Warehouse LED Lighting Calculator

Warehouse Length (m)

Warehouse Width (m)

Warehouse Height (m)

Desired Illumination (lux)

Warehouses have special needs, like tall ceilings, high shelving, and vast spaces. They require specific lighting for safety, efficiency, and productivity. This guide shows how to pick the right LED lights for your warehouse. It covers how many lights you need, what kind of light they should give off, and the best way to set them up.

Key Takeaways

LED warehouse lights usually shine light in a 90-degree angle, reaching a 30-foot circle at 15 feet high and a 42-foot circle at 20 feet high.
For LED warehouse lights, you should place them 12-15 feet apart if your ceilings are 15 feet high, and 16-19 feet if the ceilings are 20 feet high.
If your warehouse has a ceiling between 13-20 feet, it needs 10,000 to 22,000 lumens. For ceilings between 20-25 feet, aim for 30,000 to 35,000 lumens. Spaces above 40 feet high require 47,000 lumens or more.
Warehouses that deal with large items should have about 10 lumens per square foot. Those with smaller items need nearer 30 lumens per square foot.
For ceilings from 13-20 feet high, space lights 10-15 feet apart with 100-150W LED fixtures. If the ceiling’s height is 20-25 feet, go for 15-25 feet apart using 240W fixtures.

Understanding Warehouse Lighting Requirements

Warehouses are different from shops or offices in many ways. They have high roofs, lots of shelves, and big spaces with not many windows. Because of this, they need special lights. These lights must meet all the demands of the warehouse, like for storing, loading, and office work. The type of lights and where they go change based on what’s happening in each part of the warehouse. This includes how high we hang the lights and how bright they need to be for the job.

Specific Characteristics of Warehouses

Warehouses have their own lighting challenges. Big warehouses with lots of shelves need plenty of lights. This makes sure there are no dark areas and the light is even everywhere. Also, with tall ceilings, the lights must be very bright to light everything up below. For detailed work, like putting things together, there needs to be more light than just for storing things. Warehouses that send out orders need extra bright lights. This makes it easier to see and handle the items being sent out.

Functionality and Versatility

Warehouse lights must work well and fit many different needs. Regular warehouse areas need 20 to 30 foot candles of light. Places where people are doing precise tasks could need up to 200 foot candles for the best light and accuracy. For places with big items, it’s best to have about 10 lumens of light per square foot. Choosing lights with a color temperature of 4000K to 5000K is good for seeing clearly and working efficiently in warehouses. It’s smart to use LED lights since they are both bright and save energy.

It’s really important to plan your lighting with experts. They can help you find the right LED lights that not only light the space well but also save money and energy.

Lighting Requirements for Industrial Settings	Foot Candles (FC)
General Work/Storage in Airplane Hangars	30 FC
Aircraft Maintenance with fine detailed tasks	70-100 FC
Machine Shops with fine bench work	200-500 FC

“OSHA standards recommend 5 foot candles in warehouse areas, corridors, and exit ways.”

Knowing how much wattage and lumens you need is key. It helps you get the right amount of light without using too much energy.

Benefits of Proper Warehouse Lighting

Improving your warehouse lighting has many benefits. It boosts productivity and safety while also showing a professional, well-kept image.

LED lights last about 50,000 hours. That’s roughly seven years of constant use. They save up to 61% on energy. Plus, adding motion sensors can cut energy use by 70% over time.

Better lighting reduces distractions and eye strain. It helps workers stay more alert and productive. A good lighting design can even improve your team’s well-being, lowering their long-lasting tiredness.

Good lighting is key for a safe workplace. Following safety guidelines like keeping certain light levels can prevent accidents.

A brightly lit warehouse looks organized and professional. It shows you care about the work environment. This can improve how your business is seen and keep customers happy.

Transitioning to LED Lighting for Warehouses

Warehouses are realizing the big benefits of switching to LED lights. These lights are both energy-saving and last a long time. They cut down on lighting bills, which can be a big part of a warehouse’s energy costs.

The switch to LEDs can save a lot of energy. They use much less power than other types of lights. Plus, they don’t need to be changed as often, saving on maintenance costs too.

Common Reasons for Switching to LEDs

Energy efficiency is a key reason why warehouses are choosing LEDs. LED lights use way less energy than old-fashioned lights. This means a big drop in energy bills. Also, they last a really long time, making them a great investment.

LEDs have other great features too. They’re durable and don’t waste energy on producing heat. This means lower cooling costs. LED systems can also be adjusted to meet specific lighting needs, saving even more energy.

LEDs are great for our eyes and for seeing details clearly in the warehouse. They don’t flicker and show true colors. With low maintenance and high efficiency, LEDs are a smart choice for warehouses.

