when to use led high bay lighting fixtures

Industry standards have evolved over a period of several years to create objective guidelines on when a commercial or industrial facility should use high bay lighting fixtures. Understanding the reasons behind those guidelines will help facilities managers to select the best high bay lighting fixtures for their own specific facilities.

When to Use LED High Bay Lighting Fixtures

High bay lighting fixtures are generally installed in any facility that has a ceiling height of more than twenty feet. Twenty to forty feet is typical, and is common in facilities such as gymnasiums, warehouses, manufacturing plants, airplane hangars, and distribution centers. Many facilities with high bay lighting fixtures operate on a 24-hour basis or are interior locations with no ambient outdoor lighting, and accordingly require good lighting to allow round-the-clock operations with no changes or variations in ambient conditions. Good high bay lighting fixtures have reflectors and optics that provide a more uniform light beam dispersal over a large area to eliminate shadows and dark areas.

Most high bay facilities have traditionally relied on an array of high pressure sodium or metal halide flood lighting that illuminates the entire facility as broadly and indiscriminately as is possible. Because of their high ceiling heights, high bay facilities are not amenable to the kind of linear or panel lights that are more appropriate for lower ceiling heights. Newly-built high bay facilities and existing facilities that are considering a lighting retrofit will realize the many benefits of installing LED high bay lighting fixtures.

Benefits of High Bay Lighting Fixtures

First and foremost, next generation LED high bay lighting fixtures from SpecGrade LED are outfitted with cutting edge thermal management technology built right into the fixture with our proprietary double-folded aluminum fin housing design that pulls heat away from the LED junction and dissipates it for lower operating temperatures and a longer lifespan for the fixture. This revolutionary approach to heat sink incorporates 75 square feet of aluminum outfitted with solid copper rods for maximum heat conductivity.

LED high bay fixtures can also be configured to provide near-perfect uniform lighting across all areas that are contained within a high bay facility. Industrial LED fixtures with different beam spread patterns can be combined within a single high bay facility to generate floor and facility lighting that has no shadows or dark spots. Moreover, the quality of lighting provided by LED fixtures is better at helping workers in those areas to see fine details and color contrasts on surfaces and materials in their work environments. In high-activity high bay areas, this feature of LED high bay lighting will reduce mishaps and errors that are caused by poor lighting in a work area.

Electrical utilities and maintenance costs will typically be significant operating expenses for high bay facilities. LED high bay lighting can provide substantial reductions in these expenses because of their greater efficiency, longevity, and durability. In most cases, a high bay facility can recover its LED retrofit costs from utility savings alone in under two years. The improved longevity and durability of LED lighting not only reduces overall maintenance costs, but also reduces a facility’s maintenance down time to improve overall productivity