How to Choose the Right High Bay LED Lights for Your Commercial Space

Lighting is essential for large commercial spaces like warehouses, factories, and retail stores, which is why LED high bay lights are the ideal choice for these areas. These lights are designed to provide not just brightness but also safety, energy efficiency, and a professional atmosphere. Still, with so many choices available, it can be hard to know which one is best for you. Any wrong decision can lead to issues like uneven lighting, increased energy bills, or frequent maintenance, impacting both performance and costs.

So, this blog will help make your decision easier. Whether you're updating old lighting or planning a new system, we’ll cover everything you need to know to choose the right high-bay LED lights for your space.

What Are LED High Bay Lights & Their Types?

LED high bay lights are made to brighten spaces with high ceilings that are usually 15 to 45 feet tall, making them perfect for large areas like warehouses, factories, gyms, retail stores, and airports. They offer strong, even lighting that ensures clear visibility while reducing shadows and glare. With an average lifespan of 50,000 hours or more, these lights are meant to last due to their lower energy consumption and durability. These lights are also non-toxic and produce less heat, making them environmentally friendly and safer for use. Have a look at its types:

  • Linear LED  High Bay Lights: These have a slim, sleek design with evenly distributed light that works well for long aisles and large open spaces. 

  • UFO LED High Bay Lights: Their circular shape makes them highly effective in providing uniform light for high ceiling areas.

  • Round LED High Bay Lights: This has a compact design, which makes it suitable for areas with minimal space and moderate ceiling heights. 

  • Emergency LED High Bay Lights: Designed for areas requiring emergency lighting, these are equipped with backup batteries.

  • Dimmable LED High Bay Lights: Caters to multiple lighting needs as it contains adjustable light levels. 

Factors We Should Consider When Choosing LED High Bay Lights

Lumen Output

Lumen output is a crucial specification when selecting LED high bay lights as it directly determines the fixtures' brightness, depending on the mounting height and overall lighting coverage. For instance, lumen output between 12,000-20,000 is sufficient for a ceiling height of 15-25 feet, while for a taller ceiling height of 25-45 feet, a higher lumen fixture ranging from 20,000- 35,000 is more necessary.

Consistent lighting is important, and high-lumen LED lights with good reflectors or optics help spread light evenly across a space. You must also check the lumen depreciation factor, which indicates how long the light will maintain 70% or 90% of its initial brightness. By prioritizing the lumen efficiency and durability, you can ensure better visibility and long-term savings. 

Wattage And Efficiency

Wattage indicates how much power the light fixture uses. It should be chosen carefully based on the size of the space and ceiling height. Higher wattage gives brighter light but can also use more energy. This means selecting high bay lights with excessively high wattage for a low ceiling area can result in over-lit spaces and power wastage. In contrast, low-wattage lights in larger or higher ceiling spaces can underperform, leading to insufficient lighting. Additionally, LED high bay lights are also known for their high efficiency. It helps save energy by producing more light while using less power. A high-efficiency LED (with a high lm/W rating) gives you better value in the long run.

Balancing wattage and efficiency allows businesses to achieve optimal brightness while minimizing energy costs and reducing their carbon footprint.

Color Temperature

While choosing both high and low-bay LED lights, you must consider color temperature (measured in Kelvin), which directly impacts a space's ambiance, visibility, and productivity. This aspect determines whether the light will have a warm, neutral, or cool tone, influencing how objects and environments are perceived under artificial lighting. Here, the neutral white (4000K) offers a balanced, natural light to ensure proper clarity in an industrial environment, while the warmer temperatures (2700K–3000K) are suitable for retail spaces to create a more inviting atmosphere. 

The right color temperature affects workers' comfort and safety, which is why choosing it can help you meet the specific needs of your commercial space. Thus ensuring enhanced overall performance without any distractions.  

Beam Angle

Considering the beam angle (referring to the spread of light from the fixture) of high bay lights is necessary as it directly influences the coverage, intensity, and overall lighting effectiveness in a commercial and industrial space. A narrow beam angle (60° or 90°) focuses the light on a smaller area, providing bright light for high-ceiling spaces, such as warehouses or factories. It is especially useful when you need light on specific spots such as machinery or workstations. 

On the other hand, a wider beam angle (e.g., 120° or more) distributes light more evenly across a broader area, making it ideal for spaces with lower ceilings or open workplaces. By carefully selecting the lights with the right beam angle, you can ensure both effective illumination and cost savings. 

IP Rating (Ingress Protection)

An IP rating is a two-digit number that indicates the level of protection against solid objects and liquids. This is why checking this rating in high bay lights is important, as it determines the light's ability to withstand environmental conditions like moisture, dust, and contaminants, especially in industrial and commercial spaces. It prevents internal components from damage caused by water exposure or corrosion, which results in reducing maintenance needs and improving the cost-effectiveness of the installation. Due to this, lights with higher IP ratings often perform better in extreme temperatures, contributing to long-term energy efficiency and consistent lighting performance. Thus impacting the longevity and reliability of the fixture 

CRI (Color Rendering Index)

Being a crucial aspect during the selection of LED high bay lights, the Color Rendering Index (CRI) depicts how accurately the light source reveals the true color of the objects compared to the natural light. It is measured on a scale from 0 to 100, where a higher CRI value signifies better color accuracy, which is why choosing it is essential for maintaining clarity and reducing eye strain. 

Prioritizing this factor in these lighting also ensures functional illumination and a visually pleasing and practical atmosphere that supports color recognition and better lighting quality.

Conclusion 

Choosing the right LED high bay lights for your commercial space is important to create a productive environment that offers proper brightness and helps to lower energy bills and reduce maintenance costs over time. To achieve this, carefully evaluate your space's specific needs, like ceiling height, layout, and conditions, and match them with features like brightness (lumens), color accuracy (CRI), light color (temperature), and beam angle. This will not only make your space brighter and safer but also create a professional look, as the right lighting isn’t just practical—it’s a smart move that benefits your business.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact LED Phantom today and invest in both indoor lighting, such as LED high bay lights, and outdoor lighting, like wall pack lights and LED flood lights