Fluorescent lighting layout

spiragui

All,

I am planning on replacing the three measly incandescent 100W bulbs that the builder seemed to think was adequate to light my three car garage. I wanted to replace them with 12 two-bulb T8 4' fluorescent fixtures as shown in the attached picture.

The black rectangle is the door between garage / house, and the green circle is the switch location.

I intend to replace the single switch with a two-gang switch and wiring up the lights on two circuits (indicated by the yellow and blue in the picture), so that I can have all the lights blazing if I'm woodworking etc, but only half of them if I'm just grabbing groceries from the trunk.

The ceiling is sheet-rocked, but uninsulated. I intend to attach the fixtures to the ceiling using the joists and / or toggle bolts, and then run the wires over the joists in the ceiling space and down into the fixtures through the knockouts, connecting them wires inside the fixtures with wire nuts.

Are there any problems / things I should be aware of? What gauge wires should I be using etc?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cheers
Chris

Attached Images

 

k_buz

That is going to be one bright garage.

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spiragui

Too bright? I was kind of going off what was posted here:

http://www.homeownershub.com/mainten...ts-288912-.htm

Could I maybe get away with three two-light fixtures per bay instead of four?

Cheers
Chris

Jim Port

I too think that is a lot of light.

Make sure your ballast are rated for the expected temperatures.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.