10 Important Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Low Bay LED Light

If your space has ceilings under 20 feet, low-bay LED lights are the perfect energy efficient lighting solution. These LED low bay lighting fixtures are energy-efficient and designed to provide high-quality, balanced lighting in areas like aircraft hangars, workshops, retail stores, and small warehouses.

1. Ceiling Height and Lumen Output

Low bay lights are designed for ceilings below 20 feet. The lumen output should match the height and purpose of your space:

• 8–12 ft ceilings: Choose fixtures with 3,000–7,000 lumens.
• 12–20 ft ceilings: Choose fixtures with 8,000–15,000 lumens.
• Above 20 ft ceilings: check out our selection of high bay lights.

Choosing the right lumen output ensures your space is well-lit without wasting energy. For example, an 8–12 ft ceiling in a workshop might need around 5,000 lumens to create a bright but comfortable work environment.

2. Fixture Type: Linear vs. UFO

Linear Low Bay Lights:

• Linear fixtures are perfect for lighting warehouse aisles where bright, balanced lighting is crucial for safety and visibility.
• Provides broad, even light distribution. Ideal for ceiling heights under 20 ft.
• The choice for replacing fluorescent lighting

UFO Low Bay Lights:

• Compact, circular design suited for open areas requiring focused illumination.
• Waterproof and impact-rated design.
• The best choice for replacing metal halide lighting.

3. Color Temperature

Select the right color temperature for your application:

• 4000K (neutral white): Creates a balanced, inviting atmosphere, perfect for retail and office areas.
• 5000K (daylight): Crisp, bright light for improved visibility and productivity in workshops or industrial spaces.

4. Mounting Options

Low bay lights offer various mounting solutions to suit different areas:

• Hooks and chains: work well in shop or garage spaces where flexibility in light positioning is important, allowing you to fine-tune the height.
• Surface mounts: A fixed installation for low ceiling heights
• Pendant mounts: Ideal for junction box installations.

5. Beam Angle

The beam angle determines how light is distributed:

• Narrow angles (60°–90°): Direct light onto specific areas or workstations.
• Wide angles (120°): Provide broad, uniform coverage in open or crowded spaces. For low bay spaces, this is the recommended beam angle.

6. Energy Efficiency

• Look for high lumens-per-watt (LPW) ratings to ensure maximum efficiency.
• LED low bay lights can reduce energy consumption by up to 75% compared to traditional lighting like fluorescent and metal halide.

7. Adjustability

Some low bay lights offer adjustable wattage and color temperature, allowing you to customize lighting for specific tasks or areas. Customization can occur post-installation to make sure the lighting is dialed into the specific area and need.

8. Ingress Protection (IP) Ratings

Consider the environment where the lights will be used:

• Dry indoor areas: IP40-rated fixtures.
• Dusty or damp spaces: IP65-rated fixtures for resistance to moisture and debris.
• Food processing or cleanroom environments: Look for specialized IP ratings to meet safety standards.

9. Motion Sensors and Controls

Enhance energy efficiency with advanced controls:

• Motion Sensors: Automatically dim or switch off lights in unoccupied areas.
• Dimming Features: Adjust brightness levels to match the time of day or specific tasks.

10. Certifications and Warranty

• Look for certifications such as ETL, UL, or DLC Premium. These ensure your lights meet high safety and performance standards.
• A strong warranty (such as the 5-year warranty on our products).

Why Choose Our Low Bay LED Lights?

• Custom Solutions: Our wide range of low bay lights is designed to meet diverse requirements, from retail to industrial applications.
• Free Lighting Plans: Let us design a custom lighting plan for your space to eliminate guesswork and ensure maximum efficiency.
• Expert Support: With over 17 years of experience, we’re here to help you choose the perfect lighting solution.

Selecting the right low-bay LED lights is easier when you know what to look for. Use this guide to evaluate your needs and explore our product offerings for the best lighting solution. For personalized assistance, speak to a Product Specialist.

What are The Benefits of LED Low Bay Lights?

Comparing metal halide and fluorescent  to LED, there are several important factors to consider:

• Energy savings:  save between 50% and 90%. LED lights use much less energy than conventional light sources.
• Low maintenance: Much lower maintenance costs over 10+ years. There are no bulbs or ballasts to replace.
• Controls Ready: add energy savings controls, like motion sensors. These dim the lights when the area is empty and void of activity.
• Safe Work Space: Create a safe space and work environment with high-quality and dependable lighting
• Long Life: Years of maintenance-free life without bulb or ballast changes reducing or eliminating maintenance costs
• Quick Pay Back / ROI: The savings in energy will create a short ROI. And the higher the utility cost per kWh, the faster the payback.
• Environmental Impact: There are no harsh chemicals like Mercury in LED Low Bays. So while you should properly dispose of them at the end of life, there are no costly charges like there are with fluorescent lighting.
• Instant On: LED Lights turn to 100% the moment you hit the light switch.
• Higher lumen output: LED lights provide high lumens to brighten any area

Need Help? Talk to an LED Low Bay Light Expert.

With so many options and fixtures available, it's hard to decide what option is going to meet your needs and requirements. The sales engineers of LED Lighting Supply are experts in LED Low Bay Lighting. Use our experience and tell us your needs, and we will provide you with the best LED Low Bay Light options for your project or application. We can provide you with a free custom lighting plan to make sure the area is well-lit and the lighting is balanced.

Completed Commercial Lighting and Industrial Lighting Projects using LED Lighting Supply LED Low Bay Lights

LED Low Bay Lights FAQs

What are Low Bay LED Lights?

Low Bay LED Lights are lower ceilings mounted fixtures designed to mount between 8 and 20 feet high. They are essentially a lower-powered version of an LED High Bay.

They are available in UFO, linear rectangular, and canopy style. You can even use vapor-tight lighting as a low bay light if that's the right light for the area.

How Can You Remove Shadows and Dark Spots In a Space?

Here’s a good rule of thumb. Use more, less-powerful lighting closer together instead of less high-powered fixtures. The former will provide more balanced lighting and fewer shadows.

What Mounting Options Are Available for LED Low Bays?

The main mounting options are

• eye/hook
• pendant mount
• chain/wire suspended mount
• ceiling mount

Can You Use Motion Sensors with LED Low Bay Lighting?

Some of our fixtures have built-in motion sensors. You can buy some fixtures with a motion sensor (or without it). Contact the experts at LED Lighting Supply for help.

Do LED Low Bays Come with a Power Cord?

Yes. Many of our UFO-style fixtures have an attached wire whip for junction box installation. You can add a plug to the end of the cord if you like.

Some of the canopy fixtures do not come with a power cord. You wire the fixture to the junction box.

Are there High Voltage Options for LED Low Bays?

All of our Low Bays are rated up to 100-277 Volts. If you need more than that, we offer fixtures that are rated up to 277-480 Volts. Let us know your voltage needs and we will find a solution for you.

Are the LED Low Bays with an Emergency Battery Backup Option?

We have an external emergency backup pack that works with UFO fixtures. Some of our linear fixtures have the EMB built into the fixture. The battery packs will keep the fixture lit for up to 90 minutes.

Is Installing LED Low Bay Fixtures Difficult?

There is nothing difficult about installing our fixtures. We have many mounting options, and there are only 3 wires to connect, line, neutral, and ground.