What is a bay ceiling light?
This is a question I have heard asked over the years many times and I rarely hear an answer that goes further than something along the lines of our “warehouse ceiling”. So, let’s start with the basics. Exactly what is a bay ceiling?
According to Wikipedia this is what defines a ceiling bay:
In architecture, a bay is the space between architectural elements, or a recess or compartment. The term bay comes from Old French baee, meaning an opening or hole.[1]
Now that we have a basic definition let’s look at relevant examples listed with this definition:
The spaces between posts, columns, or buttresses in the length of a building, the division in the widths being called aisles. This meaning also applies to overhead vaults (between ribs), in a building using a vaulted structural system. For example, the Gothic architecture period's Chartres Cathedral has a nave (main interior space) that is "seven bays long." Similarly in timber framing a bay is the space between posts in the transverse direction of the building and aisles run longitudinally.[2]
The space between joists or rafters, a joist bay or rafter bay.[2]
Where you see it...
Any of this sound familiar? This is what everyone is attempting to describe when they make a general reference to their warehouse ceiling. However, these kinds of ceilings aren’t limited to warehouse construction. You find bay ceilings in perfectly ordinary places you may never have noticed on a daily basis. Your gym, local grocery store, your local home improvement stores, electronics, and other “big box” stores all very often are constructed this way.
Categorization...
Ok, now that we understand what a ceiling bay is lets talk about how we illuminate the spaces within these structures. For this we have Bay Ceiling Lights which most commonly are referred to as “high bay” lights.
Within the world of LED bay ceiling lights we divide it into several sub categories:
Within each of these subcategories we have “High Bay” and “Low Bay”. This differentiation is due the differences in output relative to ceiling height. A low bay light is intended for ceilings 20ft or less and a high bay is 20 feet or more. Due to the high efficacy of modern LED lighting many bay ceiling fixtures we sell ranging from 150 watts and up will fall into the high bay category.
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Unlike older lighting technology that focused on high consumption to delivery light by essentially just dumping as much light as possible out 360 degrees LED lighting uses optics to control output and by doing so achieves the same foot candles with far less energy consumption. This is also referred to as directional lumen output and it is a significant factor in how LED achieves such high efficiency by comparison to HID. |
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Most customers achieve ROI quickly (under 2 years) with LED lighting though energy savings, maintenance savings, and energy rebates (where available).
Still have questions? Leave them in the comments or Contact Us today to find out how we can help you save!
