C’mon Baby, Light My Man Cave

Amongst the many DIY jobs the LHG has requested I complete I’m trying to finish off my man cave. It’s a windowless space, approximately 2.4m wide and 3.8m long. There is a 600mm wide work bench along one of the short walls. I have three strip lights; one in line with the work bench, 700mm from the wall. The other two are parallel with the long wall, positioned centrally between the work bench strip light and the far wall and about 750mm from the outside walls. These positions are not set in stone so before I finalise the conduit to each light is there anything to be gained by repositioning them?

Hard to say without seeing it… Can you wire them to an extension lead before fitting them permanently?

3 strip lights sounds a lot for that space though if they are long ones and LED.

I’ve recently got this in my basement and it’s pretty good..

https://www.yesss.co.uk/batten-led-single-5ft-37w-4000k-3700lm

Not LED, 5ft fluorescents, but they were free…

If putting a light over a workbench, make sure it’s directly above, or towards the wall otherwise when you lean over your head and shoulders cast an annoying shadow.

Excuse the mess I’ve been busy but this how my shed looks. Same sort of idea as your meaning I think but a bit bigger. I’ve 5 ( yes there’s only 4 in the photo) of  these https://www.toolstation.com/integral-led-lightspan-ip20-ik08-batten/p1825. And they are plenty bright.

What’s a LHG?

If you’re happy with how the light is then leave them where they are. Any reason to use conduit though? Or just to look better?

Or just to look better?

This. It’s only a couple of quid but it’ll look much better.

What’s an LHG?

Local Health Group ( there may have been a hazard risk in the area)

Labour Housing Group ( The space is needed for canvassing politicians)

Left Handed Giant ( the OP lives with a fairytale creature)

Long haired General aka SWMBO

Not LED, 5ft fluorescents, but they were free…

If you can splurge £75 for three LED battens you’ll get about 16 squazillion lumens more light.

Yeah I’d be upgrading the battens to led as well, far nicer overall

Holy thread resurrection!

I have a garage that has 4x 5ft fluorescent tubes.

I want to replace with LEDs.  What size/output do i need to at least equal what i have now?

Thanks

one in line with the work bench, 700mm from the wall

So the bench is in the shadow of your own head when you are using it?

I’d paint the walls white if poss. My garage is brick on the inside and daaark, even with 3 or 4 (can’t remeber) LED strip lights it still isn’t bright enough. One day when the weather is nice, I’m going to empty it and paint it….

Also agree about the light above the work bench, mine is too far back and it’s a PITA!

I use these in various sizes in my garage. Brighter than the multitude of fluorescent tubes I replaced and so easy to fit. There is a cable coming out of one end you connect and then the light just clips into some spring clip holders.

The lights are light (unheavy) enough to be held with a single clip if necessary.I have one above the side worksurface near the window mounted closer to the wall rather than directly over my head to avoid shadows. During the day, the window gives enough light but as the evening comes, the light is perfect and the daylight tone is much nicer to work under than the bright white I have in a couple of other places.

They are also cheap enough that I ended up fitting more, smaller units as it was easier for me and gave a greater spread of light with no shadow areas.

I bought LED battons for mine and they were great up until about 2-3 months past their warranty period when they one by one all failed.  They’re very easy to replace but I don’t like throwing the whole thing away (or even recycling it) seems a huge waste of plastic.

I do like these though. They look very funky.

Hexagon Lighting – Garage Style (garagestyleltd.com) 

I have to support the LED battens recommendations. Made a world of difference to our cellars and garage.

Left Handed Giant ( the OP lives with a fairytale creature)

That also brews delicious 🍺 https://lefthandedgiant.com

I got two of these from Screwfix, for my standard single garage. One over the workbench at the back and one in the middle. Didn’t bother at the front as that’s where the door is so we don’t really do much in that area. Never felt like I needed more light.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-reeve-twin-4ft-led-batten-36w-3300lm-220-240v/476pp

Holy thread resurrection! I have a garage that has 4x 5ft fluorescent tubes.

I want to replace with LEDs. What size/output do i need to at least equal what i have now?

You’ll have to do some homework… e.g. a fluorescent 49W T5, 1450mm long tube produces around 4300 lumen

Equivalent LED is, for example, 37W 1200mm, 4400 lumen, but you’ll pay c£100 to swap all four. https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-oxbo-twin-4ft-led-batten-37w-4400lm-220-240v/733pp

Pocket and green-wise I’d be tempted to stick with the existing lamps for the amount of time that you (probably) spend in the shed. When one goes then I’d change the lot

I replaced the overhead kitchen ceiling fluorescent tube with an LED tube some years ago, it was a Wilco’s one, I think I paid about £19 for it, may have been less, but it’s still working, it just required a dummy ballast insert fitted.
Much nicer light than fluorescent, and less subliminal flicker or buzzing.

Makes sense to just replace what you have when they die. Perhaps put in 1 or 2 LED where you need them and then the others over time. When I did it, the biggest faff was removing the old tubes and fittings. Adding new ones was 2 wires into 2 wire connectors. 1 screw in each metal bracket* and clip in the new light.

I have one above one bench that I have held up by a single clip and left a long wire on the end. If I want, I can easily unclip it and use it as an inspection light. Bloody bright and a bit big at 3ft but great to light up under a car or similar.

*no need for 2 if screwing into wooden joists and it lets you rotate the lights if you change your mind about the direction they should run.

I do find if its been a particularly cold night then the LED tubes flicker where as the old style tubes don’t, but they do take forever to warm up and go bright.

I have 10 sets of doubles in my garage, 6 in the ceiling and the other four angled at the edges to point down at the work surfaces to illuminate without a head shaped shadow