“LEDs can boost productivity by providing bright, white light that reduces eyestrain, headaches, and fatigue caused by poor lighting, resulting in more energetic and happier employees.”

Switching to LED lighting in warehouses is a win-win. It saves energy and money while making the workspace better for employees. With their many benefits, LEDs are leading the way in lighting for warehouses.

Calculating the Number of Lights Needed

To make a warehouse lighting system work well, figuring out how many lights you need is key. This includes looking at how bright you want it, the light’s power, and where to put them.

Determining Desired Foot-Candles

The level of light, called foot-candles, depends on what you do in the warehouse. For most jobs, 30-50 foot-candles (320-540 lux) is fine. But if you’re doing detailed work, you might need 100-200 foot-candles (1,080-2,150 lux). First, you need to know the right foot-candle level for your space.

Lumens Per Fixture

After you know the foot-candle amount, you figure out how many lumens each light needs. For a warehouse with a ceiling under 20 feet, lights should have 12,000 to 30,000 lumens. They can be 80, 100, 120, or 150 watts. But if the ceiling is taller, you want lights with 27,000 to 36,000 lumens. They could be 180, 200, 220, or 240 watts.

Even Spacing Considerations

It’s important to space out lights well to avoid dark areas. For a 12-20 foot ceiling, lights should be 15-20 feet apart. For taller ceilings, keep them 25-35 feet from each other. And make sure the space between them is not more than how high the ceiling is. This ensures light covers everything evenly.

Considering these points helps managers get the right number of lights for a bright, efficient space. Special software for LED lighting can make suggestions based on your room’s size, light height, and the brightness you need.

Ceiling Height	Recommended Lumens	Wattage Options	Recommended Spacing
12-20 feet	12,000 to 30,000 lumens	80/100/120/150W	15-20 feet
20-35 feet	27,000 to 36,000 lumens	180/200/220/240W	25-35 feet

warehouse led lighting calculation

The height of the warehouse is key to figuring out the right warehouse LED lighting calculation. Different ceiling heights need specific lumen output, power, and how fixtures should be spaced.

In a warehouse with 14-20 feet high ceilings, you’d need 10,000-22,000 lumens and 100-150 watts. You should space them 10-15 feet apart. As ceilings get higher, you’ll need more lumens and power. Spacing between lights also increases to keep everything well-lit.

For heights of 10-15 feet, aim for 10,000-15,000 lumens.
For 15-20 feet high areas, use 16,000 to 20,000 lumens.
And for ceilings 25-35 feet, you need 33,000 lumens.

Warehouse lighting is a must in industrial environments. It fits all sizes, from local shops to big warehouses. The right lights are picked based on the warehouse’s height and the space between the racks.

Warehouse Ceiling Height	Recommended Lighting Solution	Spacing
14-20 feet	10,000-22,000 lumens, 100-150 watts	10-15 feet
20-29 feet	33,000 lumens	20 feet, standard 14 feet
0-9 feet	60 watts	N/A
15-19 feet	10-12 feet apart for factory lighting	N/A
21+ feet	240 watts	N/A

For warehouse lighting, go for asymmetric beam angles to save energy. Spaces between racks vary from 1m to 4m wide and 3m to 14m high. The best height is often 6m-9m. Choosing a lens angle, like 25°*85°, depends on your warehouse’s height and the rack space.

The warehouse lighting specifications also look at lumen output and power needs. For example, a 1000w metal halide equals a 400W LED high bay light. Plus, a general guide is that a 15-foot lamp can brighten a 12-foot area.

Designing an Optimal Warehouse Lighting Layout

To design great warehouse lighting, you need to look at the ceiling. You must know its height, length, and width, plus any special parts. This info helps place the lights right for even brightness everywhere. Picking the best kind of lights is key too. Think about using LED lights. They are energy-saving and last a long time.

Determining Ceiling Characteristics

The ceiling is very important in warehouse lighting design. You need to know its height, length, and width, and any special features. This data is crucial for spreading the light evenly. By figuring out the ceiling’s details, managers can pick the best lights. This ensures the whole warehouse is well-lit.

Choosing the Right Warehouse Lighting Type

Choosing the right lights is crucial for a good warehouse layout. Consider what tasks are done, the ceiling’s height, the room’s size, and how bright the light needs to be. Also, think about light color, beam angle, the power it uses, and its cost. There are many types of lights to choose from, like LED high bays. These lights fit different needs all over the warehouse. LED lights are popular for their savings and lifespan. They offer solutions that meet every warehouse’s unique needs.

Lighting Type	Recommended Ceiling Height	Lumens and Wattage
LED UFO High Bay	20-25 ft	22,500 lumens, 150 watts
LED UFO High Bay	Over 35 ft	45,000 lumens, 300 watts
LED Panels	Administrative Offices	5000K color temperature

Thinking about the ceiling and picking the right lights is crucial. Doing this well can make a warehouse safer, more productive, and energy-efficient.

