Need Help Lighting Warehouse

[mkgrady]

I'm getting ready to install lighting in a new warehouse addition for a commercial heating contractor.The addition is one open room 63'x50' with the bottom of the barjoists at 13'. In this room will be an area 50'x37' that will be mostly bulk storage with pallets of stuff stored until a job is ready to be started. The remaining space of 50'x26' will consist of typical storage shelves for small parts. The shelves will be about 7' high and be placed back to back. Figuring some of the stored materials will be up to 3' tall that puts the storage space up to 10'. It will result in having six 26' isles running between seven rows of shelves.

My local supplier's first suggestion was to use four foot, four lamp T5 flourescent. It seems like a bad choice.

Let's say I use six of those in the large area (I have no idea if that is the right amount). Because the fixtures will mount at 13' that will put a ton of light under each fixture and not very much light between the fixtures. Doesn't seem right.

In the shelving area, I would need to put the fixtures above each isle and I would think at least two fixtures per row would be required and maybe three for a total of 18 in this area. That seems like you would have to wear sunglasses yet one fixture per isle would result create the same problem as the bulk storage area.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[beanland]

Smaller is More

Smaller is More

If you are limited by fixture height and want to achieve uniform light levels, you need more fixtures with less light per fixture. Four lamp fixtures would seem reasonable but I might opt for 32W T8 rather than T5. It may be that 3-lamp fixtures are a better choice. There are some good lighting design software that are free that are perfect for a simple design like this.

Given that it is a warehouse, fewer brighter fixtures may be fine as long as the areas of least light are still safe and usable.

 

[copper chopper]

you should be able to get lighting application software from your supplier that tells and shows you what it will look like with any model number of fixture they make. If not try somewhere else, cooper,lithonia,or ge.
maybe try these there are alot of good selling points=http://www.albeotech.com/applications/warehouse.html

 

[jcbabb]

I'm getting ready to install lighting in a new warehouse addition for a commercial heating contractor.The addition is one open room 63'x50' with the bottom of the barjoists at 13'. In this room will be an area 50'x37' that will be mostly bulk storage with pallets of stuff stored until a job is ready to be started. The remaining space of 50'x26' will consist of typical storage shelves for small parts. The shelves will be about 7' high and be placed back to back. Figuring some of the stored materials will be up to 3' tall that puts the storage space up to 10'. It will result in having six 26' isles running between seven rows of shelves.

My local supplier's first suggestion was to use four foot, four lamp T5 flourescent. It seems like a bad choice.

Let's say I use six of those in the large area (I have no idea if that is the right amount). Because the fixtures will mount at 13' that will put a ton of light under each fixture and not very much light between the fixtures. Doesn't seem right.

In the shelving area, I would need to put the fixtures above each isle and I would think at least two fixtures per row would be required and maybe three for a total of 18 in this area. That seems like you would have to wear sunglasses yet one fixture per isle would result create the same problem as the bulk storage area.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

At heights that low, I would guess that 2-lamp strips would be fine. In my experience, you will get better vertical footcandles (better light on the racks/shelves) if you run your rows of light perpendicular to the racks/shelves (not parallel, and not down the isles). It is a bit counter-intuitive at first, but it works.

I would definitely go with T8's over T5's at that height, both in terms of initial cost and energy efficiency.

 

[TNBaer]

My local supplier's first suggestion was to use four foot, four lamp T5 flourescent. It seems like a bad choice.

I have a wet noodle. Who's your supplier?

To get 45 footcandles, which is quite a bit, three rows of 8' 4 lamp T8 strips will do the trick. The rows running the 63' length. The side rows 12' of the wall, the middle row dead middle. This means from either side to the middle row is about 16' or so.

Don't use highbays. T8 strips is the way to go here. Should be dirt cheap, less $1,000 to light the whole place.

 

[mkgrady]

Just got power and Internet back. Lost them both Friday night in a blizzard. Thanks for the responses. They all make sense and give me a better feel how to go forward.

 

[jmellc]

In the 50x26 area with shelving, put 3 8" T8 strips, centered over the aisles. Use either double 8' tubes or 4 4' tubes. 8' tubes look a little better but 4' ones are easier to handle & store. Mount them directly to bar joists if they line up. If not, put struts across and mount to them. Get fixtures with reflectors or lots of light will dissipate out.

In the larger area, continue same pattern if possible, unless columns keep getting in the way. 6 rows of 4 8' T8 fixtures. From either end of the building, you will see long straight rows of lights, pleasing to the eye & giving good light. Start rows 10.5 inches from the wall, 10.5 inch nipples between fixtures, ends up 10.5 inches from far wall too.

In effect, 6 long rows of 7 lights each. Mount all fixtures to bar joists or struts between, as above.

If any damage from forklifts is anticipated, mount lights parallel to bar joists & a foot higher than bottom of joists.

 

[mkgrady]

In the 50x26 area with shelving, put 3 8" T8 strips, centered over the aisles. Use either double 8' tubes or 4 4' tubes. 8' tubes look a little better but 4' ones are easier to handle & store. Mount them directly to bar joists if they line up. If not, put struts across and mount to them. Get fixtures with reflectors or lots of light will dissipate out.

In the larger area, continue same pattern if possible, unless columns keep getting in the way. 6 rows of 4 8' T8 fixtures. From either end of the building, you will see long straight rows of lights, pleasing to the eye & giving good light. Start rows 10.5 inches from the wall, 10.5 inch nipples between fixtures, ends up 10.5 inches from far wall too.

In effect, 6 long rows of 7 lights each. Mount all fixtures to bar joists or struts between, as above.

If any damage from forklifts is anticipated, mount lights parallel to bar joists & a foot higher than bottom of joists.

Thanks for that. Some good info there. But it sounds like you are suggesting the sama amount of light in the large bulk storage area as the shelving area. I would think the shelving area of small parts would need much more light than the bulk storage area, or did I not get what you are recommending?

 

[Sernund]

I'm getting ready to install lighting in a new warehouse addition for a commercial heating contractor.The addition is one open room 63'x50' with the bottom of the barjoists at 13'. In this room will be an area 50'x37' that will be mostly bulk storage with pallets of stuff stored until a job is ready to be started. The remaining space of 50'x26' will consist of typical storage shelves for small parts. The shelves will be about 7' high and be placed back to back. Figuring some of the stored materials will be up to 3' tall that puts the storage space up to 10'. It will result in having six 26' isles running between seven rows of shelves.

My local supplier's first suggestion was to use four foot, four lamp T5 flourescent. It seems like a bad choice.

Let's say I use six of those in the large area (I have no idea if that is the right amount). Because the fixtures will mount at 13' that will put a ton of light under each fixture and not very much light between the fixtures. Doesn't seem right.

In the shelving area, I would need to put the fixtures above each isle and I would think at least two fixtures per row would be required and maybe three for a total of 18 in this area. That seems like you would have to wear sunglasses yet one fixture per isle would result create the same problem as the bulk storage area.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Just use led lights as there is no better option to cut down your electricity bills