Commercial Lighting Applications For Warehouses

by: Dominik Hussl

When you set up warehouse lighting is a paramount piece of the puzzle. You want to use commercial lighting, which is designed to illuminate a large amount of space. Not only do you need to light the inside of your warehouse space, security lighting on the outside may also be necessary in order to ensure safety. When choosing commercial lighting for your space make sure you have a plan of action as to what you want to do. In order to run a warehouse you need proper lighting. You want to be able to clearly see your inventory and if you have a night crew or shipments that come in late in the evening good light is paramount. There are lots of different commercial lighting options. You have High Bay and Low Bay lights, Flood Light, and Wall Packs. Some come with different light bulbs, which give off varying degrees of bright light. For Example if you carry products that are different colors and it is important to be able to see the true color you will need to use metal halide bulbs on the other hand if you are looking for more of a workhorse then a high-pressure sodium bulb may be the way to go.

High Bay Lighting is specifically designed to illuminate areas with ceilings over 20 feet high. This type of lighting fixture is very efficient in large warehouses or manufacturing facilities. Once you have decided you need a High Bay Lighting fixture the next step is choosing the right light bulb for the type of warehouse you are running. Several types of light bulb are available for this type of fixture like a metal halide, high-pressure sodium, mercury vapor and fluorescent bulbs. Choosing the right light bulb very much depends on your needs. High Bay Lighting usually comes in two sizes, 16 or 22". This type of fixture is designed to distribute light evenly over a large face therefore increasing productivity and safety in the area.

Low Bay Lighting fixtures are designed to be used in a commercial setting like a warehouse or manufacturing plant. Low Bay fixtures are designed to be used in facilities with lower ceiling heights. This fixture is designed to light larger areas with lower ceilings adequately enough for workers to be productive and to ensure safety. Low Bay lighting fixtures should only be used in spaces where the fixture is less then 20 feet above the floor. There are some light bulb choices for this type of fixture just like the High Bay’s. Typically a High Intensity Discharge Bulb is used in these. Flood Lights are generally a good idea for illuminating the outside of your warehouse. Areas like the parking lot, which need to be illuminated for security and safety reasons, are perfect candidates for flood lighting. Combine a Flood light with a light pole and you are all set to light up the outside of your warehouse.

Wall Packs are a great way to secure and illuminate the outside areas of your warehouse, especially the sides and back of the building. Wall Packs work great at illuminating the outside of a warehouse but for aesthetics its better to use floods to illuminate the front of your warehouse and to use wall packs for the sides and back areas. The most commonly used wall packs are 175-watt metal halide or 400 watt high-pressure sodium wall packs. However if you are in a state where dark sky regulations occur you will need to find zero site line wall pack in order to conform to regulations.