Footcandles, Lux, and Brightness Levels

Warehouse lighting is all about light intensity. It’s measured in foot-candles (fc) and lux (lx). These show how bright the light is. One foot-candle equals one lumen spread over a square foot. For those who use the metric system, 10.57 lux equals one foot-candle. When there are more lumens, the light is brighter. Fewer lumens mean the light is dimmer. To get an accurate lumen reading, it’s best to do lab tests. Nowadays, we focus on lumens, not watts, to get a precise look at how bright our lights are.

Every area in a warehouse might need different levels of light. Places where lots of things happen, like inspection areas, might need 40 to 50 foot-candles. Yet, rooms used for storing items can be fine with just 10 to 15 foot-candles. The volume and type of goods moved around also affect how bright we need the lights to be.

The IES has set standards for how much light different areas need. For planning warehouse lighting, a guide on how many lumens we need for each space is helpful. Yet, every warehouse is different. Exactly what lighting is best will depend on the warehouse’s specific activities.

Industry	Recommended Foot-Candles (fc)
Automobile Manufacturing and Sales	Final Assembly, Finishing, Inspection: 200 fcBody and Chassis Assembly: 100 fcBody Parts Manufacturing: 100 fcFrame Assembly: 50 fcShowroom: 25-100 fcSales Lot (Exterior) – Lighting Zone 3 (urban): 10-40 fcSales Lot (Exterior) – Lighting Zone 2 (suburban): 10-30 fc
Clothing Manufacturers	Receiving, Storage, Shipping, Winding, Measuring: 20-50 fcPattern Making, Trimming: 50-100 fcShops, Marking: 50-200 fcCutting, Pressing: 100-500 fcSewing, Inspection: 200-500 fc
Distilleries	Malting: 20-30 fcBarrel Filling: 20-30 fcSorting, Washing, Packing: 30-40 fcFiltering: 50 fcBottling: 50 fcInspection: 100 fc
Manufacturing and Warehouse Facilities	Coarse Material Processing: 10 fcMedium Material Processing: 30 fcFine Material Processing: 50 fcExtra Fine Material Processing: 50-100 fcWrapping, Packaging and Labeling: 30 fcPicking Stock: 30 fcSimple Assembly: 15-60 fcMedium Assembly: 25-100 fcDifficult Assembly: 50-200 fcComplicated Assembly: 50-200 fcExacting Assembly and Inspection: 150-600 fcGeneral Food Processing: 75 fcWarehousing – Inactive Area: 5-10 fcWarehousing – Active – Large Items: 10-20 fcWarehousing – Active – Small Items: 15-60 fcWarehouse with Aisles: 10-30 fc

The table above gives an idea of how much light different industries need. Whether it’s making cars, clothes, or handling drinks, there are recommended light levels. For those in charge of warehouse lighting, these standards are a great help. They offer a clear guide on how to light up warehouses based on what they do.

Conclusion

Planning and using warehouse LED lights right are key to a better work spot. Companies can make their warehouse safe and more efficient. They just need to know how these spaces work and use LED lights the right way.

It’s vital to figure out how many lights to put and where. A good plan means thinking about how high the ceiling is and where the lights will go. This way, warehouses can be well-lit, making work safer and better. Plus, using LED lights cuts energy use and costs.

At the end, good warehouse LED lighting is all about making a place where people do great work. With the right lights and design, businesses can do more and succeed for a long time.

FAQ

What are the unique characteristics of warehouses that demand specific lighting solutions?

Warehouses have high ceilings and ample space but few windows. This setup needs special lighting to meet the work demands.

What are the benefits of proper warehouse lighting?

Good lighting boosts productivity and makes the workplace safer. It also makes everything look more professional. Proper lighting reduces eye strain and helps workers stay focused.

Why are warehouses transitioning to LED lighting?

Warehouses are choosing LED lights for many reasons. They use less energy and are bright. They start instantly, don’t flicker, and show colors accurately.

How do you calculate the number of lights needed for a warehouse?

To figure out how many lights a warehouse needs, think about brightness level and space size. This helps make sure the light spreads evenly.

How does the height of the warehouse affect the lighting recommendations?

Warehouse height plays a big role in lighting choices. The taller the warehouse, the more light it needs. Power and light fixture distance also change with warehouse height.

What factors should be considered when designing an optimal warehouse lighting layout?

To design the best lighting layout, think about the warehouse’s size and shape. Choose the right type of light for each area’s specific needs.

How are warehouse lighting levels typically measured?

Lighting in warehouses is measured in foot-candles and lux. The level of lighting needed varies by area and the tasks performed there.

Warehouse LED Lighting Calculator