Low Bay LED Lights

What Are LED Low Bay Lights?

LED low bay lights are commercial and industrial lighting fixtures used in lower mounting-height applications where a traditional high bay may not provide the desired distribution, glare control, or fixture spacing. Low bay applications commonly include workshops, retail spaces, aircraft hangars, light manufacturing areas, service areas, and small warehouses.

Low bay lighting is often used at mounting heights around 8 to 20 feet, but ceiling height alone should not determine fixture selection. Required light levels, room dimensions, fixture optics, spacing, glare, task type, mounting method, environmental exposure, and controls all affect whether a low bay fixture is appropriate.

Compared with older fluorescent or HID systems, properly selected LED low bay lighting can reduce energy use and maintenance while providing instant-on operation and improved lighting control. Dimming, sensors, selectable wattage, selectable color temperature, environmental ratings, and other features vary by fixture.

Properly specified LED low-bay lighting can improve visibility and support task performance while reducing operating and maintenance costs. Final fixture selection should be based on the actual space and product specifications rather than ceiling height or wattage alone.

Case Study: Installation of 12 200 Watt LED UFO High Bays into Tamarock Rock Climbing Gym in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

After: 100 / 120 / 150 / 200 Watt Adjustable LED UFO High Bay | 15000 to 30000 Lumens | 5000K | 100-277V | White Housing

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan	Heat Map

Climbing Gym Lighting Installation Plan Metrics

• Mounting height: 20 ft
• Fixture Used: MLLG-LED-HBC-200-5-120: 100 / 120 / 150 / 200 Watt Adjustable LED UFO High Bay | 15000 to 30000 Lumens | 5000K | 100-277V | White Housing
• FC achieved: 46.85 FC average
• Uniformity (Avg/Min): 1.90

Quick Selection Guide

Start with mounting height, required light level, and room layout. Then choose a fixture type and photometric distribution that fit the application. Before ordering, confirm environmental protection, mounting, voltage, controls, certifications, and the exact fixture specifications.

• Lower mounting heights: Use lower-output fixtures or wider distributions where appropriate to control glare and avoid excessive illumination
• Higher low-bay mounting heights: Higher-output fixtures or different optical distributions may be needed depending on spacing and target light levels
• Taller spaces: Consider LED high bay lights when their output and distribution better match the space
• Linear fixtures: Often useful for aisles, work areas, rectangular layouts, or fluorescent fixture replacement
• Round/UFO fixtures: May work well in open areas when their distribution, mounting height, and glare characteristics fit the project
• Environmental protection: Match the exact wet/damp-location, IP, impact, temperature, chemical, or sanitation requirements to the selected fixture rather than assuming one rating is appropriate for every shop or industrial space

Tip: Keeping color temperature consistent within the same visual area usually provides a more uniform appearance. Confirm the preferred CCT for the application and selected fixture.

Boston Logan Airport’s Enterprise Rent-A-Car Lanes Upgrade To High Bay Lights Case STudy

The Backstory:

Enterprise Rent-a-Car, located at Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, reached out to LED Lighting Supply seeking assistance with a lighting upgrade for its parking garage rental car return lanes across two areas. The sections of the garage where the return lanes are located were operating with aged canopy light fixtures, delivering low brightness across the space. Inconsistent, dim light levels create dark spots, among other security threats, in a high-traffic parking garage.

The Customer's Challenge:

The areas lacked overall brightness across all return lanes, making it difficult to support accurate vehicle inspections and ensure safety for both employees and customers. The return lane areas fell below recommended illumination levels for parking structures, hardly reaching 5 foot-candles (fc) with the existing lighting system. Depending on the size, the recommended numerical calculation of light levels in a parking garage is typically between 5 and 10 fc.

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan Metrics:

• Mounting height: 12 ft
• Fixture Used: LLS-HB-200A-CC-B
• FC Achieved: 15 FC average
• Uniformity (Avg/Min): 3.71 FC
• Product(s) Used: LLS-HB-200A-CC-[C]

Read the full case study

Important Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Low Bay LED Light

Ceiling Height and Lumen Output

Mounting height is one of several factors that determine the output needed from a low bay fixture. Room dimensions, surface reflectance, fixture spacing, optics, task requirements, target foot-candles, glare, and existing light levels also matter.

