Modern day industrial sector heavily relies on lighting. It is the primary infrastructure to run any business efficiently and requires proper consideration prior to installation. LED lights are also an essential feature in modern suspended ceilings in offices and retail.
High ceiling areas are particularly spaces which have ceilings of height above or around 50-60 feet. These spaces are multi-purpose and are associated with multiple facets of industry which produce raw or produced materials for consumption.
Powerful lighting plays a key role in running this setup and it is only possible by using high powered fixtures which can produce uniform and high levels of illumination at ground levels. Most high ceiling areas include convention centres, exhibition halls, industries, docks, warehouses, and other large commercial areas like hospitals, schools, universities, etc.
What are high bay lights?
High bay light fixtures are particularly powerful and larger lights which provide light in high ceiling areas. These light fixtures generally are made in two basic designs: Linear and round. There are several different form of high bay lighting which accommodates various aspects of lighting in these areas but they carry the same basic structure of a high bay light which is made up of:
– Housing
The housing of a high bay light fixture is essentially fit to perform in all such areas which have a higher than usual requirement. The housing is made up of aluminum and there is customisation available for die-cast aluminum. It is highly resistant to harmful elements present in the environment like moisture, chemicals, dirt, etc. It stays intact even in emergency situations and allows easy integration and design of the fixture for enhanced function. This housing is IP rated i.e Ingress protected against all harmful elements and the usual IP rating for high bay areas in IP65, IP66 and IP67.
The housing carries the lamp and other parts of the fixture like reflector, mounting hooks or brackets for proper installation and placement of the fixture so it can provide light in an efficient manner.
– Lamp
Most traditional options include Halogen, HPS or HID lamps as they produce brighter than average light. These lamps are inefficient than LED lamps as they have revolutionised the way in which lighting needs are met. LED technology is far more efficient in terms of function and lifespan and produces higher lumens than any other lighting technology. They are powerful enough to produce light which can illuminate the grounds uniformly and brightly.
– Lens/reflector
The lens and reflector is the outermost part of the fixture. It imparts light in the surrounding area in a very uniform manner and it is directable for better illumination at all levels. The beam angle is adjustable and with the use of reflectors, the light spread is further facilitated.
Types of high bay lights
There are two main designs of high bay lights
Linear high bay lights
Linear fixtures are rectangular and the size ranges from 2-8 foot. There are mounting brackets present at the back of the fixture which allow safe and effective mounting at various elevation levels.
UFO high bay lights
UFO or round high bay lights are circular and their size ranges from 10-25 inches. The housing is made up of aluminum and it carries integrated LED lamps. The fixture is pairable with different types of reflectors which projects light in downwards or in any other direction. They are essentially downlights and reflectors allow easy customisation for different light layers.
Advantages of LED high bay lighting
LED high bay lighting is essential for large ceiling areas as they have a higher requirement of light at ground levels. There are several advantages of using LED high bay lights in high ceiling areas for several reasons such as:
– Higher and uniform lighting pattern
LED light fixtures function differently than traditional lamps and produce higher lumens. It is so much more efficient than traditional lamps as despite consuming the same amount of energy they produce more light so it has a direct impact on energy savings. The LED lamps carry chips which can be customised for various fixtures and emit light in a uniform pattern.
– Directional lighting
LED lamps do not disperse light in the surrounding; they have a projected beam angle which is also customisable for various elevation levels. LED light fixtures have beam angle projecting from 60-120 degrees and despite being powerful they are glare free. In this way, no amount of light is wasted in the surroundings.
– Customisable lighting
LED light fixtures are customizable for desirable ambiance across any environment. These fixtures are quite user-friendly and allow the user to select correlated colour temperatures on a kelvin scale ranging from 2500K-6000K which produce warm yellow to bright white colour. In industries and other high bay areas the optimal temperature is 4500K-5500K.
– Environment friendly
LED light fixtures are highly environment friendly and greatly reduce the risk of damage caused by malfunction of light fixtures in emergency conditions. They operate on green lighting technology and produce light which is bright but glare free and enhances productivity and efficiency of people working under this light. The light from these fixtures neither produces nor interacts with UV or IR radiation and also reduces carbon footprint. These lights are also super low maintenance and last for around 11-15 years.
