Many thanks. Rich

 

[bernardgreen]

If you are having any rotating machinery such as table saw, lathe etc etc then take care to avoid lamps that may create a stroboscopic effect on machinery. This can make a fast rotating saw blade appear to be stationary or just rotating slowly

Many lamps produce what appears to be continuous light but is in reality pulses of light that appear to the human eye as continuous. Some mains powered LED lamps can pulse at 100 pulses per second

In days of old when fluorescent tubes were fitted in workshops it was common practice to have an incandescent lamp close to rotating equipment as the strobe effect from these was almost non existent.

 

[motorbiking]

Height of ceiling. colour of ceiling (e.g. white or rafters, flat or pitched)
Size of room
whether the lights are central or spread out.

I found these quite good and very bright
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_I...g/Ultra_Slim_KBU/index.html#Ultra_Slim_KBU_WW

 

[SUNRAY]

Horrible deep shadows in a workshop???

I much prefer more appropriate lighting in my workshops.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Better off with florrie batten fittings or (if you have the height) large floods. Downlights look pretty but aren't that useful for working under, the other types reduce shadowing with bounce from the walls

 

[fluorescence]

As others have said do not use down lights (spot lights) as they are awful to work under and, in my opinion, more of a fashion statement than actual useful lighting.

HF fluorescent battens or LED battens if you must.

 

[SimonH2]

As others have said do not use down lights (spot lights) as they are awful to work under and, in my opinion, more of a fashion statement than actual useful lighting.

+1 I think that is probably the only topic where few (none ?) of us disagreed with BAS
They are rubbish, really really rubbish for anything but spot lighting features - and as much good as a chocolate teapot for general work/task lighting. For a garage/workshop, it really is quite hard to beat a few flouro tubes.