LED Lighting in an Industrial Facility
Due to the unique characteristics of LED lights, they are becoming popular for commercial and industrial applications. Despite its higher cost than conventional light sources, LEDs are more durable, reliable, and do not need any maintenance. The most advantageous factor is their long lifespan, which can last for as long as 50,000 - 100,000 hours. With properly designed fixtures, LEDs can operate well in all temperature environments and are much more energy-efficient than conventional light sources. Read on for more information on the 5 key benefits of LED lighting for industrial applications.
Return on Investment of LED Lighting for Industrial Applications
However, people seem to have some myths regarding the usage of LED lighting for industrial applications. Industries should be aware that LED lighting is a cost-effective replacement for fluorescents, HIDs, and all other types of industrial lighting. While initial purchase costs for LED lights are a little higher than fluorescents, the price difference is just a one-time issue. Moreover, they are energy-efficient, meaning industries that use LED lighting will have a lesser electricity bill.
Unlike past decades, when lighting-related energy costs played a relatively small role in purchase decisions, a decade of rapidly escalating energy prices has transformed energy use into the major cost driver for industrial lighting applications.
Commercial and industrial organizations should not trade-off for shorter initial payback periods—usually measured in months, they should look for long-term benefits, say for years. From a purely financial perspective, it makes sense to go for LED lights due to the long life and maintenance savings.
LED Lights Don’t Require Maintenance
It is a myth that LED lighting requires maintenance. People think that the magnetic ballasts of LEDs require servicing and replacement from time to time. However, LED lights have electronic drivers, which do not need replacement. Today, these drivers are designed to face any type of rugged environment. A magnetic ballast used in traditional industrial lighting like HID, HIF, HPS, and metal halide wears out fast, requiring servicing or replacement.
In large commercial and industrial facilities with hundreds of fluorescent or HID lights, servicing magnetic ballasts is quite expensive. But LEDs are semiconductors with electronic drivers, which play important role in managing the power delivery and makes the light energy efficient. Because LEDs use electronic drivers, they provide LED manufacturers with the opportunity to integrate control features like sensing, dimming, and instantaneous on/off into lighting fixtures for maximum functionality and efficiency.
Well-Designed LED Lighting Drivers Don’t Fail
Another key benefit of LED lighting for industrial applications is that well-designed LED drivers don’t fail during the usable lifetime of an LED. It is unlikely that a driver or any other component would need to be replaced. Furthermore, in a well-designed LED fixture, frequent on/off switching does not shorten its useful life, unlike traditional fluorescent or HID lighting fixtures, whose useful lifetimes are significantly reduced by such operations. In fact, frequent switching actually lengthens the useful life of an LED, as turning off an LED fixture slows the pace at which total operating hours accrue.
LED Lights Don’t Contain Mercury
People usually think that LED lights contain mercury, like fluorescent lighting does, but LED lights are mercury-free and are not harmful. They work well in high-temperature environments. In fact, well-designed LEDs work well in any type of environment. A well-designed lighting system that manages heat dissipation well is a prerequisite for lighting operating at any temperature—hot, cold, or anywhere in-between. LED lights also perform extraordinarily well in cold environments.
LED Lighting Can Manage Glare
A final benefit of LED lights for industrial applications is their ability to manage glare. A glaring lighting system is not suitable for many industrial facilities. Today, LED lights are designed well to manage glare. All high-output lights are bright. Once the newness wears off, the glare passes quickly. Moreover, well-designed optics on LED fixtures also minimizes direct brightness and glare. Additionally, LED lights now have a color temperature that is perfect for industrial environments. See how Electro-Matic Visual helped Great Lakes Composites save $50,000 a year with LED lighting.
Traditionally, warehouse managers may not have paid much attention to their overhead lighting, as long as it was working.
But today, LED lighting has the potential to transform the warehouse — and deliver massive efficiencies. The key is knowing how to choose the best lighting fixtures for these demanding spaces.
What do you need to know about these types of lighting projects, and how can you recognize the best fixture for the job?
Let’s get started.
The Benefits of LED Warehouse Lighting
You’re already well aware of the benefits of LED lighting in general, but in warehouses, LED lighting really shines.
