Bus Barn Lighting

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Tony, I like Eric's plan, but with Roger's Hi Output fixtures.
When I get to my lighting it will be like that.
Sawdust has some good ideas on how to paint the walls and ceiling, and the color.

Before you buy a whole mess of tubes, for a lot of Lew Bucks, try a couple to different kind to see what color you prefer.
I like cool white the best.

If you have some areas where you think that it would be too easy to break a tube accidentally, or where a broken tube would cause a lot of heart ache, you can buy plastic sleeves to cover the tube and retain the glass chards.

JIM

[sawdust_128]

When I had the chance, I would go back to my studio and work late into the evening (early morning). One night when I was particularly productive (measured by how big the mess was) the power went out. Finding my way around the shop in the dark wasn't the issue, finding my keys in the dark was impossible.

So, make sure you wire in a couple of battery powered backup light fixtures. I also remembered that when I was going through this, I found a review of the lighting options at the Grainger web sight to be very helpful.

Lastly, in my notes for if I ever did it again, regarding the wiring, I had decided that I would home run all my major circuits back to the panel. The reason was that I had found a design for a circuit that could be used to detect current on a wire using toroids. This coupled to several relay circuits would allow me to have my various dust collectors come on/off when I started/stopped a machine. I had tried the hand held remote units and kept destroying them, or none were heavy duty enough. I could just flat wear myself out walking back and forth to turn on and off the collector for every operation.

[hobobimmer]

Eric thanks for the detailed explanation. I had been contemplating a similar layout, but thought about using 8' units instead of 4'. Did you give any consideration to different types of lighting or just hone in on the florescent strips?

Focus from the start was florescent strips, but we toyed with some other kinds. To construct my "bus barn," we added 40' x 56' on to a 30' x 56' structure I already had. In my old barn, I had eight foot florescent tubes (two bulbs per fixture) in a similar pattern, with plain florescent bulbs. So in the bus barn that we just finished mid-May this year, I followed similar plan but went with four foot fixtures. While at Lowes, I saw the daylight bulbs which looked a lot brighter than regular florescents so I bought those.

We briefly considered other kinds of lighting, like what might find in Home Depot store ceiling, or basketball gym, or parking garage. But I have always been happy with what I had in my old barn, so I added lots more of them, in different configurations (walls, not just ceilings), used daylight bulbs, and called it a day. So far have been very happy. We did buy what I think Lowe's called "commercial grade" fixtures, for what that's worth. When we need a light focused somewhere, I pick one up and carry it there. Gives us maximum flexibility and is probably cheapest. I wouldn't have been able to predict every place I'd need a light, but I have lots of plugs and lots of extension cords.

From the other posts on this topic, lots of other folks have had good experiences with other methods, locations, types, backups which will be very helpful as you figure out what you want to do. By the way, we also have a pit and are extremely happy we do. If you can have one, have one (our opinion).

eric faires
huntsville, TN

[aggies09]

Tuga,

I am planning on a pit and in fact already have it formed up and will start the rough in plumbing process tomorrow for the building. I already have planned to install electric and air connections into the pit.

There have been some great ideas on this thread and I appreciate the input. I will try to take some progress shots and post pics at a later date so that all can see the process.

Thanks.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Tony,

When you do your pit there are a couple of small details that will prove important as you use it. First, understand that your pit is going to be a grease collector. No matter how clean you try to keep it you will drip grease and may have a spill. Small spills happen, but you have the potential for a big one. Also recognize you you may want to power wash your engine. So do not put drains in the pit that go directly to a septic system or municipal sewer. I have a sump and a pump that I can pump to an oil trap that separates oil and greases from water before it goes into the ground. I can also discharge the pump into my septic if I choose via a hose. Consider that if you put floor drains in the pit whatever hits the bottom of the pit ends up where those drains lead.

I have air and electric in my pit. Very convenient. I considered lighting, but a trouble light or several trouble lights will work better.

My pit used to extend beyond the length of my 40 footer (Not any more with the 45). The steps were at that end, and running the full length on both sides is a groove so I could put 2 X 10's across to form a floor when I worked from garage floor level at the rear of the coach, or to support my drain pans. If you omit the grooves on the sides you have to lay whatever goes across your pit on the flor surface and it will not be flush.

When it is done, take pictures and enjoy the clean white concrete. It will never be that way again.

[garyde]

Just a little reminder, the electrical code states that all convienance outlets in garages shall be no less than 18 inches from the slab. This is to prevent a spark from igniting any gases or fumes which may be accumulating at floor level. This is also why you see hot water heaters on platforms in garages, to keep the pilot light above floor level.
So, it may be convienant to have a recepticle in a pit but they are not allowed by code unless the recepticle and the cap which plugs into it are explosion proof rated.