Warehouse LED Lighting: High Bay Guide

High Bay LED Lighting Fundamentals

High bay LED fixtures are designed for spaces with ceiling heights of 15-45 feet. They're the workhorses of warehouse and industrial lighting, replacing metal halide, HPS, and fluorescent high bays.

Choosing the Right Wattage

Ceiling Height	Recommended Wattage	Typical Lumens
15-20 ft	100-150W	14,000-22,000 lm
20-30 ft	150-200W	22,000-30,000 lm
30-40 ft	200-300W	30,000-45,000 lm
40+ ft	300-500W	45,000-75,000 lm

Beam Angle Selection

60° (narrow): Mounting heights over 30 feet, narrow aisles

90° (medium): Most common for general warehouse use

120° (wide): Lower mounting heights, open floor plans

Spacing Guidelines

A general rule of thumb: spacing between fixtures should be approximately 1.0-1.5x the mounting height.

Example: 25-foot ceiling = fixtures spaced 25-37.5 feet apart

Key Features to Specify

IP65+ rating for dusty or damp environments

Hook or pendant mount for easy installation

0-10V dimming for occupancy sensor integration

High temperature rated for spaces above 50°C

Impact resistant (IK08+) for active work environments

Installation Best Practices

Plan for controls: Wire for occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting from day one

Consider aisle lighting: Use fixtures with asymmetric distributions in racking areas

Emergency lighting: Integrate battery backup into select fixtures

Maintenance access: Choose fixtures that allow lamp replacement from below when possible

Bulk Buying Tips for High Bays

- Standardize on one or two wattages across the facility

- Order 10% extra for spares and future maintenance

- Request factory-installed occupancy sensors for better pricing

- Negotiate extended warranty terms (7-10 years) on large orders