How to select your High Bay Lighting

Traditional high bay lights are the familiar, pendant-style fixtures that are outfitted with a reflector, usually made of aluminum. The reflector was needed because of the omni-directional nature of the light sources that were used before LEDs. Light emanating from the sides of the bulb would be lost unless it was captured and directed downward by the reflector.

If you have traditional high bay fixtures and you’d like to keep your fixtures, we recommend replacing the metal halide lamps inside with LED corn lights.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking to update your look at the same time that you shrink your energy footprint, we recommend replacing traditional style high bays with one of the following styles of LED high bay light fixtures.

These newer round LED high bays, often called “UFO” style lights, don’t need reflectors because LED lighting is intrinsically more directional than metal halide or other light sources. This allows for a more compact, low-profile design of the fixture. These lights are heavy duty and IP65-rated, allowing them to be used in even harsh conditions, such as industrial laundries, grain processing plants, car washes, and barns. At the same time, they’re very striking in appearance, so they’re a great consideration for any high-ceiling application, from aircraft hangars to the café area of a large grocery store.

Not to be confused with LED light panels, these troffer-like LED high bays are similar in appearance to T5 and T8 fixtures. Compared to round high bays, they distribute light over a larger area. If you have T5 or T8 lights already, these types of high bays are their ideal (and sleek!) replacement.

If you’re using linear fluorescent fixtures already and you want to keep those fixtures, we have extra bright 4ft and extra bright 8ft LED tubes that provide excellent lighting at install heights over 15 feet. Or you can retrofit your fluorescent fixtures with magnetic LED strips.

These lights are perfect for creating an even light distribution, such as having these in between your warehouse racks to light up the walkways. If you walk into your local home depot, you will see the fluorescent version of this style of light. If you have high stacked goods, these might be a better choice for you as they come fairly close in terms of specs & performance to the UFO lights with a more linear distribution of light.  Typically these fixtures will be easy to install and connect together to form a single line of light

Don’t get complacent about energy-saving and feel that you’ve done all you can by choosing LED. To get the greatest savings from your lighting, it’s often prudent to use controls.

Consider LEDs with control options, which can sense when a space is unoccupied (and automatically turn off the lights) and monitor the level of natural light (dimming the artificial light accordingly). Modern lighting solutions, include controls that are built into the luminaire.

What’s more, although LEDs have incredible scope for energy-saving, they are far from the only energy-efficient option available in lighting. New-generation fluorescent lighting can often provide better light quality at a similar energy-saving rate to LED. Look carefully at payback periods and light quality (including glare control) to make sure LED really is offering you the best value for money.

The hype-filled LED marketplace can be a disorienting place, but if  you ask the right questions and consider every option, it is possible to get the right light for your site.