The peculiarity of industrial spaces is their layout. Unlike a standard room with small space and low ceilings, industrial spaces have high ceilings and large carpet areas. Moreover, every nook and corner of the space requires good lighting for its proper functioning. Thus, it is highly essential to provide one of the best industrial lighting solutions to your industrial space to maximize efficiency and productivity.
Whether you want to light up a manufacturing facility, an industrial warehouse or any other large space, high-bay lighting comes as a boon. With its bright, energy efficent, uniform light, high-bay lighting can brighten up every corner of the industrial space.
What is High-Bay Lighting?
High-bay lighting refers to lighting used in industrial spaces with very high ceilings. Typically, the floor-to-ceiling height in such spaces will be 20-45 feet. For such ceilings, very bright lights, typically over 100 W, are used to illuminate the entire space uniformly without casting any shadows. These lights are suspended from the ceiling using chains or hooks. The lights are sometimes recessed onto the ceiling to improve the look.
Another version of lighting called low-bay lighting is also used in industrial spaces. But unlike high-bay lighting, low-bay lighting is used in spaces where the floor-to-ceiling height is between 12 and 20 feet. Lights less than 100 W are used in low-bay lighting to give the best result.
Industrial high-bay lights are used mainly in factories, large warehouses, exhibition halls, airport hangers, large shopping malls and assembly lines. Low-bay lights, on the other hand, are used in museums, hotel lobbies, restaurants, refrigerated storages, indoor parking lots and retail spaces.
What are the benefits of High-Bay Lighting in Industrial Spaces
Now, let us have a look at a few of the high-bay lighting benefits.
High energy efficiency
Most high-bay lighting is highly energy efficient, using less electricity. Whether it is LED light, fluorescent light, or high- or low-pressure sodium lights, they provide the maximum output.
However, LED high-bay lighting is more efficient as the light is fully focused on the work area. No light is wasted by pointing to the ceiling or other parts of the room. Thus, you get maximum brightness from using LED high-bay lights. However, fluorescent and sodium lights are omnidirectional, and hence, the light gets scattered in all directions.
Thus, LED high-bay lights are more energy efficient and can be used in all scenarios where high-bay lights are used as energy saving converts to low energy bills.
Low maintenance
Industrial high-bay lights with LED have fewer components. These lights use small-angle aluminium shade reflectors or small-angle lenses to produce bright light. Since the number of components is less, the chances of them going wrong are also very low.
High-bay lights with fluorescent and sodium lamps are also low-maintenance, except for occasional replacement. Because of this, high-bay lights are beneficial in all scenarios, whether it is a factory, warehouse, or exhibition hall.
Lifespan
Most high-bay lights have a very long lifespan. Once installed, they can last for up to 40 years. Since warehouses and factories require 24/7 lighting, using high-bay lights with a long lifespan is highly beneficial.
Thus, even if the initial cost of installation is high, it is economically viable as the lights can be used for a long time.
Improved visibility
In high-bay lighting, the light is uniformly distributed throughout the work area. This is because the brightness from the light is not scattered towards the ceiling and sides but pointed directly towards the work area, which provides improved visibility.
Warehouses and factories have tall shelves and stacked goods, which can create deep shadows. High-bay lights can penetrate these shadows and create uniform lighting.
Besides, there is no flickering of light when compared to conventional lighting. This is particularly useful in factories with high-precision work, and continuous and uniform lighting is essential.
What are the different types of High-Bay Lighting Fixtures?
LED High-Bay Lights
LED high-bay lights are one of the best high-bay lighting used in industries. In this type of lighting, LED lights are used to brighten up the space. This type of lighting is mainly used as factory or warehouse lighting fixtures where continuous bright light is required.
Installing LED high-bay lights can be expensive. However, these are energy-efficient high-bay lights that are highly beneficial in the long run. Moreover, this type of lights are also highly durable, which again makes it financially viable.
Metal Halide High-Bay Lights
In this type of lighting, metal halides (a compound between metal and halogen) are used to produce light. The light produced radiates at a 320-degree angle and thus covers a wider area compared to LED lights. This can result in a substantial loss of light as the light is scattered to the ceiling and walls.
Like LED lights, metal halide industrial high-bay lights are also very costly to install. However, unlike LED lights, the metal halide high-bay lights require regular maintenance. Warming up the light can take a lot of time which results in increased energy consumption.
Fluorescent High-Bay Lights
Flurosenct high-bay lights have relatively good color rendering compared to other types of lights. Their initial installation cost is also very low. Like other types of lighting, they are also energy efficient.
However, fluorescent lights' main drawback is that they are omnidirectional. They also have a shorter lifespan and require more maintenance. Disposing of fluorescent high-bay lights requires specialized knowledge.
Conclusion
Choosing the proper high-bay lighting for your workspace is highly important as it can affect the overall efficiency and look of the space. Whether it is a warehouse storing industrial supplies or a factory dealing with high-precision components, it must be brightly and uniformly illuminated for its proper functioning.
Periodic evaluation of the industrial lighting is critical to ensure its efficiency. If you feel that the lighting in your industrial space is not bright or uniform, consider upgrading to one of the best high-bay lighting that offers more efficiency and brightness.
