What’s High Bay Light?
As the name suggests, high bay lighting involves fixtures that are installed on the ceiling of a building to project a strong beam of light. The LED high bay lights are mainly divided into two sub-categories based on their shapes.
One is round shape. They are often called UFO high bay lights.
The other is rectangular shape, also known as panel high bay lights.
High bay lights are widely used in industrial and commercial locations, like warehouses, gyms, barns, and supermarkets.
How do you pick the right LED high bay lights for your applications?
There are 7 important things that need to be considered.
1.What Lux will be needed?Lux is a standardized unit of measurement of light intensity, which is commonly referred to as "illuminance" or "illumination", means the amount of luminous flux per unit area. As per the recommendation of OSHA, general construction areas require a minimum of 5-foot candles (fc) of illumination, and plants and shops require at least 10-foot candles. They mean lumens per square foot. It can be converted to Lux. 1 lux = 0.0929 fc or 1 fc = 10.76 lux. They can be easily measured by light meters.
Here are the typical lux levels required in common commercial installations:
Offices, laboratories, and showrooms: 500 lux
Factories and workshops: 750 lux
Warehouse loading bays: 300–400 lux
Lobbies, corridors, and stairwells: 200 lux
Warehouse aisles: 100–200 lux.
For more information please check at :
https://www.avetta.com/blog/guide-osha-workplace-lighting-requirements
2.Buy Lumens not Wattage
Lumens(denoted by lm) are a measure of the total amount of visible light (to the human eye) emitted from a lamp or light source. A watt is a measure of input electric power. There are 100W,150W,200W,250W, and higher wattages on the market for high bay lights. Their lumens outputs are different. Even under the same watts, the lumen outputs could be different. High-grade LED chips usually emit more lumens under the same wattage input. High lumens with low wattage mean the light is more efficient on converting electricity to visible light. Save more money on the electricity bill.
3.Determine the type of high bay light you needAs mentioned above, there are two shapes of high bay lights. Panel high bay lights provide superior light distribution and are also larger compared to UFO luminaires. They are also considered an ideal replacement for traditional fluorescent lamps. On the other hand, UFO is an excellent choice for large warehouses and generally water proof which is suitable to be used in wet locations. When the ceiling height is more than 35 feet, UFO high bay lights are preferred because they have better light output and beam spread than panel LED high bay lights. In addition, the placement of lamps on the ceiling is an important factor when choosing high bay lights.
4. Choose proper color temperatures
Scientifically, color is measured by temperature scale (Kelvin scale). For example, a candle light has a color temperature of 1,780 K. It means in scientific research an ideal black-body radiator at 2,000 K will emit the light with the same color as the candle light. The propane torch flame has a color temperature of 6,000 K. It means the ideal radiator at 6,000 K will emit the light with the same color as the torch flame. Color temperatures (2,700–3,000 K) are called "warm colors" (yellowish), while color temperatures over 5,000 K are called "cool colors" (bluish). It is ironic that the temperature says differently from their names. Warm colors make people relax and sleepy. If your application is a coffee shop, warm color like 2,700-3,000 K is a good choice. Cool colors make people focus and energized. Workplaces tend to install lights with the color temperature above 5,000 K (close to sunlight). Another interesting thing is that when exposed to the same amount (lumens) of light, human eyes perceive the “cool color” lights brighter than the “warm color” lights.
5.Consider CRI
Color Rendering Index (CRI) refers to the ability of a light source to restore the visual perception of an object under sunlight. The higher the color rendering, the closer the color rendering index value is to 100, the stronger the color reproduction ability of the object, and the easier it is for the human eye to distinguish the color of the object. This terminology is often used in photography.
6.LED Chips and DriverLED chips and drivers are important components in LED light fixtures. The qualities of those components play a decisive role in the performance and the lifespan of the light fixtures. Some LED chips and drivers have 3-year warranty. Some premium products provide up to 10-years warranty. Of course, they are much more expensive as well.
7.How many lights will you need?Most of lighting companies offer free consultation on the lighting layout. With information like your building floor plan, ceiling height, square footage, and OSHA requirements, the lighting professional will present you a good plan on what lights are suitable to you and the installation plan.