Lights for workshop and barn

[plowboy]

Good tip Mike. Those LED strips have come way down in price and can provide more uniform light over a counter top then some of those single bulbs.

That's why I like my 20 watt 4 foot LED lamp. I get pretty good light distribution about 6 feet wide over my workbench but it did cost a lot more then those strip lights.

Thanks, all good ideas!

[SunEagle]

look at some "tape" strips of LED lights. about a $40 kit at box hardware store. I have a 36" long strip, I cut into 2 halves, and have both valance/soffit lighting and a under cabinet from the kit. Has a 10W transformer, and may run fine from 12V battery. or 2 or 3 kits

Good tip Mike. Those LED strips have come way down in price and can provide more uniform light over a counter top then some of those single bulbs.

That's why I like my 20 watt 4 foot LED lamp. I get pretty good light distribution about 6 feet wide over my workbench but it did cost a lot more then those strip lights.

[Mike90250]

look at some "tape" strips of LED lights. about a $40 kit at box hardware store. I have a 36" long strip, I cut into 2 halves, and have both valance/soffit lighting and a under cabinet from the kit. Has a 10W transformer, and may run fine from 12V battery. or 2 or 3 kits

[plowboy]

150W kit will be totally enough. It is low consumption system, I guess you can consider a solar lantern, it can work at daytime & night.
150W kit without battery cost will be at least 100USD. But a solar lantern will be about 30-50USD.

Thanks again, great information and I will look up the solar lantern.

[YCsolar]

Thank you for the reply! Height of the ceiling is about 7' and the area is approximately 200 sq. ft..
weather in western mass., U.S.A is pretty good. Solar seems to be catching on here.
I'm in the barn/shed maybe 1-4 hours/ day.
I have decided to start out with a 150 watt kit and see how it works.
Thanks again for the interest and may the sun always shine on your panels!

150W kit will be totally enough. It is low consumption system, I guess you can consider a solar lantern, it can work at daytime & night.
150W kit without battery cost will be at least 100USD. But a solar lantern will be about 30-50USD.

[plowboy]

About LED light wattage, we should consider illumination area, and height of your workshop bench.

There is no power there, solar energy will be a good choice, how many hours should LED lights work per day?
And you should also consider weather in your place, whether is it often rainy or cloudy, and daily sunshine lasting time.

Thank you for the reply! Height of the ceiling is about 7' and the area is approximately 200 sq. ft..
weather in western mass., U.S.A is pretty good. Solar seems to be catching on here.
I'm in the barn/shed maybe 1-4 hours/ day.
I have decided to start out with a 150 watt kit and see how it works.
Thanks again for the interest and may the sun always shine on your panels!

[YCsolar]

Can you advise me on what size LED light/lights would be suitable for over a workshop bench? My barn/shop has no power and I'm confused about what size LEDS to use. Thank you.

About LED light wattage, we should consider illumination area, and height of your workshop bench.

There is no power there, solar energy will be a good choice, how many hours should LED lights work per day?
And you should also consider weather in your place, whether is it often rainy or cloudy, and daily sunshine lasting time.

[plowboy]

What would it take to get power to there?
I'd probably look at renting a ditchwitch and trenching in wire to the shop and putting in a small subpanel.

Then you can have the air-compressor, air tools, and power tools in the shop.
(at least when I think shop, I'm thinking you are very likely to want some power tools and/or air-tools.)

But if all you really want is a few LED lights for a few hours a week, solar panels are certainly an option.
Another might be a couple of flashlights that work off the same battery packs as cordless drills. (which may or may not be more expensive plan than what you're planning now)

Yes, we did look into getting power from the grid. It's a long story but the short is, the power people wanted $3000+ just to put a transformer on the pole along the road. There is a transformer about 50 feet away, so I don't understand that entirely except they were concerned about "browning out" the neighbor if I ran heavy. it was another 3000 to get to the barn whether it was overhead or underground. Too much money for this old farmboy.
You're right about the shop though. To do that stuff, I have to haul everything up to the house most of the time. I do run a small generator, but it's not very convenient.

[foo1bar]

Can you advise me on what size LED light/lights would be suitable for over a workshop bench? My barn/shop has no power and I'm confused about what size LEDS to use. Thank you.

What would it take to get power to there?
I'd probably look at renting a ditchwitch and trenching in wire to the shop and putting in a small subpanel.

