National LED has worked with hundreds of companies across the country to improve their warehouse lighting quality by installing new LED lighting. For example, Ferrara Candy Company had a 750,000 square foot warehouse previously illuminated by traditional T8 fluorescent lighting. When they partnered with National LED on the project, they installed new high bay lights with motion-sensing capabilities that transformed the facility. As a result, Ferrara employees now had a safer work environment with better visibility and a more productive environment.
At National LED, we’re known for providing state-of-art LED lighting and solutions for all commercial warehouses. So, when you are looking for a company to provide you with high-quality LED lighting solutions and turnkey installation, we can give you the service you want. For example, we have completed commercial warehouse lighting projects for Advanced Auto Parts, Cubesmart, Toyota, and United Airlines.
We can help you integrate LED lighting to your specific warehouse needs from conception to the completion of the project. We’ve completed thousands of LED warehouse lighting installations for companies all over the country. We offer products made in the United States created for ultra-efficiency and effectiveness.
Electric bills, maintenance costs, productivity, and ultimately sales are all affected by your lighting system. National LED helps businesses implement LED warehouse lighting for their manufacturing and warehouse facilities that lower electric bills and eliminate maintenance costs while improving productivity overall.
You’ve got a business to run, and the last thing you need to worry about is where to source new lighting and how to get it installed. National LED offers turnkey installation of new industrial warehouse lighting that fits your schedule, so your lighting project doesn’t impact employees and customers.
Finding the right commercial warehouse lighting company can be challenging, especially when you need it done your way, with your requirements, and within your schedule. National LED brings the expertise of over 5,000 installations to your project to help you meet strict requirements within tight deadlines.
Check out some more of our favorite customer success stories.
National LED can be your go-to lighting company for industrial warehouse lighting and installation.
For those looking to cut their utility bills drastically, upgrading to LED lighting can immediately impact after installation. Commercial LED lights are far more efficient than traditional lighting technology by lighting up areas more effectively with less energy. LED lights use up to 75 percent less electricity than fluorescent options, resulting in substantial energy savings, especially in warehouses with lights that operate for extended periods.
Lighting is a critical component of safe environments for employees and visitors alike. The way people work now has evolved, and so should your lighting. Therefore, providing the appropriate light levels as determined by the Illuminating Engineering Society Standards is a top priority for any business to ensure occupant wellbeing and deter crime.
Because LEDs are small compared to other legacy lighting sources, LED lighting gets used in almost any application imaginable. As a result, National LED has the flexibility to design lighting systems around the customer's needs instead of creating around the limits of the technology. We will create a customized photometric layout of the property and then design a solution that considers all the facility's needs. Check out some of our case studies on warehouse LED integrations.
Atleta LED sports lighting provides the ability to be integrated with optional intelligent lighting controls and monitoring to easily manage lighting across the facility and perform fantastic lighting effects. National LED can help pre-program intuitive controls so that you can dial in the proper settings and make instant adjustments. Additionally, you can access data that enables you to optimize your facilities’ lighting system.
Choosing the right LED warehouse lighting system for your warehouse is far from easy, especially since you may not know much about the critical factors to consider. However, with just a little help from lighting experts, the choice is straightforward. Let's discover more about the three lighting types based on the crucial factors you need to consider.
HIDs used to be the most popular lighting option for warehouses as they boast a high light output and can illuminate large spaces. They are still reasonably popular even today.
HIDs typically offer a light output of 100 watts or better, which is excellent for ensuring maximum visibility. However, HIDs are the worst option for lumen depreciation, meaning they get less energy efficient with a decreasing light output over time. They are also not very impressive with their color temperature, as their light intensity is on the weaker side, and they are usually too yellow or almost unusually white. They also have a "warm-up" time, which means they take a few minutes – often up to 10 minutes or so – to light up fully. The same goes for when you turn them off. This might not seem like too big of a problem, but it can turn out to be one during a power surge as it would prevent them from turning on for about 15 minutes.
While HIDs have a low initial cost, they are pretty high on maintenance. This is because they have moving parts and can get damaged if they are not maintained well or even due to building vibrations. The ongoing maintenance needs typically include replacing the ballasts and also relamping. HIDs have a lifespan of up to 25,000 hours and are durable enough to withstand extreme cold and hot temperatures.
HIDs are the worst option on this front, too, as they are the least energy efficient.
LED is the most recent lighting technology, but it has emerged as the most versatile and energy-efficient lighting solution for pretty much every type of need, warehouse lighting being no exception.
