Duralec Blog

Performance: Because performance is critical for high bay lights, LED options are by far the best choice. LED fixtures provide powerful lighting in a variety of lumen outputs (i.e., brightness) and color temperatures. LED lights are also highly reliable and have longer lifespans than competing products.

A good LED high bay light floods a space with powerful light no matter how high you hang the fixture. A light like the IntrinsiX CIRCA Round High Bay Light can produce up to 43,000 lumens. The CIRCA light produces bright, white light (up to 5,000K) that is perfect for situations that require the best visibility.

Safety: High bay lights are a key element to a safe workplace where visibility is important. Workers in spaces like warehouses, workshops, or factory floors often have to deal with dangerous machinery. A well-lit facility is crucial for protecting workers from accidents. Proper lighting in workplaces is also legally required by federal and possibly state regulations. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires a certain lighting standard be met for various parts of a workplace, from machine shops to stairwells.

Energy savings: LED high bay lights are also the best choice for the application because of their promise of immense energy savings. LED lights use up to 75% less energy than older technologies, and that means far lower electricity bills. The savings begin to accrue immediately, making the return on investment (ROI) for LED lights extremely high.

Further savings are gained on maintenance, due to the long lifespan of LED lights. The need to buy replacement bulbs and have personnel to install them plummets with LED lights.

Network ability: LED high bay lights are highly efficient and deliver major savings, but there is yet another level of savings available: the optional use of advanced lighting controls (ALC). Also called networked lighting controls or smart light controls, this technology allows you to tie your lights into a programmable network that turns them on only when necessary. This combination of software and hardware is the next generation of energy savings. For example, you could program the lights to turn on and off according to even the most complicated schedule. A further possible step would be to make the lights more automated by employing sensors on the lights to adjust to daylight or worker occupancy.

Shape and configuration: It’s not often the term UFO makes its way into a commercial lexicon, but here we are. One of the main shapes of high bay lights is the UFO light—a round, saucer-shaped light that is suspended from the ceiling. Sometimes called a round light, the UFO light is a favorite of lighting designers for high-ceilinged spaces like warehouses or factories. They cast their light powerfully and evenly across a space and are perfect for putting into an array. The IntrinsiX CIRCA light mentioned above is a UFO light. Besides being highly practical, this UFO LED light has a modern, industrial look that makes a space look great.

The second most common shape for high bay lights is a linear light. This fixture is rectangular in shape, and its LED lights are arranged in a line

Wattage: Like most LED lights, high bay lights come in a variety of wattages. These wattages correlate to how bright the lights are. Not all lights are created equal, however. The best fixtures, like the IntrinsiX CIRCA UFO light, are DLC Premium rated, meaning they deliver 130 or more lumens per watt.

The CIRCA light comes in five wattage options (100W, 150W, 200W, 240W, and 300W) and has selectable wattages on all but the most powerful model. This means you can tailor your light to your specific needs. As always, your application is the key factor in determining which light you need.

Mounting options: High bay lights are mounted in a variety of ways due to the high ceilings involved. Good LED high bay lights offer a variety of mounts that will work in whatever application you have. For example, the IntrinsiX’s CIRCA UFO LED light comes with hardware for either pendant or surface mounting. IntrinsiX’s Altitude LED linear light comes with V-shaped hangers and strong chains for hanging the fixture, as well as surface-mounting options.

Emergency backup: LED high bay lights provided by Duralec have optional emergency backup units, as well. These battery packs ensure that your facility never goes dark. This is crucial for worker safety, as well as for legal compliance in many areas (especially egress areas).

Sensor options: The best LED lights today come with a variety of sensors. This technology is what turns a good LED light into something great. Sensors allow lights to be controlled in ways that lead to much better lighting as well as to huge energy savings.

The most common sensors include the daylight harvesting sensor. This photocell device senses how much ambient light is available—say, coming through windows or skylights—and, with the proper controls, can tell a light to adjust to it. Another top sensor is the occupancy (motion) sensor, which can sense when a person enters or leaves a room. The potential of these sensors to save money is immense.

Wattage: Perhaps the most important number on a lighting spec sheet is the wattage of the light. This number refers to the power a light needs to run at its maximum level. On this spec sheet, this number appears on the front page and is also the first bullet point listed on page one. This high bay light is offered in wattages of 100, 150, 200, 240, and 300 watts.

The higher the wattage of a light, the brighter it will be (although brightness is measured by its own metric, which we will get to soon). LED lights require far less power than previous technologies (like high-pressure sodium or metal halide lights). Their wattage numbers, therefore, are relatively modest. The powerful light seen in this spec sheet—suitable for warehouses, factories, and the like—comes in wattages between 100W and 300W. To give you an idea of how much more efficient LED lights are: not long ago, you might have used a 100W light bulb for a table lamp at home.

Protection from the elements: Transformers that require enclosures offer many options that meet NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) standards. Many transformers come with NEMA 3R rated enclosures, along with weather shields. (NEMA 4 enclosures are often available, too, and offer even higher levels of protection against elements like dust and moisture.) Because large transformers often sit outside, these high standards for protection are critical.

Transformers also offer a variety of cooling options to ensure optimal performance and long lifespans. Units are often ventilated or even outfitted with forced-air cooling. Oil or water cooling are also available. Transformers that are used indoors often have cooling systems filled with non-flammable dielectric fluids rather than oil, as an extra safety measure.

An example of these safety measures is seen on the Jefferson Electric Three-Phase Ventilated transformer (rated from 15 to 2,500 KVA). It has insulation rated to 220°C and a temperature rise of 150°C. This transformer is a good fit for all general loads, including lighting, industrial, and commercial uses.

