Barn light suggestions for increasing brightness to existing lights?

[SidesaddleRider]

Our barn is a single aisle, with single light bulbs running down the center, and then a light in each stall (7) and in the wash stall (the feed room and tack room lights are not an issue here). I clip up 4 additional flood lights (regular or heat) with metal shields in the wash stall.

However, I want there to be MORE light in the barn! I would like to both brighten it and reduce shadows, so it is easier to see for grooming, the vet, the farrier, etc. I prefer soft white light to bright fluorescent lighting, but I don’t know if that will be an option or the best for what I want.

So, can anyone give some suggestions on what type of lighting you have, or would recommend adding (we would keep the current lights) to our barn?

[Jumper_girl221]

can you do a different light bulb with a higher wattage?

[SidesaddleRider]

[QUOTE=Jumper_girl221;8386523]
can you do a different light bulb with a higher wattage?[/QUOTE]

I already use 100 watt bulbs, and it is not enough. Sure, you can see, what it is not as bright as I would like, and I still get some shadows (i.e., I can body clip in the wash stall with the overhead light and the 4 additional flood lights, but I do not have enough light to body clip in the aisle and ensure I am not missing spots or not leaving lines). I could easily put in MORE of the same lights I currently have, but I did not know if that was the best route to go.

[Jumper_girl221]

I just have regular spot lights in my barn with the high efficiency bulbs. I did a bib the other evening and didn’t have any problems in the aisle, missed a few spots in the stall lol. I have a 40’ long barn and have 3 lights, each with two bulbs (they are 3 bulb lights, but I don’t have bulbs in the center).

[Libby2563]

I know you said no fluorescent but if you keep what you have down the center of the aisle, maybe consider adding some flourescents high on the walls on each side of the aisle. You could keep the old lights and only use the flourescents when additional lighting is needed.

I have a 46’ long aisle and 2 flourescents on each side, high up on the walls. Putting lights on the side improves visibility of the horses’ sides, legs, and underside. My farrier loves it.

[Wonders12]

For the shadows, you will need to add more lights. The best reasonable (IMO) is to alternates the lights slightly so they are not dead center along the aisle.

So (X = light)
|…x…|
|…x…|
|…x…|
|…x…|
|…x…|
|…x…|

This will give you a slightly darker side and a slightly lighter side, but the shadows on the dark side won’t be as harsh.

One step up would be to have matching lights on both sides of the aisle.

|…x…x…|
|…x…x…|
|…x…x…|
|…x…x…|
|…x…x…|

If you really want to get serious about no shadows though, you’ll need the above setup plus lights low along the walls to help uplight bellies and shadow-y areas of legs. Most people only do this in a wash rack or grooming area if they do at all. But it is REALLY nice for clipping and vet/first aid work in hard to see areas.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

Put each bare bulb into a fixture that will reflect the light downward. No point in having half of your wattage lighting up the ceiling.

[mht]

LED floodlight-type bulbs. Have just replaced all the lighting in my barn with LED. So much brighter, and the flood type bulbs project the light down in a wide angle, to give better coverage. Go to your local Re-Store to get great prices on the bulbs.

[AKB]

I also recently switched to indoor/outdoor LED bulbs. I think they were $11 per bulb at Lowes but they are worth it. They are so much brighter.