Home
Indoor Lights
Outdoor Lights
Retrofit kits
Applications
Accessories
Lighting DesignLED Low Bay Lights
The term "Low Bay" defines indoor areas with lower ceilings. LED Low Bay Lights are lower powered version of high bay lights. These are light fixtures that are meant to light up relatively larger areas and for that, they consume a higher amount of electricity. LED Low bays are usually installed at a mounting height in lower ceiling applications, between 12 to 20 feet above the floor. Since they are lower to the ground, less power is needed to light up the space than its twin high bay light. Using powerful LEDs in these spaces would result in too much luminescence and glare too. Optics on low bays distribute the light evenly. By using optics to direct the light, lighting uniformity can be accomplished. LED Low Bay lights typically are equipped with wide beam angle optics of 90° to 120°. Get Your Free LED Low Bay Lighting Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
We spoke to first time buyers and long-term customers to find out their most commonly asked questions when it comes to buying led low bays. If you couldn’t find an answer to your question below, feel free to call us at (888) 423-3191 and a dedicated lighting expert will help you find the best light for your needs.
General
What Is a Low Bay Light?
Low bay fixtures are commonly used in workshop, pole barn, machine shops and in some commercial applications. With the release of LED fixtures, a Low Bay and a High Bay are very similar.
Today’s lows bays are typically one of two styles:
1. UFO style – these round fixtures are designed to be a replacement for metal halide fixtures
2. Linear panel style – these lights are similar to fluorescent lighting low bays.
Choosing either style comes down to personal preference. Both options produce almost identical light coverage
How Do You Choose Low Bays?
One of the best ways to replace existing low bay lights is to replace a 250 Watt Metal Halide with 9,000 to 15,000 LED lumen output. To replace 400 Watts Metal Halide, look for lumen output above 15000 lumens.
The specific lumen output required can be estimated by understanding the following items:
1. What is the current wattage?
2. How many fixtures are there?
3. How high are the fixtures mounted?
4. What is the space used for?
If this is a new build and you want to remove all the guess-work, then we recommend creating a lighting plan to determine the best low bay. Scroll to the bottom of this page to request yours!
What’s the Difference Between Low Bay and High Bay Lighting?
It really comes down to power and output. As the name implies, low bay lights are lower powered versions of high bays for ceiling mounting heights of 20 feet or less. If you installed a high bay into this space, it would probably be too powerful and the light will be too bright. High Bay lights are designed for ceilings above 20 feet high.
Low Bay lights should have a wide beam angle. It is common to find high bay lights with narrow beam options, meant for high ceiling installs. You should avoid buying a low bay light with a beam angle less than 90 degrees.
High Bay
Low Bay
What Are the Best Low Bay LED Lights?
The lows bays you see above are powerful, robust lights designed to deliver high quality light for 10+ years under normal operating conditions. If you’re wondering what the best low bay light for your space, we’re here to help.
By creating an indoor lighting plan, we can find that perfect light that meets your foot candle requirements and provides an even, balanced light.
How Do You Find the perfect replacement LED Low Bay?
To properly size a low bay is to understand the amount of lumens you need to produce the foot candles across the floor in your building. It’s important you understand this rule: purchase lights based on lumens it produces and not the watts consumed. Lumens produce foot candles, not watts. The more lumens per watt the fixture produces, the more your energy saving are.
The “right” size of light is the one that delivers the light level (this is measured in foot candles) you need. A lighting plan removes all the guess-work in finding the right sized low bay for your needs.
Do I Need Low Bay Lights?
Low bays are used in many commercial and industrial applications where:
Mounting height is below 20 feet
It's used in commercial or industrial indoor spaces
Maintenance Free lighting is required
If your ceiling height is below 20 feet, high bays are too powerful and we recommend you use a shop light or a low bay light.
Why is LED a good replacement for fluorescent low bays?
Fluorescent lights flicker, hum and have short life spans compared to LED. And they do not work well with motion sensors unless you use special ballasts. By moving to LED you also achieve great energy savings.
Why is LED a good replacement for metal halide low bays?