As far as the lumen output is concerned, there's no beating LED, although HIDs do come close, at least on initial installation. LED lights offer 100 watts or higher, but their light intensity is very concentrated and paves the way for a much more comfortable warehouse environment than HIDs or fluorescent lights. The focus and light intensity is pretty balanced with a great color temperature. Unlike HIDs, LED has no such thing as a warm-up or cool-down time and illuminates fully as soon as you turn them on, and the same goes for when turning them off. Similarly, LED lights remain consistent with their highly efficient lumen output throughout their lifespan, there are never any flickering issues, and they do not lose their energy efficiency over time like fluorescent lights.
LED lights have a significantly higher initial cost, but they demand virtually nothing in maintenance. They do not have any moving parts or filaments, and the on and off cycles don't affect their lifespan negatively either. They can also handle cold environments, although extreme hot temperatures can affect their light output. Still, the decrease is usually barely noticeable. LED lights are also the most durable, with a lifespan of between 50,000 to 100,000 hours.
LED lights are hands-down the most energy-efficient as there's no heat loss when converting the energy voltage into lumen output. They use the least energy while being a much better all-around lighting option. They are designed with a very innovative approach to use electrical current to produce light and to emit light directionally to get the most out of their energy.
Fluorescent lighting is considered a more budget alternative to HIDs as it's a more energy-efficient option, but not as much as LED warehouse lighting.
While fluorescent has better light output than incandescent and even HIDs in most cases, there are a few significant trade-offs here. For example, fluorescent has flickering issues, unlike LEDs, and they even tend to start losing their lumen output – meaning they output less while using more voltage – as they age. As a result, they no longer remain energy efficient once they only have 30% of their lifespan left.
Fluorescent doesn't demand much maintenance, though they are not fit for extremely cold or hot environments. Also, the on and off cycles can further reduce their lifespan. They are also not as durable, with a lifespan of only up to 15,000 hours.
As mentioned above, fluorescent is more energy-efficient than HIDs but not as much as LED. It also no longer remains energy efficient enough after reaching 70% of its lifespan.
If you have read through everything we discussed above, you would have quickly concluded that LED lights are the best overall option among the three lighting options we discussed (and the only three lighting options available) for warehouses. Whether light output and quality, maintenance, or energy savings, LED lights are in a class of their own. Sure, they may be the most expensive in terms of installing and the initial costs, but when you consider the over long-term use, they turn out to be a clear winner!
Types of LED Lighting You Can Use In Your Warehouses
We have a lot of different types of outdoor and indoor commercial LED lighting options that you can choose from, so you can find the one that is just right for your needs. Each of our lights comes with a 10-year Manufacturer Warranty, and customer satisfaction is our highest priority. In addition, there are many LED lighting choices for warehouses, including ceiling bay lights, light grids, and many other types.
Types of Warehouse Lighting with Motion Sensors
High bay motion sensor LED lights with built-in motion sensors react to surroundings and are typically used for spaces with ceilings of 14 feet in height or more significant. There are two types of high bay lighting with motion sensors, infrared and microwave. While infrared does pick up on motion, it will not penetrate through walls and is limited to shorter distances. On the other hand, microwave motion sensors are ideal for warehouses because their capability to emit through walls ranges up to 50 feet!
Foot Candles and Photometrics of Warehouse Lighting (with or without motion sensors)
When defining light emitted from any light, including LED warehouse lighting, it is typically measured in foot candles (FC), the amount of light at a specific level or plane. Different areas of workspaces, warehouses, and any intentionally lit area have a standard set by OSHA to ensure a safe environment measured in foot candles.
A lighting plan or photometric study is a report which outlines light distribution and light levels for a specific location, indoors or outdoors. This advanced software enables you to digitally design an area, source fixtures, and determine mounting heights. In addition, photometric software produces reports which show minimum, maximum, and average foot candles for the site.
Lighting designs and systems are not always equal. Even if two areas are the same size, the requirements may be different for each depending on the use of the environment. The following are the recommended foot candle measurements for warehouse LED lighting in various areas:
Interior Photometric Study of Retail Area
Warehousing- Inactive area 5 FC
Warehousing- Active area, Large Items 10 FC
Warehousing- Active area, Small Items 30 FC
Receiving and Shipping Area 30 FC
Shops and Maintenance Areas 50 FC
What is the operating temperature of these fixtures?
Operating temperature for any fixture is critical and a vital question to ask, especially when choosing a high bay LED fixture for your warehouse. Many warehouses have equipment, and these pieces of large equipment often give off much heat. Since heat rises to the top of the warehouse, it can have a big implication on your LED fixtures if the temperature at the top of the warehouse gets too hot. This is a fundamental question in Texas or other states where temperatures can get extreme.
If the fixtures are operating over the normal operating temperature, you can risk your LED's going out or losing a significant amount of life expectancy.
What is the L70 on the fixture or lifetime expectancy?
