Garage lighting recommendations

[cortinaman]

Hi folks

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but it didn't seem to fit anywhere else.

I want to re-do the lighting in my garage/workshop, and am after any recommendations for light fittings - I was thinking of going with led batten fittings. I want something robust that isn't going to fail after six months, but not too pricy. Any recommendations?

thanks in advance

Cortinaman

[andyborris]

Led battens.

Replaced florescent tubes and twice as bright, light that's more natural, long lasting (3 years now) and very cheap on-line.
Just a bit fiddley to fit.

And I believe they use a lot less electric too.

[cortinaman]

thanks for the reply Andy much appreciated - I've already decided that led battens are the way to go - but there are so many available, I was after a recommendation for a particular fitting or supplier.

[lmr]

I changed old fluorescent tubes to LAP battens from Screwfix. They have been in use for 3 years, and have been bright and super reliable.

[cortinaman]

Oct 20, 2024 19:50:38 GMT lmr said:

I changed old fluorescent tubes to LAP battens from Screwfix. They have been in use for 3 years, and have been bright and super reliable.

thanks lmr - sounds promising

[misterm]

Yes, put LAP led battens from Screwfix in when the garage was built 2018. Not had to do anything to them since.

[johnthesparky]

What are you replacing?

Not all LED battens are the same, some have a removable cover like a fluorescent batten but lots don’t. Some have centre cable entry while others are end connection.

Just need to be aware of where the cable entry needs to be, as it can be loads more faff if you just picked up the wrong style.

As said, LAP seem to be no worse than others and are relatively cheap and readily available.

Also, they can come in different colour temperatures, just need to get the same for everywhere

[cortinaman]

thanks misterm good to know

cheers johnthesparky the existing lights are pretty minimal, so I'm going to run conduit and increase the number of fittings significantly. So the new LED battens will be fixed to a conduit box (or that's what I'm planning - but open to suggestions)

[johnthesparky]

You’ll probably do a tidier, easier install if you go for something with a removable gear tray, Then you can install the fitting over the conduit, pull cables through and terminate after

Can’t see anything on Screwfix that fits the bill

But a quick google gives this





As an idea (that’s Amazon, not sure on quality, I probably would find something else… but then I have to warranty it for a year)

[cortinaman]

thanks johnthesparky that's just the sort of advice I was looking for. I'll take a look at what TLC and CEF offer by way of LED battens with removable gear tray - I'm all for an easier install

[four95]

I fitted a bunch of these a while back when I overhauled the lighting in my garage. Great value and easy to fit.

www.novelenergylighting.com/ansell-topline-led-batten-6ft-86w-4000k-1745mm-twin-atlled2x6.html?gad_source=1

They give off a much better light than the old fluorescent ones too.

[gtviva]

I know its the way forward(supposedly) but I still really don't like the light LED stuff gives off, always seems really shadowy to me in workplaces, externally for flood lighting its a game changer

[blackpopracing]

Simplest solution is to just fit LED tubes into your existing flouro battens. Remove the ballast units & put 240v to only one end of the fitting - job done. I use daylight tubes, very bright and no hard contrast.

If the LED tubes ever go it takes seconds to replace them.

Tubes here; tubes

[cortinaman]

thanks four95 and gtviva

blackpopracing I'm doing a completely new system so no existing fittings to re-use - but thanks for the idea.

[Uncle Silvia]

Ive just bought some of these LED batten lights from Amazon for my loft and so far they seem brilliant 👍

24 feet of lighting for £60 (they sometimes have offers and do different sizes and amounts of light fittings), plus they have a 3 year warranty.

Also u only have to wire 1 in then just connect the rest to each other in various combinations 👍.

amzn.eu/d/0vpfJuK

[alleyesonme]

From what i've seen in other workshops, the daisy chain ones could be good for your setup - saves a lot of wiring hassle if that's an option you're considering.

[jmsheahan]

I'll second those linkable Barrina LED battern ones. Piece of cake to wire up and the output is decent.

[The Cat Herder]

I’ll third the Barina tubes from Amazon. I got a six pack and put two strings of three down the sides of the single garage in my last rental house. Plenty of light for everything I needed to do in there, and they don’t get hot in use. I brought them with me when I moved and I think they may be too much on my 8x10 shed, but you can never have too much light in a work space.

[ahebron]

I replaced all the 7 x 5ft twin fluoros in my garage a few years ago.
Double garage, two over the bench, 2 on each side and one down the middle.
I used Philips brand.
No more tubes or diffusers being knocked off the fittings when something hits the lights.
Instant start, no warm up needed. Fluorescents are a discharge lamp so need to get to operating temp, worse in winter.
No potential issues with rotating machinery appearing stationery, yes I know twin fluorecents are built with capacitors to alleviate this.
LED battens fitted on under side of roof frames neatly with minimal overhang on the sides.

[jimi]

In 2020 I bought the cheapest ebay LED batten lights I could find, Pack of 10 4ft's was £62.26. 5 x 2ft's @ around £4 each. Did my attic, shed, garage and a couple of cupboards in the house, still have 1x 4ft spare. they replaced various fluorescent fittings. They are cool white, very slim (70mm wide & 30mm high) lightweight and with a decent spread of light, 4ft's are 40W and the 2ft's 20W
No failures, all still working fine. I reckoned that at that price I'd treat them as disposable, as long as I get a couple of years out of them it would be economical ... so far so good, 4 years and counting

Pretty much the same as these, although the price has gone up in 4 years




LINKY