Help needed with lighting for vehicle waxing
12-17-2010, 09:14 AM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Huntingtown MD
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Help needed with lighting for vehicle waxing
I need a lighting scheme to improve lighting for vehicle waxing in my garage. The current situation is two car garage with boxed beam down the middle front to back, the ceiling, walls and beam are finished with drywall painted white and the obligatory two bare light bulbs in the ceiling.
The use of light stands is automatically ruled out as a knock over disaster waiting to happen. I considered mounting Florescent bulbs on the perimeter walls and the beam about six inches below the ceiling but I am unsure of the resulting light quality. Six to eight additional bare bulbs will give the light quantity and quality desired but it runs the risk of looking tasteless.
What have you done to improve lighting for car detailing?
The use of light stands is automatically ruled out as a knock over disaster waiting to happen. I considered mounting Florescent bulbs on the perimeter walls and the beam about six inches below the ceiling but I am unsure of the resulting light quality. Six to eight additional bare bulbs will give the light quantity and quality desired but it runs the risk of looking tasteless.
What have you done to improve lighting for car detailing?
12-17-2010, 09:22 AM
#2
Safety Car
Flourescent is going to be your best bet for general purpose lighting. Halogen and incandescent are much better for defect spotting when you're doing correction work.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
12-17-2010, 09:56 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Flourescent is going to be your best bet for general purpose lighting. Halogen and incandescent are much better for defect spotting when you're doing correction work.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
I have about a dozen twin 4' flourescent fixtures and a twin 1500 Halogen in one corner and twin 500 watt halogens in the other corner. Only problem is the halogens get warm in the summer months.
12-17-2010, 10:14 AM
#4
Race Director
For the money and convenience it's tough to beat the double portable tripod type halogens. They do get hot, and yes you can knock them over, but for less than $50 you can't go wrong.
Are you detailing every day?
Are you detailing every day?
12-17-2010, 10:54 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 1999
Location: The Usual Suspects Yorba Linda Chapter
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you have access, canned lights work pretty well. I have 8 recessed cans above each car with a 150 W flood light in each. Also each set of 8 lights is on its own dimmer switch, so I can go from low light to very strong light. The down side is that when they are on full they do generate a bit of heat. It shows the swirls quite well and makes the cars look awesome when you are done buffing them.
I have a total of 20 recessed lights in my 3 car garage. 8 over two cars and 4 in the 3rd car area (it's not really big enough for a car).
I have a total of 20 recessed lights in my 3 car garage. 8 over two cars and 4 in the 3rd car area (it's not really big enough for a car).
12-17-2010, 08:15 PM
#6
Drifting
I need a lighting scheme to improve lighting for vehicle waxing in my garage. The current situation is two car garage with boxed beam down the middle front to back, the ceiling, walls and beam are finished with drywall painted white and the obligatory two bare light bulbs in the ceiling.
The use of light stands is automatically ruled out as a knock over disaster waiting to happen. I considered mounting Florescent bulbs on the perimeter walls and the beam about six inches below the ceiling but I am unsure of the resulting light quality. Six to eight additional bare bulbs will give the light quantity and quality desired but it runs the risk of looking tasteless.
What have you done to improve lighting for car detailing?
The use of light stands is automatically ruled out as a knock over disaster waiting to happen. I considered mounting Florescent bulbs on the perimeter walls and the beam about six inches below the ceiling but I am unsure of the resulting light quality. Six to eight additional bare bulbs will give the light quantity and quality desired but it runs the risk of looking tasteless.
What have you done to improve lighting for car detailing?
even with the very best indoor lighting you cant compete with mother nature she shows every defect 
Last edited by stig-zzz; 12-17-2010 at 08:35 PM. Reason: added text
12-17-2010, 09:48 PM
#7
Former Vendor
http://autogeek.net/detailingtools.html
Sun Guns and Brinkmann handhelds are another option for closeups on paint and to assure the swirls are busted in light challenged areas. Best part, the are infinitely movable.
Sun Guns and Brinkmann handhelds are another option for closeups on paint and to assure the swirls are busted in light challenged areas. Best part, the are infinitely movable.
12-18-2010, 06:15 PM
#8
Flourescent is going to be your best bet for general purpose lighting. Halogen and incandescent are much better for defect spotting when you're doing correction work.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
If it were me, I would put up enough flourescent to satisfy your space and use portable halogen and incandescents only when needed.
Only thing I would add is, Don't but the cheap fluorescent lights. Spend the extra money and get the "Sun Light" lights. Much better light!JM2¢
12-18-2010, 08:10 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Aug 1999
Location: Silicon Valley and Yosemite, CA
Posts: 5,511
Received 636 Likes
on
342 Posts
Depending on how serious you want to get, I would try and locate 6500K T8's. You can get these at Lowes - Philips 6500K Daylight T8 Even better are these, ME Lighting, but they are not cheap. However the ME's are incredible. even the 5000K shows off every little defect, the 6500K's are almost blinding. I just ordered 6500K's for my detail shop. I had a car in from a local shop, and when I dropped it off, I could see things I never saw in daylight and they had these bulbs installed.
I am in the process of buying another shop and moving it to a better location. In that location I am going to build a "bright" room. It will be drywalled, painted with reflective paint, and it will have the 4 - 2 light 6500K fixtures in the ceiling and 2 6500K on each side wall. If I can't find defects with that lighting scheme, I might be blind
I am in the process of buying another shop and moving it to a better location. In that location I am going to build a "bright" room. It will be drywalled, painted with reflective paint, and it will have the 4 - 2 light 6500K fixtures in the ceiling and 2 6500K on each side wall. If I can't find defects with that lighting scheme, I might be blind
12-18-2010, 10:53 PM
#10
Advanced
Thread Starter
Member Since: Oct 2005
Location: Huntingtown MD
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks to all for the feedback.
My background is that I am an amateur who needs to move inside for the winter. Seems like someone always needs a car washed and waxed (6-7 cars and trucks) when the kids come home. For down lighting I will check into 5000 or 6500K T8's this seems bright enough and will make a good perimeter install, tripod type halogens are good, but I had a double which I knocked over last winter and thought it was going to hit my DSOM 2005 on the way down.
My background is that I am an amateur who needs to move inside for the winter. Seems like someone always needs a car washed and waxed (6-7 cars and trucks) when the kids come home. For down lighting I will check into 5000 or 6500K T8's this seems bright enough and will make a good perimeter install, tripod type halogens are good, but I had a double which I knocked over last winter and thought it was going to hit my DSOM 2005 on the way down.
