What is high bay lighting, and when does a warehouse need it?
Quick Answer
High-bay lighting uses powerful, wide-beam fixtures mounted 20–45 feet above the floor to blanket tall interiors—warehouses, factories, gymnasiums—in bright, shadow-free light. A warehouse needs high-bay luminaires once ceiling height tops roughly 20 feet or work tasks demand consistent, glare-free visibility for safety, accuracy, and energy efficiency.
Detailed Answer
High-bay lighting is the heavyweight of industrial illumination. Mounted 20–45 feet overhead, each fixture uses reflectors or precision optics to push bright, even light to the floor, eliminating the gloomy spots that slow pickers or hide pallet labels. Modern LED high bays produce 100–150 lumens per watt, switch on instantly, and last 50,000 hours—far outclassing metal-halide lamps.
Your warehouse needs high-bay fixtures when:
- Ceiling height exceeds about 20 feet or rafters are open.
- Workers rely on lift trucks, scanners, or detailed inspection where clear, uniform light prevents mishaps.
- Existing HID or T5 lamps create glare, shadow bands, or color shifts that hamper accuracy.
- You want to cut lighting energy and maintenance costs by up to 70 percent and qualify for utility rebates.
- You plan to add motion, daylight, or building-management controls for smarter operation.
Because beam angles, mounting heights, and aisle spacing all influence foot-candle levels, a professional photometric layout is essential. As an Atlanta outdoor lighting company that also handles commercial LED upgrades, Lights Over Atlanta can design a code-compliant plan and manage a turnkey retrofit. Our LED conversion specialists replace inefficient sodium or metal-halide bays with DLC-listed LED luminaires—giving your warehouse brighter, safer aisles and a healthier bottom line without interrupting your workflow.