Flexibility: Manufacturers such as Jefferson Electric or Hammond Manufacturing offer electrical transformers in a wide array of sizes and capabilities. Whether it’s a small transformer to fix a guitar amp or a 3-ton, 1000 kVA transformer to power your building, there are many options available and affordable on the market. The top factor for choosing a transformer is likely the voltage rating. The Jefferson Electric Three-Phase Ventilated transformer mentioned above comes in no fewer than 27 voltage options, from 15 to 2,500 KVA.

A huge variety of enclosures is possible, too. Housing dimensions for these large transformers vary from the size of a suitcase to that of a small car. These units can be mounted in a number of ways. Wall brackets are an option for transformers up to 75 kVA. Beyond that, transformers become very heavy, and a floor or concrete pad mount is likely necessary. Drip pans, pole-mounting brackets, and other hardware are also available.

Applications involving facilities with critical needs, such as hospitals or data centers, might require special transformers. Units such as drive isolation transformers or harmonic-mitigating transformers are appropriate for these situations. These units guarantee steady electrical supply in all circumstances. Other specialized transformers are suited for non-linear loads that occur in some buildings, such as offices that use large amounts of modern office equipment.

Efficiency: Today’s transformers are much more efficient than their early ancestors. Manufacturers have had decades to fine tune their designs, and many transformers today are nearly 99% efficient.

Small energy losses can occur in a couple of ways inside a transformer. Energy can be lost in the windings—the coils of metal wire—as well as in the transformer’s metal cores. Sometimes the energy is lost to resistance in the metal, resulting in unwanted heat. Other times, parts of the magnetic field are not fully converted into energy. However, advanced designs have rendered these losses minimal. Different designs include core, shell, concentric, and sandwich configurations of the windings and cores.

In short, the higher the quality of the metals, the more efficient the transformer will be. High-quality windings—either aluminum or copper, usually—and the best steel cores ensure minimal losses.

Seismic protection:Sometimes a transformer needs to be “seismic qualified” for a specific project or region. Critical facilities like hospitals, government facilities, or fire or police stations often fall into this category. In these situations, transformers must be guaranteed to work after seismic events like earthquakes.

Fortunately, many transformers have been built to this high standard and have undergone independent, third-party testing to gain the seismic qualification (the ICC-ES AC156 qualification). These units meet the International Building Code (2015 IBC), as well as the California Building Code (2016 CBC). Units can still be either floor-mounted or wall-mounted.

These seismic qualified transformers can be found in a wide variety of sizes and voltage ratings. For example, Jefferson Electric offers both wall-mounted and floor-mounted transformers in either single or three-phase encapsulated or ventilated models. These seismic qualified units guarantee legal compliance in applications or regions that require it. The seismic protection also offers an additional layer of protection even when not legally mandated.

Quality: Looking for high quality in a transformer ensures that you get a unit which performs at the highest level, runs efficiently, and lasts as long as possible. Duralec-provided transformers, for example, are best in class and offer top performance. High-quality metals in the windings and cores promise efficiency and minimal load losses. Good venting and cooling tools keep transformers running smoothly and add to their long lifespans.

A high-quality transformer will operate more quietly, as well. Some transformers produce a steady humming sound. This is the result of components expanding and contracting with the magnetic field. A transformer with higher-quality materials, however, will be quieter. Its better build quality will also lead to less long-term vibration and noise.

To explore the many electrical transformers on the market, reach out to a Duralec expert today.

One of the most common architectural lights is the strip fixture. These LED fixtures look like long, elegant luminaire boxes that are often artfully suspended in a space. Beautiful light is cast downward—and sometimes upward, as well—providing both illumination and ambience. A good example is the Linear X, from LuXurio provided by Duralec.

This LuXurio fixture is a sleek, minimalist object that would be at home in today’s most contemporary spaces—like an Apple store or a Silicon Valley headquarters. You could also use it in a historic building as a sophisticated contrast with the surrounding period décor. The fixture’s aluminum sides are smooth and matte and come in a premium powder-coated white or black finish. Its slightly rounded corners and its balanced proportions make it one of the most beautiful fixtures available.

However, it’s the powerful LED lights within the LuXurio luminaire that are its heart and soul. The high-efficiency LED’s produce up to 1,300 lumens per foot, and optional dimming makes the fixture the perfect fit for any application, whether it’s lighting a display case of luxury watches or softly lighting a hotel lobby. The color rendering index (CRI) is best-in-class, scoring over 80.

The color-corrected temperature (CCT) is changeable, as well. The adjustable fixture can be set to 3500K, 4000K, or 5000K. The lowest CCT provides a warm and cozy feel perfect for a restaurant lounge or a museum café. The highest CCT, on the other hand, provides a bold, white light suited for offices, conference rooms, or other situations where visibility is key. The LuXurio’s fixture has a frosted lens that creates 120 degrees of optimally diffused light.

A unique feature of the LuXurio strip fixture is its options for modular connection patterns. You can combine units to form different configurations: an X-shape, a T-shape, and an L-shape. This gives designers an opportunity to create even bolder lighting designs.

A variety of mounting options makes this lighting fixture perfect for any interior design, as well. Surface mount kits allow for easily installation on ceilings or walls. Suspension kits allow for dramatic installations in large spaces such as lobbies or atriums. High ceilings allow lighting experts to design in three dimensions. Aircraft cables ensure sleek looks and strong performance.

As with most new LED light fixtures, the LuXurio Linear X offers the potential of massive savings over older technologies. The high efficiency of LED’s means up to a 75% reduction in energy use. This can lead to huge savings on energy bills, especially during times of energy price spikes. In addition to these savings, building owners benefit from lower maintenance costs, as well, due to the long lifespan of LED lights.

To explore options in architectural LED lighting, talk to a Duralec lighting expert today.