October 26, 2020 5 min read
If you're like me, you’ve done your fair share of working on projects in inadequate lighting and get to the point where you have just had enough. Shop lights need to be bright enough to illuminate the entire room, but most lighting options just don’t make the cut. Fortunately, you’re in the right place, I’ll cover lumens, watts, and other essential features of shop lights. Most importantly you’ll know which shop lights are the best and why.
Depending on your shop size, you’ll want a minimum of 3000-8000+ lumens. Light functionality also impacts the light brightness and how the light is dispersed. Shop conditions also impact brightness, such as an unfinished shop wall will absorb light compared to painted white walls will reflect it.
Throughout this article, you’ll also learn the following information about the brightness of shop lights:
If you’re not already aware, lumens refer to the brightness of a light source. Small headlamps usually put out 200 lumens, whereas floodlights put out about 1,200 lumens. If you’re trying to illuminate an entire shop, Wave Form Lighting recommends a bare minimum of 3,000 lumens. This brightness will be enough to improve and maintain optimal visibility while you work.
Here’s how you can choose the brightness of your shop lights:
As you can see, the brightness is incredibly important when you’re getting a shop light. Lumens are the name of the game since they’re what determines the brightness. Remember that the lumens should be above 3,000 to cover your whole shop.
Now that you know more about the brightness necessities, it’s time to check out two of the top shop light solutions on the market. STKR Concepts offers plenty of options, but the MPI and TriLight are some of the best that you’ll find anywhere. Let’s cover both of them below.
The MPI, also known as Multi-Point Illumination, uses a series of five lights to brighten up your shop. The primary light sits wherever you have a light socket. Once you’ve screwed it into an available light socket, you can attach the four remaining lights. They come with cords that keep them attached to the center light hub.
Note that the four additional lights don’t need to have their own electrical cords or sockets, other than the cords that attach them to the primary light, as mentioned above. The cables can wrap around the base of each light, so you can extend them up to 9 and a half feet in any direction or keep them nearby.
This lighting system is useful for shops because it brightens up the whole room with 7,500 lumens. Surprisingly enough, it only costs 60 watts per hour, making it one of the most efficient lights available. You’ll also enjoy the daylight white color and the fact that each bulb lasts well over 50,000 hours.
The TriLight is an excellent light as it allows you to control the angle of where you want the light to go. Are you tired of working in the shadows? The light wings on this fixture can be folded to illuminate anything within 360° of it. They each move independently, which means you can customize the appearance and brightness as you work.
These powerful light fixtures have 4,000 lumens, which is well within the aforementioned range. The wattage consumption is as low as 24 watts per hour, undercutting any fluorescent or incandescent lightbulb by far. You don’t need to worry about cables or plugs since this product screws into a light socket.
Much like the MPI, the TriLight lasts up to 50,000 hours. You don’t need professional equipment, nor do you have to worry about cracks or breaks. This unit has been drop-tested on concrete time and time again, so it’s ideal for heavy-duty shops that are always seeing a steady flow of traffic.
If you loved the TRiLIGHT option covered above but don’t want to or simply can’t use an existing lighting socket, then the TRiLIGHT Shoplight is a great option. It is designed to work just like the metal drop lights commonly found in an auto mechanic setting.
This light can be used as an overhead light by hanging it from it’s built-in hook or as task specific lighting by holding the handle or setting it on the floor. This handheld shop light puts out 3000 lumens and because of it’s 3 adjustable blade design, you can flood the room with light in all directions or focus it straight down for intense task lighting.
Although brightness is very important when it comes to shop lights, there are a few other factors that you should consider. Here they are:
The brightness of your shop light can improve visibility, upgrade your quality of work, and drastically change your attention to detail. When you’re able to clearly see everything you’re working on, you’ll be able to be more efficient and truly enjoy your workspace.
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