Let's talk about lighting

[Glenn]

Decent whitepaper on HID vs. Fluorescent. (Written Nov 2004)

http://www.aboutlightingcontrols.org...-low-bay.shtml

[Glenn]

Just wanted to attach this foot-candle chart. I really think I want to be at 100fc at 3'.

[MXtras]

I am curious to know how my RedNeck Watts/SqFt calculation stands up to the real world stuff.

But I am too lazy.

Scott

[Glenn]

In my post a few above I stated:

Entering this information into the Visual lighting software, I come up with a FC average of 97.8fc using 32 4-bulb fixtures with a total wattage of 4096watts over the top of 1600 square feet for a watt/sqft of 2.56 W/ft squared (2.25 according to Visual.)

The 2.56 W/ft squared was using your formula and the software told me it would be 2.25. So yours is pretty close.

[Glenn]

OK, so I am not sure why it took so long to figure this out but... The Watts per square foot is not really a deciding factor. Being you can get different levels of lumens out of the same wattage bulb, you can actually have more foot-candles of light with less wattage and therefore be brighter with less wattage per square foot.

I hope this makes sense.

[MXtras]

Still in the dark, Glenn?

Scott

[Glenn]

Yes. Still in the dark. Priorities have shifted back to the house for a bit.

The power company approved me for 400 Amp service though so I will have a full 200 Amps to the garage. (Not like the typical 400 Amp residential service only being 320 Amps.) So I should be able to light that thing up BRIGHT. LOL!

I will work it out one day. The sad part is that I am lighting the whole building with 10 22Watt cork screw fluorescents right now. (It is not near bright enough.)