Rather than assigning a fixed lumen range to every ceiling height, use the selected fixture’s photometric data to confirm how it performs in the actual layout. Two fixtures with similar lumen output can produce very different results because of optical distribution and fixture geometry.

A workshop with a 10-foot ceiling, for example, may require very different fixture quantities and outputs depending on whether it is used for storage, equipment repair, machining, assembly, detailing, or general circulation.

Fixture Type: Linear vs. UFO

Linear Low Bay Lights:

• Warehouse aisles, work rows, and rectangular spaces may benefit from linear fixture distributions
• Linear fixtures can provide broad coverage when their optics and spacing match the room geometry
• They are often considered when replacing older fluorescent strip or linear high/low bay systems

UFO Low Bay Lights:

• Round fixtures can work well in open areas where their distribution matches the mounting height and spacing
• Selected models may offer IP ratings, impact ratings, selectable wattage, dimming, sensors, or other features
• UFO designs may be useful in some HID replacement projects where mounting and photometric requirements are compatible

Case Study: Doggy Day Care with LED Lighting Supply 80 / 90 / 105 Watt Adjustable Linear LED High Bay in Scottsdale, AZ

After: 80 / 90 / 105 Watt Adjustable Linear LED High Bay | 12000 to 15750 Lumens	After: 80 / 90 / 105 Watt Adjustable Linear LED High Bay | 12000 to 15750 Lumens

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan

Doggy Day Care Installation Plan Metrics

• Mounting height: 14 ft
• Fixture Used: LLS-X-HBLIN8-2-105/90/80-CC: 80 / 90 / 105 Watt Adjustable Linear LED High Bay | 12000 to 15750 Lumens | 4000K / 5000K Adjustable | 100-277V | 2 Foot
• FC achieved: 55.57 fc average
• Uniformity (Avg/Min): 1.61

Case Study:Garage Shop Lighting with LED Lighting Supply 30 / 40 / 50 Watt Adjustable 4 Foot Shop Strip Light in Clarksville, TN

After: 30 / 40 / 50 Watt Adjustable 4 Foot Shop Strip Light | 4200 to 6500 Lumens	After: 30 / 40 / 50 Watt Adjustable 4 Foot Shop Strip Light | 4200 to 6500 Lumens

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan

Garage Shop Lighting Installation Plan Metrics

• Mounting height: 12 ft
• Fixture Used: LLS-X-STL-4-50A-CC: 30 / 40 / 50 Watt Adjustable 4 Foot Shop Strip Light | 4200 to 6500 Lumens | 3500K / 4000K / 5000K Adjustable | 100-277V
• FC achieved:63 fc average
• Uniformity (Avg/Min): 1.95

Case Study: Workshop / Garage with Indoor and Outdoor Lighting

After: 60 / 80 / 100 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 8400 to 14000 Lumens	After: 60 / 80 / 100 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 8400 to 14000 Lumens

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Indoor Lighting Plan	Outdoor Lighting Plan

Workshop / Garage Lighting Installation Plan Metrics

• Indoor Mounting height: 18 ft
• Outdoor Mounting height: 14 ft
• Fixture Used: MLLG-LED-HB3-100-50-120: 60 / 80 / 100 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 8400 to 14000 Lumens | 5000K | 100-277V
• Indoor FC achieved: 122.00 fc average
• Outdoor FC achieved: 114.00 fc average

Color Temperature

Color temperature affects appearance and visual preference in LED low bay lights for retail, workshop, commercial, and industrial environments.

• 4000K: A neutral-white option commonly used in retail, service, warehouse, commercial, and work areas
• 5000K: A cooler-white option commonly used in manufacturing, warehouses, workshops, and task-oriented environments

Neither color temperature is universally better for productivity or accuracy. Select CCT according to the task, facility preference, existing lighting, color-rendering needs, and project requirements.

Mounting Options

Mounting options vary by fixture model and building conditions. Common methods may include:

• Hooks or chains: Useful where suspended mounting is appropriate and the fixture supports it
• Surface mounting: Useful where the fixture is designed for direct mounting and maintaining headroom is important
• Pendant mounting: Available on selected fixtures where the building and electrical arrangement support pendant installation

Confirm the exact mounting hardware, allowable orientation, structure, clearances, and installation instructions for the selected fixture.

Beam Angle and Distribution

Use the fixture’s photometric distribution rather than beam angle alone when comparing low bay lighting. Beam angle and light distribution should match mounting height, fixture spacing, room geometry, target light levels, and glare requirements.

