Complete Guide for Led Warehouse Lighting

For a modern warehouse, it must not only be spacious but also must have a good lighting environment and a complete fire protection system. Today we will talk about warehouse lighting.

There are a lot of factors to consider when planning or upgrading the lighting in your warehouse, like various warehouse lighting standards, lighting design, cost and necessary safety guidelines, so it is really a hard complicated task, leave it to the professionals. Warehouse lighting fixtures must be designed to withstand harsh conditions while providing consistent, accurate illumination over large areas.

What kind of lights are used in warehouses?

Light Type

You may need to combine using 2-3 led lights, maybe more. A perfect lighting design should consider the 3 basic types of lighting (Ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting), Different kinds of lights play their roles.

There are three options when it comes to warehouse lighting sources, each with its pros and cons:

For a long time, HID lamps were considered the only option for warehouse lighting and are still used now for someplace. This type of lamp is quite cheap. But they have the highest rate of Lumen depreciation and do not offer many options for color temperatures. Metal halogen lamps have a strong lighting effect, but short life and high energy consumption. They are generally used in places where the light needs to be concentrated, such as for writing desks or local lighting in living rooms. High-pressure sodium lamps emit softer light and are suitable for indoor lighting, but they also consume a lot of energy. The Achilles’ heel is, all HID systems need a warm-up time before reaching full illumination and require a cool-down period after being turned off before they can be turned on again. This means power surges can cause the lights to be off for up to 15mins.

Fluorescent lighting is a great alternative to HID lighting for those on a tight budget but still wanting a more energy-efficient solution. Fluorescent lighting is cost-effective for consuming less energy than HIDs. They offer 2700K to 6500K color temperatures and have optional sizes and shapes for your choice. The downside to using fluorescents is their operating temperature constraints. They do not function well in areas of extreme cold or heat. So, warehouses that get very cold or hot can have a negative impact on the life span of the fluorescents. Their life span can also be negatively affected by frequent on/off cycles and are therefore not recommended for areas that often turn the lights on and off.

Considering lifetime, energy saving, color temperature, and price, LED lighting fixtures are the most versatile and best choice for your warehouse. LEDs can either be purchased as complete fixtures for new construction or as retrofits for current fixtures. They last up to 500,000 life hours, so you won’t have to drag out the ladder or lift to replace a bulb often, and they do not suffer from constant on/off cycles the way HIDs and fluorescents do. While they work great in colder temperatures, LEDs can be affected by higher temperatures. Yet the decrease in light output and life hours is often negligible before temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warehouse Lighting Fixtures You Will Be Interested

The most commonly used led lights in warehouses are Flood Lights, High Bay Lights, and led tri-proof batten lights.

Flood lights-Used for an ordinary warehouse with medium height, the requirement for contrast is not very high

UFO High Bay Lights – Round-shaped lights for general area lighting inside warehouses that require a broad but highly bright light pattern

Linear High Bay Lights – Square or rectangular-shaped fixtures designed for warehouse walkways, rectangular floor spaces, aisleways, and assembly areas.

LED High Bays are highly versatile lighting fixtures intended for high ceilings that give powerful illumination over a wide area.

So now what is the best lighting for a warehouse? I think you have your answer now.

Lights for Different Locations

Storage Rooms & Utility – Since these areas do not require intense light output, to meet energy efficiency and minimal maintenance cost, suggested using led linear lighting, as well as replacement bulbs such as T8 LED tubes and corn lamps.

Warehouse Loading Dock Lighting – where is a high-traffic area, so substantial lighting is needed for safe and efficient work. The most commonly used indoors of the dock are high bay lights, which produce exceptional lumen output. Canopy lights, wall packs, and floodlights are the best choice for weatherproof illumination, which are used outdoors.

Workshops -People will work here for a long time, sufficient lighting without darker or brighter space is basic. For this, the most popular type of fixture used is low bay lights, because of low bay light angle is wide for big space illumination. Linear shop lighting is often used to fill any gaps that higher-powered low-bay lighting may leave.

Warehouse Parking Lots – Parking lots have wide areas that need to be illuminated in order to ensure safety and security for users. For this application, floodlights are the top choice, as they provide intense illumination in a relatively compact package, and are easy to mount on poles or other exterior mounting surfaces.

Forklift Safety – As pieces of heavy mobile machinery, forklifts have the potential to cause serious injuries or even death when safety is neglected. Because most forklift accidents occur as a result of a lack of situational awareness, forklift safety strobe lighting is one of the most effective ways of reducing accidents. These lights use external drivers to power bright LED lights that provide a clear indication as to the location of forklifts.

Overhead Crane Safety – There are several specific light fixtures that are specifically designed for overhead cranes and machinery. Primarily, this includes linear crane lights and spotlight-style crane lights. These lights create an exclusion safety zone below the load being carried by the crane head, alerting workers to the danger above.

Cold Storage – Because these lights are exposed to condensation as a result of refrigeration, it is important that they are sealed from moisture. Vapor-tight fixtures are the best choice for this application, as they are impervious to moisture as well as provide solid lumen output over a wide area.

Warehouse Exterior Walls – For building exteriors, the best solution for ensuring sufficient illumination is outdoor wall lights. These lights are sealed from the elements and virtually maintenance-free throughout their long service life.

General Lights Recommendation by Warehouse Ceiling Height

Following are general warehouse lighting guidelines based on ceiling height within the facility. Please note, the recommendations are very basic, to get an accurate lighting plan, please consult with lighting experts

Other Factors to Consider for Warehouse Lighting Design

Lighting Color

Studies showed that light color has a huge impact on visibility, and productivity. To reduce eyestrain and create a productive work environment for the workers, you’d better give them the best light. 4000K and 5000K color temperatures are commonly used for warehouse lighting. The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is another one to pay attention to, CRI 80 is the minimum requirement. it affects things such as contrast and clarity. The higher the index is, the better the light will be for working.

Lighting Layout

There are two basic types of warehouse light layouts, I and V patterns. Type I distribution is a long and narrow light pattern, which is good for spaces with tall shelving units. This avoids the light is lost or blocked by the top of the shelves. If you have a more open floor plan warehouse, type V is more appropriate. This light layout makes light emits in a wide spread from all sides of the fixture in a circular or square distribution. To avoid unwanted illumination problems, make sure your light fixtures are correctly spaced so they don’t cause hot spots or glare.

Foot Candle

Which is a basic lumen suggestion per square foot for warehouses.

For warehouses storing and handling smaller items, this number shoots up to around 30 lumens per square foot.

For aisles, something in between is recommended. So 20lumens per square foot is the recommended requirement.

For warehouses handling large items, the ideal lumen requirement tends to be around 10 lumens per square foot.

Final Word

To make a long-term plan, LED lights for warehouse lighting have the characteristics of energy saving, health, art, and humanization. Power saving is more than 90%, which can save tens of thousands of dollars a year. Professional is Professional. Contact us for more detailed information on warehouse lighting fixtures.