Need advice on lighting for new Pole Barn

[BMan2005]

Hey guys, I asked awhile back for some ideas on our pole barn build to start our barn project. We went with a 40x60 with metal trusses and 8x8 CCA treated post. We plan to add a lean to on each side next year thinking 18 foot but have a little time to decide on that one, one for horse stalls and the other for more cold storage. But for now we just needed something on the new place to get the equipment out of the weather. Builders got the barn up late yesterday evening & now we need to look into lighting. Need something that will light the area up but not just break the bank. Ease of install will also be a big plus. Building has 14 eaves and I would assume the lights will be 15-16 foot high. What do you guys suggest?

Was thinking maybe something like these, maybe 4 of them, two down each side? These are motion lights though I believe, I would want something to wire into a switch.

 

[texasranger556]

I'm a big fan of the Costco 48" LED fixtures. They normally sell for $30 each but sometimes $20 or $25 on sale.

 

[dusty3030]

High bay either LED or T5 high intensity florescent. They aren't the cheapest things but they last a long time and give out superior light. I used them in a 40x80 foot building with 14 foot at the eaves. I only needed a total of 4 fixtures (8 bulbs per) T5 high bay fluorescents. Lit it up very nicely and in the 8 years I had it before I sold the place I never had to change a bulb.

 

[deserteagle71]

Some time back I installed a dozen of these 8' LED shop lights in my garage. Literally turned night into day. Easy installation and wiring.
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Fixture-8500lm-Daylight-Warehouse/dp/B07JVXLQ8R

 

[mikester]

High bay either LED or T5 high intensity florescent. They aren't the cheapest things but they last a long time and give out superior light. I used them in a 40x80 foot building with 14 foot at the eaves. I only needed a total of 4 fixtures (8 bulbs per) T5 high bay fluorescents. Lit it up very nicely and in the 8 years I had it before I sold the place I never had to change a bulb.

Ive swapped my highbay T8 bulbs with the LED T8 bulbs from costco and am happy with them. Instant on and brighter than the fluorescent high intensity bulbs. I used four 8 bulb high bays in a 40x60 with 18 feet height. More than adequate lighting, looks like daylight inside. 2 LED T8 bulbs are under $20 at Costco.

 

[WranglerX]

New LED florescent style "utility/shop" fixtures.... Give about twice the light as standard florescent, and easy to replace.... Beats the heck out of old style mercury vapor and quartz type lighting, low power consumption too....

Just run a conduit down ceiling center line with receptacle about every 8 feet and hang lights and plug them in....About 5 or 6 units (or what ever appropriate number per length of barn) should give good "general" lighting....

Dale

 

[BMan2005]

Thanks guys! I’m about dumb when it comes to knowing how much light or kind is needed to light an area adequately without trying them first. Would the lights that deserteagle71 pointed out be enough? And if so a pack of 6 of them work with 3 down each side or would I need two packs? It’s not going to be a work shop so don’t to overkill the lighting, but I don’t want to be looking for things in almost like a shadow type lighting.

 

[texasranger556]

These are the ones I have. https://www.costco.com/Feit-4'-Linkable-LED-Shop-Light,-2-pack.product.100462723.html

Have 6 mounted in our 2 car attached where my wife does embroidery and I have my work benches, nice and bright. I hate working in the dark.

 

[SmallChange]

I bought a string of 8 bulb sockets on a heavy rubber cord. They're about six feet apart. Then I put LED floodlights in them, and hung it in one bay of my pole barn. It's lighting a 10' by 20' area quite nicely. This was very cheap and very easy, and if I decide to rearrange or install elsewhere, I just unhook them.

 

[RSKY]

I am not an electrician on anything but I strongly recommend the long LED type fixtures. Where we have put them we have more light, better light, and lower energy usage. Can't go wrong. What I got was the single tube 4' but I think they make an 8' too.

RSKY

 

[TMGT]

I used LED "ufo" style high bay lights in my shop with 16.5' ceiling height. Work great, used 8 for a 40x40 area but could have used 9 (the garage door made the 9th light pointless).

They have fantastic coverage. With what you're talking about you could probably get by with less fixtures.
Adiding LED High Bay Light,150W UFO High Bay(600W HID/HPS Equivalent) 19500 Lumens 130Lm/W Meanwell Driver Dimmable 5000K,Lumileds SMD 3030 LED for Garage Workshop Warehouse,UL DLC Listed,IP65 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QB389F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UlwuDbSD5HTEP

 

[GSVette]

I installed 15 (5 rows of 3 fixtures) LED highbays in my 40x60x14 shop-not inexpensive but provides excellent lighting.