• Narrower distributions: May be useful where more controlled or concentrated light is required
• Wider distributions: May be useful for general-area coverage at lower mounting heights when the photometric layout supports them

A 120-degree distribution should not be treated as a universal default for every low bay application. Confirm performance with the fixture IES file or a lighting plan.

Energy Efficiency

LED low bay fixtures can reduce energy use compared with older fluorescent, metal halide, or other legacy lighting, but the savings percentage varies by project.

• Compare the existing system’s actual input wattage with the proposed LED fixture wattage
• Include fixture quantity, annual operating hours, controls, dimming, and occupancy patterns
• Do not assume every LED low bay conversion will produce the same percentage reduction

Facilities upgrading to LED low bay shop lights can use an energy calculation based on their existing lighting and operating schedule to estimate potential savings.

Adjustability

Selected low bay fixtures offer selectable wattage, selectable color temperature, or both. These features can provide flexibility when one fixture family is being used across areas with different light-level or CCT preferences.

Selectable settings are model-specific. Confirm available wattages, lumen output, CCT options, switch locations, and installation requirements before ordering.

Ingress Protection (IP) Ratings

IP ratings describe protection against specified solid-object and water ingress. The appropriate rating depends on the actual environment and should not be selected from the word “shop” or “warehouse” alone.

• Dry indoor spaces: A lower ingress-protection level may be appropriate when the fixture is not exposed to significant dust, moisture, or cleaning water
• Dusty spaces: Review the type and amount of dust, fixture construction, cleaning frequency, operating temperature, and project requirements before selecting the required IP rating
• Damp or wet areas: Confirm damp-location or wet-location suitability and the required water-ingress protection for the actual exposure
• Washdown areas: Verify that the exact fixture rating and construction are suitable for the cleaning method and water exposure
• Food-processing environments: food-processing lighting may require NSF or other sanitation-related certification depending on the location, process, and project specification

IP65 is not automatically required for every dusty shop. Likewise, an IP65 rating does not establish suitability for chemicals, corrosion, hazardous locations, food sanitation, or every washdown process. Confirm each of those requirements separately.

Motion Sensors and Controls

Controls can reduce lighting energy use in spaces that are intermittently occupied, but available functions and energy savings vary by fixture, sensor, driver, schedule, and facility use.

• Motion or occupancy sensors: Selected systems can switch fixtures off or reduce output during unoccupied periods
• Dimming: Selected drivers may support 0-10V, 1-10V, or other dimming methods depending on product
• Control behavior: High-end and low-end trim, standby level, delay time, daylight response, and sensor settings vary by control system

Do not assume every low bay fixture includes a sensor or the same dimming protocol. Confirm the exact driver and control compatibility before ordering.

Certifications, Rebates, and Warranty Support

Certifications and rebate qualifications are model-specific. Depending on the selected LED low bay fixture, certifications or listings may include UL, ETL, cULus, or other recognized marks. A fixture should not be assumed to carry every certification shown elsewhere in the category.

Selected models may be listed on the DLC or DLC Premium Qualified Products List. DLC status does not apply to every low bay fixture, and utility rebate eligibility depends on the exact product and local utility program.

Warranty length and terms vary by model. Confirm warranty coverage on the exact product specification before ordering.

Before ordering, confirm:

• Safety listing or certification
• DLC or DLC Premium status where relevant
• Voltage and electrical characteristics
• Dimming and sensor compatibility
• Mounting method
• Wet- or damp-location suitability
• IP rating where required
• Impact rating where required
• Ambient-temperature range
• Food-processing or sanitation certification where applicable
• Warranty coverage

Why Choose Our Low Bay LED Lights?

• Multiple Fixture Options: Our low bay product selection includes fixtures for different mounting heights, layouts, outputs, controls, and environmental conditions.
• Free Lighting Plans: Photometric analysis can help determine fixture quantity, placement, calculated light levels, and uniformity for your specific space.
• Product Support: Our Product Specialists can help review fixture specifications, mounting height, controls, environmental requirements, and lighting-plan results.
• Reduced Maintenance: LED low bay fixtures can reduce routine lamp and ballast replacement associated with many legacy fluorescent and HID systems. Actual service life and maintenance needs depend on the selected product and operating conditions.

