High bay lights are one of the most common commercial lighting choices because of their brightness and variety in beam angles. High bays are fixtures specifically for taller ceilings, typically with heights of 12 to 45 feet. Their lumen count, or light intensity, is high enough to disperse light over long distances.
In the past, fluorescent and incandescent bulbs were the standard for high bay fixtures. Now, most bay lights are LED retrofits for outdated and inefficient lamps.
LED high bay lights are some of the best options for commercial and industrial lighting on the current market. LED technology is superior to traditional incandescent and fluorescent bulbs for many reasons, such as:
Different varieties of LED high bay lights are suitable for both commercial and industrial applications. Some of the main variations include UFO, linear, and vapor tight fixtures.
UFO high bay lights are named as such because of their round, saucer-like shape. They provide circular, widespread illumination with beam angles ranging from 90 to 120 degrees. Lower beam angles are better for ceilings over 20 feet because a more concentrated beam can reach the floor from such heights. High bay lights with wider beam angles are better for lower ceilings between 12 and 20 feet.
UFO LED light fixtures are the easiest to install because they only need to hang or mount from one point. They work best in open areas like factories, warehouses, retail stores, and hangars. You may also see some UFO LED high bays in large restaurants that light individual tables.
Linear high bay LED lights are fixtures with long, vertical lamps that provide rectangular lighting. They are most common in open spaces with lots of aisles or shelving, like grocery stores and warehouses.
The purpose of linear lighting is to light long stretches of space without gaps between fixtures. Circular high bay lights often leave shadows on the ground between each beam, which can hinder efficiency and safety in a space. Linear high bay lights combat this issue by preventing these gaps with elongated light.
The standard beam angle for linear high bay lights is 120 degrees, which provides a wide wash of light. This allows their spacing to be further apart, and requires less fixtures overall to illuminate a large space.
Linear LED high bays have various mounting capabilities, such as flush-mount and suspended. Flush-mount fixtures mount directly to the ceiling, while suspended fixtures hang from the ceiling via chains or cables. Suspended mounts work best in spaces with unfinished ceilings or an open, industrial aesthetic.
Vapor tight high bay lights, also called “wet location” fixtures, are light fixtures designed to withstand harsh conditions. They are sealed and gasketed to protect their bulbs and wiring from water, dust, fumes, corrosion, and other harmful elements.
Vapor tight fixtures come in many varieties, with both UFO and linear shapes and sizes. The only thing that separates them from normal UFO and linear high bays is their specially designed durable structures.
Vapor tight LED fixtures are ideal for outdoor spaces that have a lot of exposure to dirt and moisture. They are also great for indoor spaces like factories or food processing plants where exposure to chemicals or fumes is high. Other spaces like car washes, parking garages, and swimming pools are where you might see vapor tight light fixtures installed.
When choosing high bay lights, the four main factors to look at are wattage, lumens, spacing, and beam angle.
When replacing metal halide bulbs with LEDs, it's important to know that there is a difference in wattage equivalents. LEDs are more efficient than metal halide bulbs, so they use less watts to produce the same amount of light. The lower the wattage, the less power the bulb is going to use.
For most LEDs, they save roughly 70% of the energy metal halides use. So, for a 400W metal halide bulb, the LED equivalent would be a 120W LED bulb, a 750W metal halide would equate to a 250W LED, and so on.
LED high bay lights have 100 watts or more, otherwise they are classified as low bay lights. So to keep utility costs low, choose high bay bulbs that are closer to that lower-end threshold.
However, regardless of wattage, the lumens determine the true brightness of your light. If the lumen count is too low, you will not have adequate lighting in your space.
The general rules to follow for lumen count according to ceiling height are:
Spacing is also an important factor to consider when choosing commercial lighting. Different ceiling heights allow for different spacing and light distribution. Higher fixtures cover a larger area but provide less direct light.
Beam angle determines how widespread the bulb's illumination is. The lower the ceiling, the wider the beam angle can be. The higher the ceiling, the more narrow the beam angle can be. Beam angle degree measurements are better summarized in different lighting categories.
Different high bay lights can fall into any of these categories. The most common beam angles for high bay lights are 60 degrees, 90 degrees, and 120 degrees. This is because most spaces that use high bay lighting need wide washes of light rather than direct, concentrated spot lighting.
For a more detailed guide on how to choose commercial lighting for your space, check out our Commercial Lighting Guide.
LED high bay lighting is ideal for spaces with high ceilings such as grocery stores and warehouses. For the best performance, LED high bay lights should be installed at a minimum ceiling height of 20 feet.
LED bay lights use less power to operate compared to metal halide. Find out if retrofitting or replacing works better for your space and how to find the correct LED replacement for metal halide bulbs.
Lumens measures the amount of visible light a source gives off or the brightness of the bulb. Watts measures the amount of energy consumed.
Converting your high bay lights to LEDs is simple with retrofitting technology. Retrofit kits are versatile and easy to work with yourself, with different pros and cons depending on the fixture and application.
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