# In wall lighting



## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

I have a project, big mechanic's shop, that will have a pit 80 feet long and 3 feet wide, and 5 feet deep, for trucks and heavy equipment to roll over for inspection and maintenance. A pit like many of you have seen in older mechanic shops before car lifts became so popular. 

Anyway, they want lights in the pit wall, and that means I either have to make recess boxes, or cast them in the pour. I have found some neat ones for $1000 each, and this would require like 16 of these (not happening) and it occurred to me that I could use halogen flood lights. At least my thinking is taking me this direction. 

A simple 150 watt flood light with a sealed lens is less then $20 wholesale, and it has a housing that would lend itself to direct placement in the concrete walls. Also, the lumen output would be great enough to only need 8 of these.

Other options would be pool/spa light niches and then use the lens kit with whatever fixture I can install, or is the a strip fluorescent light that has a lens, and could be placed in the wall? 

Thoughts?


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Kichler makes pots to go in poured concrete. What ever you use the connection points must be accessible.

http://www.landscapelighting.com/op...lleries/pdf/ll_spec_sheet/landscape/15268.pdf

http://www.landscapelighting.com/portal/products/detail/15608AZ

Surface mount is not an option?

Have the concrete company place large [enough to accept the lights you choose] foam blocks at the proper location on their forms. In the foam blocks place a weather proof/concrete tight box (align the back of the box with the back of the foam). Pipe between with well supported ridged. Place concrete, remove forms remove blocks, install lights. I would use LED's instead of halogens. Set up may be a challenge, but very doable. 

Last edit (I think) In your location you may be allowed to use Sch 80 PVC conduit in the pour with PVC boxes (by code a PVC box is not allowed to support a light 352.12(B)). It would be less costly, you would need to support very well for the pour and run a ground wire. (I'm from the land of EMT so my mind goes to steel first)

Tom


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## shanekw1 (Mar 20, 2008)

We haven't been allowed to put pits in a shop around here for probably 20 years.

Can't help you with the lights, though.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

I retrofitted a pit similar to what you are describing.

Face mounted 4' T8 fluorescent vapor proof fixtures, horizontal on the pit walls. Daing near need sunglasses in the pit.

On a new build cast a groove wide & deep enough for the fixtures the length of the pit. Fixtures about 5' apart depending on how bright you want it. Use 5000k fluorescent tubes.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

The cheapest way and easiest to service would be conduit and surface mount lights.

Once something is buried in that pit wall, there is no easy way of getting to it if there is a problem.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> The cheapest way and easiest to service would be conduit and surface mount lights.
> 
> Once something is buried in that pit wall, there is no easy way of getting to it if there is a problem.


What I described is not buried. It is all mounted in the cast recess.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

I was thinking about this on my way to a job this morning. Have the concrete contractor use the foam they use for brick ledges set about 16" from the top of the pit wall. This will create a recess 4" deep by 12" tall. Make the recess complete around the entire pit. Do as Griz did and install you lights in the recess. If you can get the concrete contractor to back the foam with 5/4 treat lumber all the better, no concrete to drill into.

As Griz alluded to, make certain what ever light you use meets the requirements of the locations classification. 

Tom


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## donerightwyo (Oct 10, 2011)

We have the same size pit in our shop. It's only 40 ft long though. The previous owners had halogen's surface mounted. They burn the piss out of you when you touch them. First time you go to change a fuel filter and the gas runs down the frame and drips onto the light it will make your butt pucker

I think Griz has a good idea. It needs to be something that won't go boom.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

We found a strip fixture yesterday, gasketed, complete with lens cover, and I will have to recess pockets in the wall. $90 each, instead of $1000 each. 

The point in recessing the fixtures was to keep them out of the way, 36 inch wide pit, and yeah, the halogens would have been hot, hence the idea of low wattage lights. 

I use Styrofoam to glue to plyforms, or even ICF's and create recesses for beams, or openings for hvac, etc., so I will simply use some old litedeck and cut it into blocks 50 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 6 inches deep, glue them on, and set it up. place 3/4 pvc conduit between the blocks, and the electrician is good to go.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

How about flexible LED strips in channels. I was going to buy some for a setup behind my tv but never got around to doing it. They are low profile and cheap. You would just need to find a high quality led strip to go into it. Some of them a pretty bright. You would have light down the whole length of the pit then. I think they go upto about 500 lumens per ft

http://www.elementalled.com/aluminum-strip-light-channels.html


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

Make sure you stick the PVC conduit into the blocks a few inches. The electrician has to get the fitting/boxes on. 

Tom


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

tjbnwi said:


> Make sure you stick the PVC conduit into the blocks a few inches. The electrician has to get the fitting/boxes on.
> 
> Tom



Who said anything about an electrician? :laughing: Next, you will tell me something about codes..... :thumbsup:

My regular electrician did not answer his phone when I called and left the message, and he will be on this site after the fact. What he will get is the recesses and as you noted, about 3 inches of gray pvc sticking into each end and a run to the nearest wall. If he had answered his phone, he would have had the opportunity to pull his wire and seal it up......but he didn't, and since he is on another of my jobs, he will come from there to here and find it already in the concrete. Pictures soon.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

Did you already run those lighting ideas by your electrical inspector? If not, in a commercial garage, he may be looking for pit lighting rated for Class1/Div2 even if the pit area has mechanical ventilation. If it's unventilated, he may be looking for lighting rated Class1/Div1. Unfortunately, either way, it could be more involved and tearfully more expensive than just using regular lighting solutions.


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