Lifetime expectancy is typically the number one question to ask any LED lighting vendor. Typically, when looking for LED lighting, one of their main concerns is cost. Cost is an essential element to look at, yet you never want to buy the cheapest fixture on the market. Most cheap LED fixtures have a very bad lifetime expectancy on the fixture due to the cheap components within the LED fixture. LED lighting fixtures, such as those with National LED, have a lifetime expectancy, or L70, of 200,000 hours. This is an extremely high life expectancy and can be double or even quadruple the lifetime expectancy of our fixtures on the market. There is a simple question to ask yourself regarding lifetime expectancy: Would I rather spend more money on a fixture that I won't have to deal with for 20+ years, or do I want to buy a fixture that is half the cost and have to replace the fixture every 3-5 years? Many times, people do not consider the fact that when they purchase these LED lights, they will need to hire an electrician to install the light and will need to rent equipment to install the light. These are two huge factors to consider when purchasing LED fixtures and thinking that you can get away with purchasing cheap fixtures 2 or 3 times. With the additional costs, it can be very costly to make the mistake of buying cheap LED fixtures.
How many lumens do I need, and how many fixtures do I need?
Your LED lighting vendor should easily answer this question by taking the dimensions of your warehouse and doing a photometric of your facility. A photometric study is when an LED lighting vendor uses the dimensions of your warehouse to show you how many fixtures you need and then shows exactly how many foot candles those new LED lights will be giving you. There should also be a heat map involved with the photometric so that you can see the distribution of light. The photometric will show the type of fixture used to get the calculations of foot candles, and then you can decipher if you need a LED high bay light with more fixtures or less. Often, companies will look to see if they can eliminate some lighting, and this photometric will accurately tell you how many high bay fixtures you need.
How should I mount the fixture?
At National LED, our LED lighting high bay fixtures come with (2) 40" chains, which you can hook up to the fixture and mount in most warehouses. If that does not work, or if you do not like the aesthetics of the chains, then we do have a "v" shaped hook, which you can also use to mount your fixtures. Mounting fixtures can be straightforward, yet you must take this step seriously due to safety concerns. Most of these fixtures have a good amount of weight to them and can sometimes be mounted as high as 60', so the process of mounting the fixture is one that should be taken very seriously. Ask your vendor if the fixtures come with safety cables. Safety cables are not mandatory, yet they can ensure safety and give you extra peace of mind when installing LED lighting.
How many LED lighting warehouse projects have you done in the past?
When buying LED lighting, this is a pivotal question to ask, especially looking for a turnkey solution. There are vendors in the industry that will accept a large shipment or crate from China, market a five-year warranty, sell a bunch of lights, and then when the lights go bad, they are nowhere to be found and open up another LED lighting company. With National LED, we have been in business since 2006 and have always backed our ten-year warranty. If the LED lighting vendor hasn't been in business longer than they claim their warranty, you need to be very cautious of whom you are dealing with.
Are lens types or beam angles important for warehouse high bay LED lights?
The lens of the LED fixture is critical when it comes to the light distribution of the fixture. You can have a 90-degree spread which is a more directional output to the ground, or you can have a 120-degree spread which will cover more area. This can play a big factor in the number of fixtures you need for your warehouse. If you have fixtures that are very far apart, you will want to go with a higher beam spread. If you want to get the most foot candles possible, you will want the more directional 90-degree spread.
How many foot-candles should my warehouse have?
Standard warehouses with operating machinery or equipment will want about 30-foot candles. You can have fewer foot-candles than 30 and still be very functional, but the industry standard for an industrial warehouse is about 30-foot candles. Most warehouses we see are much lower than 30 footcandles, some in the 3-10 foot-candle range, yet they quickly realize that this is not up to par and call National LED to fix the light issues.
How do I know what type of footcandles I currently have?
You can use a standard light meter to take measurements of the foot candles your lights are currently producing. It is smart to take readings under all the light fixtures and then take readings between them to get an accurate measurement.
Do all LEDs last as long as they say?
Many LED fixtures will say one thing on their spec sheet and then do another when it comes to the performance of the LED light. Ask your LED lighting vendor if a third party has tested the LED lighting fixtures you are purchasing. Some manufacturers or LED vendors do not test their lights, leading to misleading spec sheets.
When you are looking for a company to install LED lighting in your warehouse, we hope to choose us for LED warehouse lighting. At National LED, we work together with you to ensure that the lighting solution you receive is what you want. Our LED lighting solutions are offered at a reasonable cost, and they help you save money. Why not choose a company that has worked with well-known companies all over the country?
Do you want to learn more? Contact us and let us know what questions you have. We are always glad to answer your questions and let you know how we can help your warehouse be as efficient and safe as it can be.
