Need Help w/ Garage Lighting

Maybe get a work lamp? That always works for me.

 

For the kind of work ill be doing, I need as much light on as much of the car as possible. I already have dual 1000w halogens, as well as a couple single 500w halogens, etc. The purpose of getting better ballast lighting is to illuminate the entire garage and car. Look at all the shops of the pro guys on here like ken and scandicshine and phil. They don't work with just a halogen light stand. It can be done, but its not preferrable.

 

Well T8 are supposed to be the new technology. I'm no expert when it comes to lighting but I have a friend who is a lighting designer and he's the one that told me to go with the high output T8's, he told me the T8's will last much, much longer then the T5's and most importantly they are much more efficient, meaning less burnt out bulbs. The T8's lighting level is much superior then the T5's, I noticed a huge difference from my old garage fully loaded with T5's and T12's and my new garage is fully lit with T8's. For starters, in my new garage I used less lighting fixtures and bulbs compared to the old garage where I had double the light fixture/bulb count. Well like I said I'm no lighting expert but I'm just repeating what I was told and so far everything my friend has suggested is true. Hope this helps.

Sorry for the confusion guys but I've edited my post because I mixed up the T8's with the T5's :sorry:

 

Would plain old fluorescent lights be suitable? I'm sorry, lighting technology is something that escapes me somewhat. I guess I'm like flash, I prefer the sun, or my several different standalone / hand held lights.

Before I was big into detailing, I set up my garage for maintaining the race car I had. I put up eight Home Depot 2-bulb fluorescents, on their own circuit. It's very bright in there, and would be even more so if I got up the motivation to drywall the walls. The lights were less than $10/each.

 

I must have read your post incorectly, I thought you prefered T8's. I have T8's and have been very happy with them that is why I was asking.

Thanks!

 

+1 Nica earlier in the thread you specified T8's in post #16....?

 

Doh :doh: sorry guys I mixed the numbers around, T8's are the new technology :sorry: I'll fix up my contradicting post :sorry:

 

Ha ha, looks like we BOTH mis-typed.. After looking at my bulbs I realized I also have the T8's high output...lol

 

I've never been in a garage that had too much lighting...