What is High Bay lighting used for?
High bay lighting is used wherever large expanses of indoor space make it a challenge to achieve bright and uniform illumination across the full work area. Ideally suited for this purpose, high bays are usually powerful fixtures that can be configured in a wide variety of setups to suit the precise needs of the user and the environment.
High bay lights are available in numerous different fitting and reflector types, ranging from LEDs to metal halide bulbs, fluorescent tubes and plasma lamps. Different sorts of reflectors and fixture positions will deliver markedly different results, from intense overhead spotlighting effects to a softer, more diffuse glow spread over a wider area.
Whichever configuration is best suited to your needs, remember that good lighting is first and foremost about safety and precision. In planning the installation of any high bay lighting setup, it’s crucial to consider the unique aspects of the environment in question, as well as the specific nature of the tasks being carried out in it.
Warehouse lighting
Warehouse lighting is one of the most common scenarios for high bay light setups, where huge interior dimensions can make these spaces inherently challenging to illuminate uniformly. Stacked goods and tall shelving can create areas of deep shadow that many low bay solutions will struggle to penetrate at shallower angles.
There are dozens different configurations to choose from when installing warehouse high bay lighting. Given that many such workplaces operate 24 hours a day, LED high bay setups have become very popular due to their significantly lower running and maintenance costs over time.
The initial outlay is usually higher than for traditional lamp fittings, but LEDs require drastically less frequent replacement, and consume only a fraction of the power while delivering a more intense and consistent quality of illumination.
Traditional incandescent, fluorescent or metal halide lamps are also appropriate choices for many aspects of typical warehouse lighting. However, bear in mind that all of these alternatives will require more regular replacement and draw increased power in comparison to their more efficient LED counterparts.
Shop lights
Among the most typical setups found in high bay shop lighting today is the widely used T5 or T8 fluorescent tube lamp. These are often seen mounted high above shop floors, usually recessed beneath large concave reflectors, helping them deliver bright and uniform lighting over wide areas. They’re particularly common in environments where surfaces are glossy, polished or reflective, which tends to suit the flat, colour-neutral and widely dispersed light quality of fluorescent lamps well.
Industrial lighting
Industrial high bay lighting fixtures are another area in which modern LED configurations have gained major traction in recent years – largely because safety, precision and quality are key concerns in all industrial environments. Instant-on functionality, and suitability for use with microwave activation sensors, are both significant advantages of LED industrial lighting.
Adaptable lighting setups are also valued in many industrial settings. LEDs are streets ahead of traditional lamps in that regard, often allowing for minute adjustment on the fly, and allowing users to create vastly different qualities and intensities of lighting in different zones of the workspace.
Again, the 24-hour nature of many industrial and manufacturing facilities often means the higher initial investment in LED lamps is quickly offset by their far lower running costs. Vastly improved longevity and reliability also results in minimal downtime; another worthwhile consideration on fast-paced production lines.
Loading bay lighting
A high-functioning, safe and efficient loading bay is one of the most important links in the smooth supply chain of any warehouse, industrial, logistics or large retail space. Demand for around-the-clock access to these busy work areas makes installing a robust, well-planned loading bay lighting solution absolutely vital. Suitable loading bay setups must effectively light all general goods handling, traffic and transfer zones to maximise worker safety and efficiency.
It’s also important to consider where additional functionality might be required to meet the exacting demands of a multi-space loading bay. Adjustable dock guide lights, for example, are extremely helpful for illuminating the interior of vehicles, crates and containers to help reduce the risk of damage or injury as a product is brought in and out.
Garage Lights
High-quality garage lighting is crucial for maximising efficiency and quality of work, as well as for standing up to the challenges of a shop floor or service area that lower grade setups might struggle in. Particulates, fumes and other pollutants can quickly occlude or damage high or low bay fixtures that aren’t up to the rigours of the environment, resulting in severely compromised quality and consistency of lighting.
Popular choices for high bay lights in garages, workshops and servicing facilities include both fluorescent and LED lamp setups. This is due to their suitability for use in environments where excellent colour rendition and minimal glare are needed to achieve the highest standards of craftsmanship, finishing and attention to detail.