 

[dalola]

Many styles to choose from, based on needs, but for sure go with quality LED's.

I used these when I converted my 8' fluorescent fixtures a couple years ago. Best thing I ever did for my garage! Went with the 5K frosted, very happy with them.

https://www.hyperikon.com/

 

[BMan2005]

Some time back I installed a dozen of these 8' LED shop lights in my garage. Literally turned night into day. Easy installation and wiring.
https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Fixture-8500lm-Daylight-Warehouse/dp/B07JVXLQ8R

I like the idea of these. Easy install and says you can link up to 5 together with the 4 cords which would completely cover the distance of the barn. Would 10-15 of these probably add enough light to a 40x60 15-16 feet high?

I installed 15 (5 rows of 3 fixtures) LED highbays in my 40x60x14 shop-not inexpensive but provides excellent lighting.View attachment 616782

Very nice!

Many styles to choose from, based on needs, but for sure go with quality LED's.

I used these when I converted my 8' fluorescent fixtures a couple years ago. Best thing I ever did for my garage! Went with the 5K frosted, very happy with them.

https://www.hyperikon.com/

Looks great!


I have been looking at the T8 and UFO style highbay lights. Price on the 72W 8 foot T8 is definitely nice and seems you can get more of them cheaper, but would they be fine under a non enclosed barn under roof? The lean to痴 I値l add to the barn will be enclosed but I think I知 going to keep the 40x60 area I have built now open which is where these lights will be going now to start things.

 

[gsganzer]

I have been looking at the T8 and UFO style highbay lights. Price on the 72W 8 foot T8 is definitely nice and seems you can get more of them cheaper, but would they be fine under a non enclosed barn under roof? The lean to痴 I値l add to the barn will be enclosed but I think I知 going to keep the 40x60 area I have built now open which is where these lights will be going now to start things.

Look for lights that are "Vapor Proof" rated for damp locations. This will protect you from condensate under the roof and insects. I have the same application for lights over some horse stalls under a lean to.

Vapor Proof LED

 

[joeu235]

I installed two of these and want to install two more when I have time.

 

[BMan2005]

Look for lights that are "Vapor Proof" rated for damp locations. This will protect you from condensate under the roof and insects. I have the same application for lights over some horse stalls under a lean to.

Vapor Proof LED

Thanks! Sucks for the extra cost of the vapor proof lights, but I think they should last better after reading on them. I live in a very humid area too so good idea.

I installed two of these and want to install two more when I have time.

Thanks for subbing the video!

I appreciate all the help guys, after watching a lot of videos, researching, and your advice I致e settled on putting up 6 150w UFO high bay lights under the immediate 40x60 and see how I like that and if it痴 enough light for my use, & the vapor proof linear lights under the lean to next year for the horse stalls when we build them. I think you guys helped me from buying and doing some work just to see I知 not happy with the results. Appreciate it

 

[rv7charlie]

Hi,

Just joined the forum & have been reading the BIY section. I know that this is an old thread, in case someone is searching for info in the future, I thought I'd share my experience. I bought an 8-pack of 8' LED strips similar to the ones linked earlier, but rated at 14,400LM each. Cost in early 2020 was around $170. I replaced 4 175W high bay metal halides with 4 of the LED strips, in a 48' X50' aircraft hangar. The LEDs are quite a bit brighter than the MH were, and the light coverage is much more even (the old MHs tended to 'cone', leaving significant areas relatively dark. When a double 8' high output fluorescent in my work room died, I replaced it with one of these strips, with a significant increase in brightness.

Note that if accurate color rendition is really important to you, you'll probably need to pay a lot more for lights. But for me, these lights are more than adequate for doing any kind of work short of critical finish painting.

I gave one of my spares to my neighbor to replace a fluorescent, and he quickly ordered a full pack to replace the rest of his lights.

FWIW,

Charlie

 

[BMan2005]

It痴 been awhile but thought I might update this beings I致e had a couples emails since asking what I did. Beings it痴 just a storage barn I chose to not overkill it but wanted enough I didn稚 need more either. We went with 2 100w Dusk/Dawn lights one on each end since we come and go slot at dark with the horse trailer, and 4 100w 15,000 lumen UFO Highbays. Worked out perfect! We have added on with a 22x60 horse barn/lean to on one side so I I ever decided to enclose this some I might would need to add a couple UFO痴 on the outside ends. Beings it痴 still open though the Dusk/Dawn痴 take care of that for now. Added a picture for anyone else reading this. Oh and thank y誕ll for the help!