Case Study: Installation of new LED Lighting for Stone Basyx in Charlotte, NC

After: 150 Watt High Output UFO High Bay | 24000 Lumens

Lighting Plan We Created for the Customer

Lighting Plan	Heat Map

Warehouse / Retail Lighting Installation Plan Metrics

• Mounting height: 23 ft
• Fixture Used: MLLG-LED-HBHO-150-5-120: 80 / 100 / 120 / 150 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 16000 to 30000 Lumens | 5000K | 100-277V | High Performance
• FC achieved: 65.36 FC average
• Uniformity (Avg/Min): 2.21

Prepare for an Accurate Low Bay Lighting Quote

Providing a few project details upfront helps us recommend compatible fixtures and, where requested, prepare a more useful photometric lighting plan.

• Space dimensions: Length, width, ceiling height, and any changes in ceiling elevation
• Mounting information: Existing fixture locations, mounting method, available mounting points, and clearance limitations
• Application details: Primary tasks, target areas, operating schedule, and whether the space is used for storage, assembly, repair, retail, or other activities
• Existing lighting: Fixture type, quantity, actual input wattage where available, and current lighting concerns such as shadows, glare, or dark areas
• Electrical and controls information: Available voltage, switching arrangement, dimming requirements, and sensor or control preferences
• Environmental conditions: Dust, moisture, washdown, temperature extremes, impacts, chemicals, corrosion, or sanitation requirements that may affect fixture selection
• Project documents: Floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, photographs, and equipment layouts can help improve layout accuracy

For a lighting plan, fixture quantities and calculated light levels are based on the dimensions, reflectances, obstructions, mounting locations, and other project information supplied. Confirm final installation conditions, electrical work, mounting support, and code compliance with the appropriate qualified professionals.

Low Bay LED Lights FAQs

How Do I Know Whether Low Bay LED Lights Fit My Space?

Low bay LED lights are commonly used at mounting heights around 8 to 20 feet when the mounting height, layout, required distribution, and glare control favor a lower-bay fixture. Final selection should also consider required light levels, room dimensions, spacing, task type, mounting method, environmental exposure, and controls.

When Should I Consider High Bay Fixtures Instead Of Low Bay Lights?

Consider LED high bay lights when the mounting height, layout, or required distribution favors a high bay fixture, particularly in taller spaces where high bay output and distribution better match the area. A low bay fixture should not be used if it cannot provide the required light levels, uniformity, or glare control.

How Can I Determine The Right Fixture Quantity And Placement?

Fixture quantity and placement should be based on the actual layout and the selected fixture's photometric data, not ceiling height or wattage alone. A lighting plan can provide predicted light levels, uniformity, recommended fixture quantities, and placement for the supplied layout.

Should I Choose Linear Or UFO Low Bay LED Lights?

Linear low bay fixtures may benefit warehouse aisles, work rows, rectangular spaces, and some fluorescent replacement projects, while round UFO fixtures can work well in open areas when their distribution matches the mounting height and spacing. The choice should be based on room geometry, fixture distribution, mounting requirements, and photometric performance.

How Should I Select A Low Bay Light Distribution?

Select low bay light distribution by matching the fixture photometrics to mounting height, fixture spacing, room geometry, target light levels, and glare requirements. Narrower distributions may be useful for more controlled or concentrated light, while wider distributions may be useful for general-area coverage at lower mounting heights when supported by the photometric layout.

What Environmental Ratings Should I Confirm Before Ordering?

Confirm wet- or damp-location suitability, IP rating, impact rating, temperature range, cleaning exposure, and any other environmental requirements that apply to the actual installation. IP ratings address specified solid-object and water ingress, but an IP65 rating does not by itself establish suitability for chemicals, corrosion, hazardous locations, food sanitation, or every washdown process.

Do All Low Bay LED Lights Include Dimming Or Motion Sensors?

No, dimming, sensors, drivers, and control compatibility vary by fixture model. Selected systems can switch fixtures off or reduce output during unoccupied periods, and selected drivers may support 0-10V, 1-10V, or other dimming methods depending on the product.

Can I Replace Existing Fluorescent Or Metal Halide Fixtures One For One?

A one-for-one replacement does not automatically reproduce the existing light distribution, uniformity, or light level. Compare the selected fixture's output, distribution, mounting, spacing, controls, voltage, and photometric performance with the actual project layout before ordering.