How much light do I need in a home office?

DonnyDave

I have a room 3m x 2.1m (10ft x 7ft) with a ceiling height of 2.5m. How much light would be required for work at a VDU?

And what sort of fitting (number of tubes) would be best?

I understand that it is cat 2 lighting which I am after.

The JCC J-Linea Glide uses T5 tubes and has an LOR of 72%. I reckon that I will get a 4000K colour temperature tube.

What is best? A single 4ft 28W tube, a single 5ft 35W tube or two 28W tubes?

Will a 5ft fitting be too long, bearing in mind that it will be only 2.5ft away from the wall at either end?

Does a fitting with two tubes spread light out to the sides further? Is this of value in this situation or will it just end up lighting the walls?

jc808

are you an office worker? an architect? somedone doing a fitout?

why are you asking?

DonnyDave

Thanks.

To put this into context, it is a room in my home which I use as an office; it has a desk with VDU.

olias

Not being funny, but I think you are over thinking things. Most people get by with a overhead lightbulb and an anglepoise lamp on the desk....

Olias

ic

VDU, how old school.

fred7777

DonnyDave wrote: »

I have a room 3m x 2.1m (10ft x 7ft) with a ceiling height of 2.5m. How much light would be required for work at a VDU?

How ever much you feel comfortable with.

In my experience modern LCD computer monitors have far less problems with lighting and eye strain than 1980's green on black VDUs

3m x 2.1m sounds about the size of a small bedroom so once normal 60 overhead light and one desk light (if you want) would be fine. I used to work in the evenings using a 40w desk lamp and a monitor in a very similar sized room.

DonnyDave

Thanks for the feedback.

I might be trying to put too much into it!

You have made me think that the level isn't all that critical and in any case, immersing oneself in too bright a light before bedtime may lead to issues getting to sleep.

muckybutt

You would get plently of light from a surface twin 4ft fitting with cat2 louvres, pretty much bog standard office type fitting for use where monitors are used.

Tube wise go for a colour 840 which is a cool white lamp as opposed to a 830 which is warm white lamp, warm white = yellowish tint similar to an incandescant lamp, cool white is a bright white light not too dissimilar to daylight but without the blue tint.

Similar to this sort of thing.

DonnyDave

muckybutt wrote: »

You would get plently of light from a surface twin 4ft fitting with cat2 louvres, pretty much bog standard office type fitting for use where monitors are used.

Tube wise go for a colour 840 which is a cool white lamp as opposed to a 830 which is warm white lamp, warm white = yellowish tint similar to an incandescant lamp, cool white is a bright white light not too dissimilar to daylight but without the blue tint.

Similar to this sort of thing.

Thanks. I decided to order a single-tube 28W T5 fitting made by JCC.

Screwfix sells a Sylvania triphosphor tube to fit which is 4000K Cool White.


Having thought about it, I certainly don't believe that I will be sat in the dark with a single 28W T5 luminaire (I hope not anyway!).


Thanks again for everyones' input.

T_T_2

As someone else said, use whatever light you feel most comfortable with. You don't need to conform to any regulations unless you plan on reporting yourself?