When a high-bay is the right choice and when a floodlight is, how to work out the lumens you actually need, and which IP and IK ratings a warehouse or yard requires.
The two fixtures are often quoted against each other because both are bright and both are cheap per lumen. They are not interchangeable: the difference is the beam pattern and where the light is allowed to go.
Watts tell you what the fixture consumes. Lux on the task plane tells you whether the job can be done. Start with the target and work backwards:
| Area | Typical maintained illuminance |
|---|---|
| Open storage yard, loading dock | 50–100 lx |
| Warehouse aisles, picking | 150–200 lx |
| Racking faces, order assembly | 200–300 lx |
| Workshop bench, inspection | 300–500 lx |
| Fine assembly, quality control | 500–750 lx |
Then estimate lumens: lumens ≈ lux × area ÷ (utilisation factor × maintenance factor). For an industrial interior a utilisation factor around 0.6–0.7 and a maintenance factor of 0.8 are reasonable first assumptions. The room index, reflectances and the fixture's own photometric file refine it — ask for the IES/LDT file and run it in DIALux or Relux rather than trusting a rule of thumb.
A very wide beam at 12 m wastes a large fraction of its light on the rack tops. As a starting point: 60° for 4–6 m, 90–100° for 6–8 m, 120° only below about 5 m. For floodlights on poles, the aiming angle matters as much as the beam: tilt them so the beam covers the working area and the cut-off keeps spill off neighbouring property.
IP is the first filter. IP65 is the practical minimum outdoors and in wash-down areas; IP66 where hosed down or exposed to driving rain. Inside a dry warehouse IP40 to IP54 is usually enough and buys a cheaper fixture.
IK is the one that gets forgotten. IK08 is the sensible minimum in a warehouse where pallets and fork trucks move, and IK10 for exposed low-level fixtures.
Thermal management determines the real lifetime. A fixture rated 50 °C ambient run at 55 °C in a roof void will not reach its rated hours. Ask what the lumen maintenance figure is measured at, and check whether the driver is replaceable — an integral, potted driver means the whole fixture is scrap when it fails.
4000 K neutral white is the safe choice for industrial interiors; 5000–6500 K suits yards and roadway. CRI 70 is adequate for storage, 80+ where colour judgement is part of the job. If you want occupancy or daylight control, confirm the driver supports it (0–10 V, DALI or a sensor-ready version) at the ordering stage — retrofitting sensors into non-dimmable fixtures is not possible.
Two fixtures with the same wattage can differ by 20 % in delivered lumens and by a factor of two in rated life. Compare: delivered lumens at the specified ambient, lm/W, CRI, IP/IK, driver brand and replaceability, warranty terms and the surge rating (a 10 kV/10 kA surge protection device inside the fixture matters on exposed poles).
ELEHPD supplies LED floodlights, high-bay fixtures and panel lights with photometric files available for project models so your designer can run the calculation before the order.
Send the ratings, dimensions and quantities you are working to and we will confirm the closest match from the ELEHPD catalogue, the compliance documents available for it and the lead time. OEM branding, private model numbering and buyer-specific cartons are available on qualified volumes.