I've brightened my car hole

"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97) 01/27/2020 at 09:03 • Filed to: None

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I went out yesterday afternoon to straighten up my car hole, as I’ve got lots of little stuff to clean up from a dozen different projects recently. Upon going out the 8-foot lights overhead failed to light up, so I took a quick drive to Lowe’s and bought a couple of new ones. I even splurged for the plastic protector tubes to go around them. This started the trip down the rabbit hole.

Once I got home and put the new tubes in, I decided I should finally open up the three junction boxes in the garage ceiling and see if they held switched wires like I thought they did. Doing so confirmed three junction boxes wired up to the switch that controls the ceiling fan. Their placement is weird, but the previous owner had a work bench setup in that corner, which might explain the location.

I had a leftover light fixture from last year’s houselopnik projects, so I wired it up. Impressed with my newfound light, a return trip to Lowe’s was in order to pickup a couple more matching, and cheap, fixtures and 100 watt equivalent LED bulbs.

I never did get around to cleaning up my mess on the shelves, but I continued the trip down the rabbit hole by ordering the set of 6, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that had been in Amazon cart for the last year. I’ll probably put those up some evening this week. I imagine I’ll pickup a light kit for that ceiling fan while I’m at it the next time I stop by Lowe’s. I’d normally say there’s no done like overdone, but I’m firmly in the camp of there being no such thing as too much light in a garage.

I’m looking forward to nighttime Svending this summer, which is about the only time temperature wise that it’s pleasant to do during the six-months it’s hotter-than-balls in Southern NM.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 09:23

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MonkeePuzzle > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 09:29

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this is good car holing.

Although I would have suggested s plurging on the LED light bars Costco often has for cheap in place of the fluro units. But, you already had that unit, and the spares from home renovation, so I certainly cant fault you for saving the $$$.

I’ve found spouses are typically more on board with car-holing when it’s cheaper.

adamftw > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 09:48

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Pegboard wall!!! That’s great.

Sovande > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 09:53

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I added a bunch of very cheap ($40 for 8 - 4 foot tube lights) in my garage. Since it is all exposed joists, I mounted the lights to 1x2 and hung those from the joists.  It’s now lit up like a surgical suite.  Now if only I could find an affordable garage stretcher...

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > MonkeePuzzle 01/27/2020 at 10:20

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I’ve considered some of the LED options for replacing the fluros at Lowe’s, but they weren’t cheap enough to make me bite. I wouldn’t add more fluros to keep the electric bill reasonable, but I couldn’t beat 12,000 lumens for $15.00 in tubes for 120watts in the fixture that was already there.

The three fixtures I added with 100 watt equivalent LED bulbs are good for another 9600 lumens.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > adamftw 01/27/2020 at 10:21

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That was the original owners idea, but I dig it. It comes in handy, and I’ve to even come close to exploitin g all the peg space.

shop-teacher > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 10:53

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Lighting makes such a big difference!  I recently made some upgrades in my basement, and need to do more.  When the weather warms up, I need to turn my attention to the garage.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > shop-teacher 01/27/2020 at 11:21

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I'd been putting it off in favor of other houselopnik projects, but it is so much better.  Once I do the master bath and kitchen someday, I'll make my garage prettier.

shop-teacher > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 12:41

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My garage will never be pretty (the floor is a horror show which I cannot in the foreseeable future afford to fix), but the lighting is a nightmarish hodgepodge of florescent light fixtures that were meant for under cabinets and clamp lights.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 01/27/2020 at 23:07

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i was looking at lighting fixtures for my parents garage on sunday. it is amazing how much of a difference it makes when working on something. 

jminer > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 02/01/2020 at 22:48

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Surprise - I’m your not-so-secret Senna!

I’ve been a miserable excuse of an Opponaut as I just shipped out your gift - sorry!

It should get you you by mid-week and I hope you enjoy and get some use out of it!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > jminer 02/01/2020 at 22:51

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Awesome!  I'll keep an eye out for it.