The main benefits of moving to LED from Metal Halide low bay are:
Energy saving
reduced maintenance required
improved quality of light
Metal Halides also have long strike times and take up to 30 minutes to achieve full brightness. LEDs are instant on and instant off.
Before You Buy
What to Look before you purchase Low Bays?
The main features you should look for include:
1. Wattage / Lumens / Lumens per watt – how bright is the fixture and how energy efficient is it.
2. Color temperature – the best options are 4000K or 5000K
3. Color rendering index (CRI) - the quality of the light – look for 70 or above
4. Voltage range - make sure it matches your needed voltage
5. Beam angle – low bays with wide beam angles work best
6. Mounting – ceiling, pendant, wire or eye hook
7. Warranty and after sales service: this is where LED Lighting Supply excels.
How Many LED Low Bays Do You Need?
If you are converting your existing low bay lights over from metal halide or fluorescent to LED, we can do a 1-for-1 replacement. For new lighting layouts, it's important to go through the following steps:
1. How many foot-candles do you need, either on the ground or specified height? If you are unsure what is required, ask us.
2. What is the size of the space (width, length, mounting height of fixtures)?
3. Are there any physical obstructions, like high shelves or machines?
From there, a lighting plan can be created to model this space. The plan will show light levels, calculate how balanced the light is, and the distance between lights.
Do You Stock Low Bays in the USA?
Yes, we have several warehouses stocked with low bay lights across the country including our main warehouse in Nashua, NH. Lights can arrive in your facility typically within 2 to 5 business days, depending on where you live in the country.
What comes with a Low Bay Light?
When you receive a low bay from us, depending on the model, the light will typically come with a bare whip /power cord ranging in length from 4 feet to 6 feet. It will also contain 1 or more ways of mount – depending on the model. It is very common to wire a low bay light into an existing junction box.
Do You Offer Bulk or Contractor Discounts?
Yes, we do, and if you are a contractor or have a large facility that requires lots of fixtures, please call us and ask for a bulk discount.
Fixtures And Fittings
What Are the Best Applications for LED Low Bays?
Open spaces are perfect for low bays, these include:
Lower ceiling Warehouses
Loading Dock Areas
Work Shops
Pole Barns
Machine Shops
Car Repair Garages and Autobody Shops
Can You Use Low Bay Lights for a Garage Space?
Yes. But make sure you find the right sized (power) light, as too powerful of a light is as bad as not enough light.
Installation
What mounting options are available to mount a low bay light?
Low Bay Lights have many of the same mounting options as high bay lights, like eye hooks, pendant mounts, cable / wire mount and ceiling/wall mount. It is advisable in low ceiling applications to mount the lights as high as possible to increase the light spread each fixture products.
What’s the best way to Layout Low Bay Lights?
The best way to is to create a layout inside a lighting plan. This reduces the guesswork of trying to find the best lighting layout and the best low bay light to match the layout. At low heights, it is usually better to have more lower wattage fixtures closer together, as this produces a uniform light coverage. Higher wattage fixtures at lower heights can create a lot of lot under the fixtures and shadows in between.
Is it hard to wire a low bay light?
Wiring a low bay is easy. There are 3 main wires that fixture uses:
Line
Neutral
Ground
If the light is dimmable, there may be 2 additional wires for low voltage dimming.
How many Low Bay Lights do you need?
Maybe you need a low bay commercial lighting plan?
If you are just replacing fixture with fixture, a lighting plan will help you select the right fixture. If you are creating a new area or building that doesn't have lighting yet, a lighting plan will lay out the light locations and show you how bright the lighting will be.
If you know how bright you want the space to be, we can pick the right low bay ceiling light fixture to meet your needs and requirements.
When we do low bay lighting plans, we use specialized lighting software that allows us to model your space, add lights, place them in your digital space, and calculate the brightness and how even the light will be.
Best of all. We offer FREE, no obligation, low bay lighting plans for our commercial and industrial customers. And when you're ready to purchase, ask one of our LED Sales Pros about how you can get Free Shipping!