Typical LED Warehouse Lighting Needs and Fixtures
Lighting vast industrial spaces like warehouses takes a lot of illumination. These spaces have lots of vertical and horizontal space and often high shelving and machinery that can cast shadows — shadows that can hide hazards like forklifts or other moving/dangerous equipment.
Your customers will need powerful fixtures that can provide the appropriate foot-candle levels and light quality to reach every corner.
Then there are regulations on industrial facility lighting from the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA). OSHA sets minimum requirements for common commercial installations in foot-candles of illumination or lux levels:
- Warehouses, walkways, and exits: 100 lux
- Warehouse loading bays: 300-400 lux
- Warehouse aisles: 100-200 lux
For specialized or task lighting in a warehouse, LED technology allows customers to use beam angles to direct light right where it is needed.
The most common LED fixtures in warehouses are round or linear high bay lights, or high bay vapor lights. If the warehouse is not very tall, low bay lights or tube/strip lights may be sufficient to deliver the required foot-candles of illumination at floor level.
When power fails in a large space like a warehouse, LED emergency lights are better-suited to getting people out safely. Depending on the height of the ceiling in a space, it can be hard to navigate long, tall aisles to find the closest exit without strong overhead light. An LED emergency light for high ceilings can reach the minimum one-foot-candle requirement at floor level from 30-40 feet up.
On the outside of a warehouse, area lighting, flood lighting, and wall packs are well-suited for exterior installation and can extend operational hours and employee safety for loading docks.
What Makes a Smart Choice in an LED Fixture?
You know you’ll be getting vastly improved energy efficiency and environmental sustainability with an LED fixture. But what other specs and features should you look for?
Ease of installation
- Instructions that are clear, simple, and well-written and that come with illustrations
- Minimal assembly needed and fewer tools required for installation
- Lightweight fixtures for easy handling
- Multiple settings available from one fixture
- Extended power cords and mounting hardware supplied
Ease of maintenance
- Multi-year half-life and a long warranty period
- Surge protection
- Durable polycarbonate lenses
- More time between lamp changes equals less operational interruptions
- Ability to illuminate colors correctly for safety and to prevent mistakes
- Automatic monthly self-testing functions for emergency backup batteries
- Easy-to-use advanced features like controls and sensors
Related Reading: See how Javo Beverage traded in their yellow, dark, and dingy HID and fluorescent fixtures for a safer, brighter environment with a two-year payback … and energy savings of 67%: “Thanks to our Litetronics LEDs, our lighting is so much brighter and whiter than before and will deliver a payback period that made our decision a no-brainer.”
Read their story →Now that you know what to look for in an LED fixture, let us tell you about the Litetronics products for warehouses that tick all those boxes.
Common Litetronics Fixtures for Warehouse Settings
While high bays are the most commonly used fixture types for LED warehouse lighting, we offer a full line of fixtures to complete your lighting plan.
Round High Bay PL
The LED Round High Bay PL is a one-for-one replacement for traditional fixtures in high ceiling locations that can reduce energy costs by 60%-80% over HID fixtures.
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LED Round High Bay SL
The new Litetronics LED Round High Bay SL with Selectable CCT and Selectable Watts is an affordable, one-for-one direct replacement for HID fixtures that delivers an immediate reduction in energy costs while improving the consistency and quality of light within a space.
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Hazardous Location LED High Bay
In environments requiring a heightened level of safety, these LED light fixtures for high ceilings minimize fire and explosion risks in industrial settings. These fixtures can be pendant or yoke mounted.
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LED Linear High Bay
The Linear High Bay can be individually fine-tuned to deliver the necessary light and functionality for the warehouse space. This highly efficient fixture can accommodate a pluggable sensor for occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting.
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Think There Are Only Five Benefits to LED Warehouse Lighting?
These are just a small handful of reasons why LEDs offer warehouse lighting that is brighter, safer, easier to control, and more energy-efficient.
As a recognized leader in LEDs for industrial and commercial spaces, Litetronics has the expertise you need to help you convert your building to brighter, longer-lasting LED lights. We’re easy to work with and offer a wide selection of high-efficiency products to help you complete your project. Get in touch with us today to request a quote or to learn more about what we can do for your facility.
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