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Hangar Lighting - The importance of Color Rendering

JonJay

Well Known Member
Hangar Lighting is a common topic discussed here and a very important one for anyone building an airplane indoors.
There are many factors that go into a quality lighting design but one often overlooked is Color Rendering. CRI, Color Rendering Index, is a number from 0-100, 100 being the most true representation of all colors as viewed with the human eye.
Traditional older lighting sources still commonly found in our hangars are T12 Fluorescent and Metal Halide. Both of these sources have very poor Color Rendering, usually 60 CRI or worse. Other newer sources like T5 or T8 Fluorescent, or LED typically will have better color rendering.
Here is an example. The top pic is 400W MH, the bottom LED. The MH I would estimate at 60 CRI or lower as they degrade with age, the LED is 70 CRI.
acz86r.jpg

2ekooxd.jpg


As a minimum, I recommend 70 CRI and a Color Temperature no higher than 4000K. Higher Color Temps will make blue hues "pop" more and lower Color Temps will enriched reds and the warmer colors. 4000K is a nice balance but personal preference does come into play.
For those considering LED, most will have a CRI of 70. You can get higher ratings but efficiencies go down dramatically. 70 CRI will allow you to differentiate colors in a wiring harness as an example. If you are picking out fabric in a clothing store, or viewing art in a museum, you might want a higher CRI product.
Also, higher Color Temps, above 4000K, will typically be found in cheaper products as the efficiencies go up and that is all some manufacturers care about. Fewer LED's = cheaper to make.
I will post the install pictures for this particular hangar in another thread as Color is only one factor that improved the "seeability", productivity, and eye strain by retrofitting Metal Halide to LED.
By the way, the paint color above is Cardinal Red from my '57 Chevy Cameo Carrier.
 
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Jon, thanks for the education------been wondering about CRI as I have been searching for lighting for my new hangar.

I have found 3500 color temp to work well for me in other places I have changed to LED lighting.

57 Cameo-------used to have one, took the box off and made it a flatbed. Stupid...........
 
Nice demo JJ!

Imagine all of the suffering that could have been avoided had the world followed your lighting advice with this color rendering issue! :p :D

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Happy New Year Brudda!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Funny!
Back at ya. - Love your Spar project. I need to get down there. Also need to see Daytons project.
Happy New Year to you.
 
I recently installed some Eaton LED lights and am happy with the results. They are available in several color temps all rated CRI ≤ 85. Another big factor that changes the quality of the light with LED's is the diffusion. These have a beaded glass face that make a nice soft light. I chose 5000K since that is closest to daylight and I hate yellowish light in a work area. Higher CRI fixtures wont have the blue cast at 5000K that lower CRI does.

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hl3.jpg
 
Michael - that is a very nice installation with a high end product. I have done a few similar, low ceiling, hangar/garage applications, where the client had the budget, but most folks don't want to spend that kind of coin, especially in a traditional hangar.
You did well and I have no doubt are happy with it.
Very good points about lensing and glare control with LED. The "waveguide" technology was invented in Europe many years ago for the smaller diameter T5 Fluorescent technology to control glare and provide photometric performance. It has had a huge rebirth with LED but it is expensive technology still.
 
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Seeking input on lighting for hangar that I am having built

I am having a 51' wide by 64' deep by 12' high hangar built.

The front 40' will be hangar and the back 24' will be an enclosed shop.

The electrician is proposing using Eaton LED lights.

1.) Regarding the shop area, if the CRI greater than 80, what is an appropriate temperature? Namely, with the CRI greater than 80 should the temperature be greater than 3500 K?

2.) For the shop area, is 50 FC a minimum or recommendation? My goal is that the shop area should be lighted like one would for a work bench. So, since this new construction, it would better to cover the need now rather than add later.

3.) The proposed lights are the Eaton Metalux Value High Bay Linear LED VHBLED-LD1 lights. Any concern that in the shop that they will only be at an a 10 1/2 foot height due needing to be 1 1/2 from the ceiling and at 12 foot height in the hangar (i.e. mounted between the rafters)?

Thanks.
Brett H
Columbus, IN
RV-12 Finishing Kit
 
Not sure how expensive Eaton lights are but figured I'd repost for those interested:

For lights I found the cheapest option was to buy the 4 ft LED tubes from Amazon and re-wire some cheap housings from HD, you can build a 2-bulb light for under $35. I went 5000K for color acuity, clear rather than frosted because my shop ceiling is 14ft. Bright as **** and they'll pay for themselves.

LED Bulbs:
http://a.co/6N7FA6w

Housing:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia-...IGHT/203081577
 
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