Workbench lighting - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: scatterandfocus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2019, 05:57:21 pm
content: I'm working out the details of a workbench for electronics, and part of that includes working out lighting solutions. My workbench will be near a window to take advantage of natural daylight, but I will still need lighting for working at night. My initial choice is halogen lighting, because of the light quality that it gives. Opinions will differ on this, but the LED bulbs that I have tried so far have been pretty poor for task lighting (reading, soldering projects, general small parts projects). I have tried GE and Cree bulbs, both soft white and daylight, with CRI ratings of 90+. Later I found out that CRI ratings can be deceptive. One reason being is that CRI rating is a very limited sample of the full spectrum of light. Another is that LED manufacturers often only give the CRI rating without any specific details, such as the R9 value, or leaving out R values altogether in the CRI rating of their products. And LED light in general has bothered my eyes, including computer displays, which probably also use poor quality LED lighting. But I am curious about higher quality LED lighting, such as products made by Yuji and Waveform. Other concerns are flicker, and that some LED lights tend to yellow faster over time than others. Anyway, the prices of higher quality LED lighting does seem high, but if the higher quality stuff is really that much better than what can be bought from the bigbox stores, such as bulbs made by GE and Cree, it would be worth it to have good task lighting that is power efficient.I am also concerned with electrical noise from LED lighting. I have seen some people here on the forum mention turning off LED lighting when using their test gear because of switching noise from LED lighting. Is this still the situation with higher quality LED lighting? Are there solutions other than turning off the lights? And how about with dimming? Because I definitely do like having the ability to dim task lights.Are any of you using LED lighting maybe be Yuji, Waveform, or some other manufacturer of high quality LED lighting? Which products? How are you using them? What has your experience been?

author: scatterandfocus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2019, 06:05:54 pm
content: Whoops, I said 'wavelength' above. I meant 'waveform'.

author: bsfeechannel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2019, 07:11:46 pm
content: I use 6500K Sylvania fluorescent lights and 6500K GE LED bulbs. I'm very pleased with them.

author: scatterandfocus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2019, 10:32:02 pm
content: I was looking at Soraa's bulbs today. It seems that their high CRI A19 bulbs aren't available anymore. I wonder what's up with that. Now they are selling Low CRI bulbs with a high R9, with the label 'Healthy'. And it looks like Yuji doesn't sell bulbs in U.S. formats.Taking another look at one of my Cree daylight bulbs, it has a blue'ish tint to my eyes. I have tried reading under Cree daylight and soft white bulbs, and I don't like it. Both feel uncomfortable to me. The daylight looks too blue and the soft white looks too yellow. These are 60 watt bulbs. Local stores don't sell the bright white versions, but I think I should try one in a 40 watt bulb, as it may be that the 60 watt bulbs are too bright for me, along with the too blue and too yellow colors. But it doesn't seem to me that there will be a big difference between 2700k and 3000k.

author: scatterandfocus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2019, 11:58:14 pm
content: I'm looking for a dimmable swing arm lamp, which should be easy enough.Most of them seem to have an LED light built in. Some of them don't say one way or the other, so I have to go play detective to find out. I don't want an integrated bulb. It will likely be crap, and when it burns out there goes the whole lamp in the trash. Some of them use smaller than standard size bulbs, which I found out through comments/reviews, and so a standard size bulb will stick out from under the shade.And LED has made finding bulbs too complicated. I just want some damn bulbs that don't bake my eyes (which is complicated in itself), don't flicker, buzz, or do anything else stupid, and can be dimmed. Some LED's are dimmable, some not. Some are dimmable by apps and have specific app compatibility. I don't want any, thanks. Some are multi-colored. I don't want a range of disco colors, or a range of bad shades of white. Some have remote controls. No thanks, again. Does someone just make a good bulb as good as incandescent/halogen without all this crap piled on?I feel old and cranky. I guess people are buying this stuff though.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2019, 11:15:51 am
content: I have Panasonic (or another Japanese brand) of LED downlight throughout my house, 5000K, which are pretty good.Not earthed as per Japanese electrical convention, so one day I might throw an earth wire around to ground the metal enclosures to minimise noise and stuff.Above my bench I ran strips of high CRI 5000K LED strip under the gear shelf at eye height running from a name brand Inline brick PSU (probably an old laptop PSU I got surplus), a square LED panel light I made over my left shoulder made with the same LED strip/PSU combo and over my right shoulder a 'MasterGrip' work light from Costco (sometimes rebranded by Snap-On etc).It all works really well and is nice and bright for detail work.I've never checked for interference, but I haven't noticed anything too wild. The PSU's for my LED strips are earthed which should help a bit with the switchmode noise I guess.

author: lilstevie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2019, 03:00:28 am
content: Quote from: scatterandfocus on September 25, 2019, 11:58:14 pmUnfortunately the "smart" tunable globes are really the only LEDs with decent brightness, CRI and availability.Over my desk I have a LIFX bulb, at 1100 lumen and an acceptable CRI of 89 it was the best work light I could find.

author: mikeinkcmo
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 12:35:58 pm
content: Although the area is quite primitive, the lighting is pretty good.I have 3ea 8' four lamp fixtures over the two benches. Each bench has it's own lighting, and each bench has it's own "master" power switch, two switches and all is off. When the basement is dark, only the GPS disciplined Time Base is alive.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 12:45:50 pm
content: Wow,one8' florescent tube lights my double garage pretty brightly - I think I'm seeing stars!

author: mikeinkcmo
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 29, 2019, 04:28:23 pm
content: Yeah, I'm old and the eyes are getting dim. Makes it nice in that I don't need much for additional "spot" illumination. The stars are from the little girl that lived here before we bought the place, twenty years ago. As a bonus, they glow in the dark

author: scatterandfocus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 01:20:50 am
content: mikeinkcmo, that looks like a hell of a rig. And well lit.

author: SparkyFX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 30, 2019, 03:54:56 pm
content: I installed 2 floodlights, 10W, 6500K. They give a very good light for soldering work, are mounted directly 1.5m over the work (so i don´t cast a shadow).Have not checked their noise, though, but they are in metal casing and mounted to a metal bench/storage rack.