Garage Lighting

[boykinlp]

My niece is moving close by while getting her Masters. Where she will be renting has a large detached garage. It isn’t as bright as I would prefer. Also the light switches in the garage are really in a bad location. She has to walk a little bit to get to them. I think I would like to find her a brighter setup, and something that has a motion sensor. That way, as soon as she opens the door or the garage door, the lights will come on. Anyone have a suggestion that has worked well for you for a decent length of time?

I have seen some of these “As Seen On TV” lights (I know, I know) and some of them appear to do exactly what I want. But, when I look at actual reviews, they generally are pretty disappointing. I am not an Electrician, so would like to find something that doesn’t require installing new fixtures or outlets. Plus, this is a rental.
Larry

 

[djohns6]

They make switches with a motion detector built in . Does it have an opener ? These have lights that come on when the door is operated .

 

[NYlakesider]

They make switches with a motion detector built in . Does it have an opener ? These have lights that come on when the door is operated .

Good post! I see switches like that at many of the bathrooms at convenience stores/gas stations.

 

[Smoke]

It isn’t as bright as I would prefer.

Is it as bright as She would prefer?

 

[glowe]

110V motion detector lighting and switches turn on with motion but only stay on a few minutes then turn off. It could get pretty irritating to have lights go on and off every time you moved or did not move??? If all that is needed is a light to safely get to the main switch, buy one of those battery motion detector lights and place is by the entrance door. Option is a flashlight??

 

[jeffrefrig]

You can get the motion detector switch and get some LED bulbs. Just read the package and get the brightest they sell.

 

[DukeSoprano]

Menards 4' shop lights have built in motion sensors, I have 6 of them in my garage and 3 more in various closets. Work great!

 

[RT44nut]

I replaced some 4’ Fluorescent shop lights with some led shop lights and made a huge difference in brightness. I’ve also been looking at a Wireless Remote Control Switch for about $20 that might be an option and has a key fob for the small remote.

 

[Krogen]

I have motion detector nightlights scattered about my shop. They are bright enough to navigate when it's pitch black outside. It's no problem to find my way to the power switch to turn on main lights if I want. The nightlights are inexpensive and simply plug into ac outlets.

 

[Ματθιας]

Do you want a garage the announces when the door is opened or closed with bright lights?

 

[ameridaddy]

I hung 12 Honeywell linkable 4' LED fixtures from hooks and chains on my 9' ceiling in my 22'x24' shop for area lighting. They are easy to install if you have just a few ceiling outlets, because they are plug in, pull chain on/off, linkable 4' LED fixtures. I bought 2 clamp-on and 2 magnetic base LED goose neck task lamps for local illumination. The ceiling fixtures were ~$22 four years ago, now up to ~$42 ea on eBay. I've been very pleased with them.

 

[lkabug]

There are sensors that that are activated by ambient heat vs motion. Have had several for years. I find them better than the motion sensors.

 

[Kinman]

I replaced the fluorescents in my shop with LED's got more than twice the light and easily a quarter of the cost of running the old system. Other upsides are they come on instantly regardless of the ambient temperature, never flicker, and produce a pleasant bluish light that is "bright" to say the least. I used to have to get a flashlight to find something dropped on the floor in some parts of my shop, not now...lit up like a ball park. They came in a kit, I got six 4' dual LED's that could plug into each other in series. Two ceiling plugs served all six lights, I plugged into the outlet the other piggy backed off the first. Cost was around $250, downside is that you cannot replace the bulb...supposed to last 10K hours. My current driver's license does not expire until '32, I may not see either one fail or expire.

 

[67tempest]

I bought five 8 ft LED light fixtures along with four round LED light fixtures at a local Habitat Restore store. I paid $27.50 each for the 8 footers and the round ones were $10.00 each. Hung one 8 footer over one of the garage stalls and hung a round one over my lathe. I don't know the lumen rating on the 8 footer's but the round ones are rated at 27,000 lumen's. The round ones are intended to be hung up from a high warehouse ceiling, it lights up my lathe like the sun, you can never have to much light in a garage.

 

[CalifEd]

I had a couple of remote, wireless switches for the room and lamps. You wire the switch and use a fob for the on/off.
I like the incandescent lights for reading (I have a stash) but the LED's seem to be too strong in a room, at least for me.

 

[anoblefox]

I retrofitted led lamps in a 4' florescent fixture in the laundry room. The fixture had been controlled by a motion sensor switch. The motion switch was not compatible with the led replacements, it would not shut off completely. Went back to a standard toggle wall switch. Make sure the motion sensor will work with the led lights you choose before spending alot of $ for the motion switch!

 

[Farmer17]

In my new house I just built I put three of the cheap light bulb receptacles in both garage ceilings that you screw in a single light bulb. Then from Amazon I bought three screw in triple paddle LED lights that were about 8 bucks each. It's so bright in my garage you practically have to wear sunglasses.

 

[Rodan]

Search for "Barrina T5 LED shop light" on Amazon...

These are very popular on the motorsports forums for inexpensive shop lighting. I used them in the garage in our old house to replace flouorescent fixtures I had installed when we moved in. They made an enormous difference. They can be wired into existing wiring, or just plugged into an outlet, and are very easy to install.

Before

After

In our new location, I installed them in the reloading 'cave' in my shop.