💡 High Bay Lighting Calculator
Calculate exactly how many high bay fixtures you need for your space — warehouse, workshop, gym, or facility
| Space Type | Foot-Candles (FC) | Lux Equiv. | Typical Mounting Ht |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse / Storage (general) | 20–30 FC | 215–322 lux | 20–30 ft |
| Manufacturing / Assembly | 40–50 FC | 430–538 lux | 18–25 ft |
| Auto Shop / Garage | 50–70 FC | 538–753 lux | 14–20 ft |
| Gymnasium / Sports | 30–50 FC | 322–538 lux | 20–30 ft |
| Retail / Showroom | 50–75 FC | 538–807 lux | 14–20 ft |
| Food Processing | 50–70 FC | 538–753 lux | 16–24 ft |
| Cold Storage / Freezer | 20–30 FC | 215–322 lux | 15–25 ft |
| Loading Dock / Receiving | 30–50 FC | 322–538 lux | 16–24 ft |
| Mounting Height | Max Fixture Spacing | Spacing (metric) | Coverage per Fixture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft (3.7 m) | 12–14 ft | 3.7–4.3 m | ~144–196 sq ft |
| 16 ft (4.9 m) | 16–19 ft | 4.9–5.8 m | ~256–361 sq ft |
| 20 ft (6.1 m) | 20–24 ft | 6.1–7.3 m | ~400–576 sq ft |
| 25 ft (7.6 m) | 25–30 ft | 7.6–9.1 m | ~625–900 sq ft |
| 30 ft (9.1 m) | 30–36 ft | 9.1–11 m | ~900–1,296 sq ft |
| 35 ft (10.7 m) | 35–42 ft | 10.7–12.8 m | ~1,225–1,764 sq ft |
| 40 ft (12.2 m) | 40–48 ft | 12.2–14.6 m | ~1,600–2,304 sq ft |
| LED Wattage | Replaces MH/HPS | LED Lumens | Energy Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100W LED | 250W Metal Halide | ~13,000 lm | ~60% |
| 150W LED | 400W Metal Halide | ~19,500 lm | ~63% |
| 200W LED | 500W Metal Halide | ~26,000 lm | ~60% |
| 240W LED | 600W Metal Halide | ~31,200 lm | ~60% |
| 300W LED | 750W Metal Halide | ~39,000 lm | ~60% |
| 400W LED | 1000W Metal Halide | ~52,000 lm | ~60% |
| Project | Area (sq ft) | Fixtures (30 FC) | Fixtures (50 FC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Workshop | 1,000 | 4–5 | 7–8 |
| Medium Warehouse | 5,000 | 18–22 | 30–36 |
| Large Warehouse | 10,000 | 36–44 | 60–72 |
| Gymnasium | 8,000 | 29–35 | 48–58 |
| Auto Dealership | 12,000 | 43–53 | 72–86 |
| Distribution Center | 50,000 | 180–220 | 300–360 |
High Bay Lighting commonly show in big buildings with high ceilings. Those lights deliver more strong light from height by means of bright spread that covers the floor and work spaces directly from up. One finds them in stores, plants, gyms, stores and even some warehouses, that depends on them.
Simple rule says: if your ceiling is around 15 to 20 feet high or more, probably High Bay Lighting will be your solution. On the contrary, low bay lighting works more well for everything under that limit.
High Bay Lighting: What It Is and When to Use It
High Bay Lighting answers for ceilings, that reach from 20 to 45 feet. They offer various power levels also. Low bay variants usually do not pass 100 watts, but those high can reach much more.
Here the spot: when the light travels 24 feet down from the device rather than only 12, that tiny spread widens strongly. Hence the ceiling height is key during you choose the right type.
You have also style choices. Round LED high bays form popular and efficient variant. This shape ensures them strong build and energy savings, while they carry focused light directly down.
Moreover exists the linear model, that looks like the usual long lights in industrial areas, that one expects hear. Both styles commonly use in stores and plants.
Big advantage of LED High Bay Lighting is, that they give equal, clear light without any annoying flicker. This matters in commercial and industrial settings. Most of those devices answer for tough conditions, so they adapt to different settings without problems.
Some even have NSF rating for food safety, what is key if you store or prepare food. In good models you find good heat handling and water resistance.
Industrial level High Bay Lighting is built for lasting heavy conditions… Hardness, dirt, dust, even corroding air. They are not tender devices.
Before one used commonly metal halide or fluorescent lights with noisy ballasts, that bothered folks. Change to LED high bays now are the best choice, because they last more long than old technologies and operate even more well. For instance, in store with ceiling of 16 feet one installs 137 watt LED linear high bay, that delivers 24,000 lumens.
Another one laid dimmable round LED bay of around 185 watts, that gives 22,000 lumens in 4000 K color temperature, costing roughly 300 dollars.
When precise task as electronic repair or drawing enters, the color loyalty becomes central. Some lights have CRI of 95, what genuinely helps to recognize real colors. Round LED high bays win points for easy setup, commonly just plug and use, and they offer brightness control.
Those models operate well forceilings between 10 and 40 feet high.
