Industrial LED Lighting

Industrial LED lighting has to work as hard as the plant it lights: bright, even light on machines and workbenches, housings that stand up to dust, vibration and knocks, and fixtures rated for the 347 V lighting circuits found in many Canadian factories. This page is for plant managers, maintenance teams, electricians and contractors who equip production floors, machine shops, maintenance garages and yards.

Here you will find the main fixture families, the specs to compare, the rules for hazardous areas, layout tips and the upgrade paths for existing HID and fluorescent fixtures.

Industrial fixtures, area by area

• UFO LED high bays: compact round fixtures for production floors and assembly areas with high ceilings.
• Linear LED high bays: even light along production lines, long workbenches and aisles between machines.
• LED explosion-proof luminaires: round and linear fixtures for hazardous (HAZLOC) locations.
• LED T8 tubes: an upgrade for the fluorescent strips still found in workshops, control rooms and mezzanines.
• LED wall packs: doors, loading docks and the building perimeter.
• LED floodlights: yards, outdoor storage and large outdoor work zones.

Specs that matter on an industrial site

Output and selectable wattage

Match light output to the mounting height and the precision of the task. Selectable wattage lets you adjust on site without changing the fixture: the CSC LED LHB04 linear high bay switches between 180, 200 and 220 W, and LHB04 accessories cover models from 110 W to 295 W. For very high ceilings, the TUROLIGHT SSL-LHB6 400XL ranges from 300 to 400 W, or 45000 to 60000 lm.

Voltage

Many Canadian industrial buildings feed their lighting at 347 V. High bays, wall packs and floodlights rated 120-347 V cover both standard and 347 V circuits. Retrofit lamps are more specific: Light Efficient Design hazardous fixture retrofits come in separate 120-277 V and 347 V versions, and one of its 140 W high bay retrofits runs on 277-480 V.

Colour and certifications

4000 K and 5000 K are the usual choices for production work, and several hazardous retrofits use 5700 K. For inspection stations and colour-critical tasks, the TUROLIGHT VIVID T8 bypass Shatterprotect tube is rated CRI 95, full spectrum. cUL or CSA marks confirm certification for Canadian installations, and DLC or DLC Premium listings, often required in industrial specifications, confirm tested performance.

Hazardous and high-impact areas

Explosion-proof fixtures

Where flammable vapours, gases or combustible dust can be present, such as spray booths, solvent rooms or dust-handling areas, an ordinary fixture can become an ignition source. The area classification is set by the engineer or the authority having jurisdiction, and the fixture certification must match it. CSC LED makes EXPR round explosion-proof fixtures from 60 W to 150 W and EXPL linear models in 2 ft and 4 ft lengths, each with matching wire guards.

Retrofits for existing hazardous fixtures

To keep an existing housing, Light Efficient Design offers hazardous fixture retrofit lamps in 24 W and 45 W (E26 or EX39 base, 5700 K) and a 110 W EX39 hazardous fixture retrofit at 5000 K. Have an electrician confirm that the lamp suits the fixture and its certification.

Impacts and breakage

Where forklifts or overhead cranes can strike a fixture, add wire guards: they exist for the LHB04 high bays, the CWPS slim wall pack and both explosion-proof series. Where broken glass is a concern, such as food processing lines, shatter-resistant tubes like the TUROLIGHT VIVID Shatterprotect and HD T8 Hybrid Shatterproof models are designed to hold fragments together.

Layout, mounting and controls

Production floors and workshops

Run linear high bays parallel to lines and benches so light falls evenly, without the operator's shadow. The LHB04 accepts 65° lenses for high mounting heights and 110° lenses for open floors, and the high bay lighting calculator estimates the number of fixtures. Under lower ceilings, use LED T8 tubes or linear fixtures placed in front of the worker; the garage and workshop LED lighting guide details lumens and placement.

Mounting and sensors

Pendant mounts and hook-and-chain kits suit open joists (the ORTECH 4 ft linear high bay includes 2 hooks with 2 m chains), and surface mount kits suit lower decks. High bay accessories also include lenses, wire guards and sensors, such as the ORTECH plug-and-play sensor for UFO and linear high bays or the NEXLEDS high bay motion sensor: lights dim or switch off in empty zones.

Yards, docks and perimeter

Full cut-off wall packs keep light on the ground and out of drivers' eyes. CSC LED Keystone wall packs accept Type III and Type IV optics; Type IV pushes light forward, away from the wall, which suits building perimeters. In yards, CSC LED FL05 floodlights accept visors, slip fitter mounts and pole mounts, and the TUROLIGHT SSL-MFL2 mini flood reaches 13200 lm in its 100 W version.

Upgrading an existing plant

When the housings are sound, retrofit lamps are the fastest path:

• High bays: Light Efficient Design enclosed-rated EX39 retrofits replace up to 250 W HID (95 W model) or 400 W HID (140 W model).
• Wall packs and shoe boxes: its E26 retrofits replace up to 70 W HID (20 W model) or 100 W HID (30 W model).
• Fluorescent strips: ballast bypass tubes such as the TUROLIGHT VIVID T8 (15 W, 2200 lm, DLC) are wired to the line, while HD T8 Hybrid tubes run on a compatible ballast or in bypass mode.

New fixtures make more sense when housings are corroded or when the layout changes. For larger projects, see the commercial LED lighting guide for contractors and electricians.

FAQ

What is industrial LED lighting?

It covers the fixtures built for factories, workshops and industrial yards: UFO and linear high bays, explosion-proof luminaires, wall packs, floodlights and LED T8 tubes, with robust housings and Canadian certification such as cUL or CSA.

Which colour temperature is best for a factory?

4000 K or 5000 K suits most production and assembly work. Choose a high CRI for inspection and colour matching, and selectable 3000, 4000 and 5000 K fixtures when one model must serve several areas.

Do I need 347 V fixtures?

Yes, if your lighting circuits run at 347 V. Fixtures rated 120-347 V cover both cases; some retrofit lamps come in separate 120-277 V, 347 V or 277-480 V versions.

When is an explosion-proof light required?

In any area classified as hazardous because of flammable gases, vapours or combustible dust. The classification comes from the engineer or the authority having jurisdiction, and the luminaire's HAZLOC certification must match it.

Can I put LED bulbs in my existing industrial fixtures?

Often, yes: EX39 retrofits for metal halide high bays, E26 retrofits for wall packs and shoe boxes, and dedicated retrofits for hazardous-location fixtures. Depending on the model, the ballast is bypassed, so check the product sheet first.

Equipping a production floor or a yard? Compare LED high bays and linear models, and see LED warehouse lighting for storage areas and loading docks.