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How To Choose Lighting

The right lighting is crucial to proper visibility and setting the right tone. When shopping for high bay fixtures, you may feel overwhelmed at all the choices available. Here are a few ways to narrow down the choices when shopping for high bay lighting for your location.

Check the Ceiling

Before shopping for high bay lighting, you need to check the ceiling height. High bay fixtures are intended for ceilings higher than 20 feet from the ground. This type of light fixture is designed to offer concentrated illumination that is powerful enough to reach down to the floor from greater distances. If your ceiling doesn’t require the power of high bays, you run the risk of over-lighting or flooding the area which causes an unpleasant environment and strain on the eyes. Always check that your ceiling requires high bay light fixtures before you start shopping.

Consider High Bay LED Lights

Of course, there are plenty of options on the market, but the use of high bay LED lights is always a top choice. While there are options for high bays in the form of metal halide, LED high bays are the better option of the two. LED offers some of the highest lumen outputs for a brighter fixture while also operating on a lower wattage of energy for better utility costs overall. LED also lasts a long time thanks to the low to no heat production, internal driver, and filament-free bulbs.

Consider IP Rating

The IP rating is definitely worth considering when shopping for high bay light fixtures. These fixtures are usually intended for use in a wide range of settings from shopping malls to industrial warehouses so the IP rating may vary greatly from one fixture to the next. The IP rating is relayed to how durable the fixture is in terms of combating dust, water, or other environmental factors. In most applications, an IP65 rating will suffice, but more extreme areas may require IP67 or higher for added protection against damage.

Check the Beam Angle

The beam angle is crucial when shopping for high bay lighting solutions. Beam angle determines where the light goes and how concentrated it is when it hits the floor. For instance, a wider beam angle will make the light produced softer and help it spread more evenly across the room whereas a smaller beam angle will give focused, concentrated light directed down to the floor. There are beams ranging from a tight 15 degrees for focused light up to 120 degrees for a wider placement of light throughout the space. The right one for you will depend on the type of location and your preferences.