LED Linear High-Bay Fixtures-Great choice for commercial lighting

LED Linear High-Bay Fixtures-Great choice for commercial lighting

Not long ago, warehouses, manufacturing plants, retail operations, and even gymnasiums had few options when it came to specifying lighting for their high-bay fixtures. The choice was to either install HID or fluorescent. That’s no longer the case as LEDs now provide more lumens per watt to reach an economic value that makes them an attractive alternative.

With the LED system efficiencies exceeding 130 lumens per watt, LED is 3.5 times more efficient than HID and 2.5 times more efficient than fluorescent T8 or T5 fixtures, which results in a rapid return on investment.  Since an LED only uses 25% to 30% of the energy of the fixtures being replaced in retrofit situations, an opportunity exists to add more fixtures to the installed lighting system to enhance visibility without incurring additional energy costs when switching light sources.

High-bay lighting fixtures have always been a bear to maintain. LEDs can help by providing longer service life while dramatically lowering energy costs and providing more consistent lighting quality.

Which LED High Bay Should I Use?

LED high bays can not only appear rectangular but also come in circular forms. UFO-style high bay lights are a great alternative to the linear style because of their striking form and unique features.

unlikely linear high bays, it has sharper beam angles, refinable with polycarbonate lenses, to adequately illuminate a small area. This, along with its circular diode arrangement and lumen range, makes our LED UFO lights ideal for lower placement from the floor. Contrastly, LED linear high bays to have a wider diode arrangement to create a wider beam angle. They perform best when ceiling mounted higher, making them an excellent solution for lighting up aisles.

The choice also comes down to your aesthetic taste. Do you want the traditional high bay appearance? Choose the UFO style. If you like the boxy fluorescent lamp look, go for the linear style.

How Does it Compare to Traditional High Bays?

While LED lighting is becoming more and more adopted, many warehouse and industrial settings still use high-pressure sodium (HPS), metal halide (MH), or fluorescent high bay lights. They still have their merits, but across the board LED lighting shines much brighter and more efficiently.

Commercial LED lighting is more energy-efficient, has better lighting quality, and requires less maintenance than fluorescent lighting. They efficiently emit energy as light as opposed to heat. They are also unidirectional, meaning they point in one direction so none of their output is wasted. Industrial-grade LED lights are made using up-to-date technology that improves lighting in metrics like color rendering (CRI), color temperature (CCT), and footcandle coverage. Lastly, LEDs are made to last longer which translates to decreased maintenance requirements like replacements and general upkeep.

Like LED linear high bays, fluorescent high bays are similar in shape, affordability, and efficiency. But despite their lower upfront costs and high efficacy, their lifespan decreases with every flip of the switch. The tube light bulbs contain mercury so they require a special disposal process. Additionally, they have higher maintenance costs due to labor and tube light bulbs and ballast replacements. Commercial LED fixtures are guaranteed to work for about 50000 hours and do not need additional equipment to function, which drives up costs.