Then you can have the air-compressor, air tools, and power tools in the shop.
(at least when I think shop, I'm thinking you are very likely to want some power tools and/or air-tools.)

But if all you really want is a few LED lights for a few hours a week, solar panels are certainly an option.
Another might be a couple of flashlights that work off the same battery packs as cordless drills. (which may or may not be more expensive plan than what you're planning now)

[plowboy]

really depends on how you wanna setup you work area, IE how big and are you putting up big permant ones? i have system setup in my green house, the whole thing cost me about 400 bucks, and it's been running strong for 3 years.

i have 5 trouble light's with the LED bulbs you can buy from home depot or lowes, i have about 150 watts of solar panels 1 120 watt 12v volt panel and one 30 watt 12volt panle all hooked to a 30 amp charge controller which is hook to 2 deep cycle marine batteries that i bought at wallmart for 90 bucks each, then i have a 750 watt power inverter going into that. once my lights are fully warmed up is bright as day in there, i also run a raido off it and a few other random things.

i'd say start off with 100 watt mono panel kit from amazon get some old batteries and an inverter and find some lighte you like and plug um in. the best way to this is to just buy and build.

Great info.. These are just the kind of replies I was hoping for! Now I have a much better idea of where to start.

[madmilitia]

Thank you, These two replies are very helpful. Do the leds give you enough light to, say, do repairs on a carburetor sitting on the bench?

really depends on how you wanna setup you work area, IE how big and are you putting up big permant ones? i have system setup in my green house, the whole thing cost me about 400 bucks, and it's been running strong for 3 years.

i have 5 trouble light's with the LED bulbs you can buy from home depot or lowes, i have about 150 watts of solar panels 1 120 watt 12v volt panel and one 30 watt 12volt panle all hooked to a 30 amp charge controller which is hook to 2 deep cycle marine batteries that i bought at wallmart for 90 bucks each, then i have a 750 watt power inverter going into that. once my lights are fully warmed up is bright as day in there, i also run a raido off it and a few other random things.

i'd say start off with 100 watt mono panel kit from amazon get some old batteries and an inverter and find some lighte you like and plug um in. the best way to this is to just buy and build.

[SunEagle]

Thank you, These two replies are very helpful. Do the leds give you enough light to, say, do repairs on a carburetor sitting on the bench?

While I have not worked on a carburetor, IMO my LED bench lights are very bright and will provide enough light for that type of work.

I have done some small circuit board and battery connection soldering for my RC plane systems without feeling it was too dark.

It comes down to what you feel and need to comfortably see and perform your work. While one 20 watt LED is enough for some people, others may want 2 x 20 watt LED lamps.

[plowboy]

Car batteries work ok if you have a very small load every other day. It is similar to just running the car radio every once in a while when parked. What saves that battery is that you can then run the engine so the alternator charges it back up.

If you do not have enough charging capability from your solar panel & CC, chances are your battery will work for a while but will slowly sulfate and die way before a it would have if used in your car.

Don't be fooled into thinking old & cheap car batteries work for a solar pv system. All you are really doing is adding more toxic waste to a dump when they go to an early grave.

Thank you, These two replies are very helpful. Do the leds give you enough light to, say, do repairs on a carburetor sitting on the bench?

[SunEagle]

Here is what I did for my barn.
140 watt 12v PV panel
Morningstar Sunsaver charge controller
Cobra 300 watt inverter
Old 12 v car battery I had laying around
3- 12 watt LED x 115 v bulbs (used to be cfl)

I only use these lights intermittently, some times for 2 hrs for a day or 2, then nothing for 4-5 days.
It works when I need it, battery is holding up still.

Car batteries work ok if you have a very small load every other day. It is similar to just running the car radio every once in a while when parked. What saves that battery is that you can then run the engine so the alternator charges it back up.

If you do not have enough charging capability from your solar panel & CC, chances are your battery will work for a while but will slowly sulfate and die way before a it would have if used in your car.

Don't be fooled into thinking old & cheap car batteries work for a solar pv system. All you are really doing is adding more toxic waste to a dump when they go to an early grave.

[LucMan]

Here is what I did for my barn.
140 watt 12v PV panel
Morningstar Sunsaver charge controller
Cobra 300 watt inverter
Old 12 v car battery I had laying around
3- 12 watt LED x 115 v bulbs (used to be cfl)

I only use these lights intermittently, some times for 2 hrs for a day or 2, then nothing for 4-5 days.
It works when I need it, battery is holding up still.