Depending on the size of the warehouse we are discussing; the energy costs related to the lighting withing and even outside the warehouse can vary. But no matter what size, shape, or capacity a warehouse operation runs out of they all have one thing in common and that’s lighting expenses.

This is a common struggle for facility managers: trying to save money with the money that they have. And upgrading or investing in a new lighting system although can save money and produce a positive ROI overtime; can cause troubles considering it costs money upfront.

This post is here to identify the main points and benefits of a good lighting technology (LED), how it can improve a warehouse or factory facility, and how you can actually cut the upfront investment costs down significantly to make the investment even more-so worthwhile.

Improve safety through a better lighting system. In almost every aspect of the word quality; LED is the winner, especially in industrial applications. Firstly, if you’ve ever (or are currently) experiencing an issue with flickering or buzzing lights inside or out of your facility: you most like have metal halide or HPS fixtures in place. With LED they will never flicker or buzz not even near the ending of their lifespan.

Secondly, if you are experiencing an issue with dim lights just a few years after you’ve installed your MH or HPS light sources; you are experiencing a negative side effect of having these technologies. They are susceptible to higher lumen depreciation at a much faster rate than LED products do. Don’t get it wrong though, LED products still do safely and securely.

Decrease lighting bill costs. Did you know that you are burning up energy that you don’t really have to be burning up? It’s true, technologies such as metal halide are literally eating up 50% more energy than you would be with LED products installed. If you could reduce your lighting bill costs by 50% or more, what benefits could you see? For starters it would improve your bottom line. Otherwise, if you are proud to be a green company this could be just another way to further that mission and prove you are doing everything is takes to cut down on waste as much as possible. The list could go on but the main benefit that makes almost every person want to make the switch to LED is the 50% or more reduction in lighting costs month to month.

More Ways to Decrease Your Lighting Costs

Here we list a few ways that you can actually decrease your investment cost on a new LED lighting system in your DesignLights Consortium is, in basic terms, your rebate will more likely be better than just DLC standard.

Longer bulb life = Less Maintenance. LED technology is know to last 2-3 or even 4 times longer than other light sources out there. By upgrading to an LED system in your warehouse you are reducing the amount of times you need to pay someone to replace your burnt out lights. This can get especially pricey since most warehouses have high bay lighting which is typically high in the air. If you have 30, 40, or 50+ lights this can get very expensive for a warehouse facility. By opting in for a longer life light source (such as LED) you are going to reduce your maintenance costs dramatically (by 2-3 times).

Some Common Questions

Here are some very common questions that we are asked regarding lighting for a warehouse:

What exactly are the lighting fixtures used in warehouses and factories?

While an office in a warehouse will use the same lighting as any other office would (panels and tubes), the main floor and area of the warehouse is what we are talking about.

Typically people install high ceiling spaces.

What is a retrofit? And should I retrofit?

Outdoor lighting provides homeowners with the ability to make their property safe and easier to walk around at night. Not only will you feel more comfortable knowing what’s in your front yard, but you will also add visual appeal to your home too. If you want to improve outdoor safety through lighting, and at the same time add a little character to the outside of your home, then follow along to understand the potential upgrades you can make for outdoor lighting options.

By Spencer Cutright

Let’s face it: no summer vacation is complete without plenty of pictures. With the invention of the “selfie stick” and apps like Instagram and Snapchat, taking pictures has never been so user friendly, and photography has never been more prevalent than it is today.

However, this would not be possible if flash photography had never been invented. It’s hard to believe, but flash wasn’t always as common or safe as it is today. Here is a brief look at the history of flash photography.

Flash photography originally began as an unsafe and incredibly intricate device known as the flash lamp, which was invented in 1899. Photographers would fill a pan with flash powder, which was then ignited, leading to a small explosion that produced a quick flash. The flash lamp is known for being very unsafe, and many photographers who used it were either killed or injured in the process.

Around the 1930s, flash bulbs replaced flash powder. Oxygen-filled bulbs were electricity ignited, producing a quick bright flash. However, the bulbs could only be used once, and they were often too hot to handle right after the flash.

Thirty years after the flash bulb, the cheaper and more efficient electronic flash was invented. Electronic flashers are often attached to a camera and produce an instantaneous and very bright flash through a flash tube when a picture is taken.

Found on camera phones as early as 2000, LED flash uses high current LEDs to produce a quick flash when a picture is taken. LED flash makes flash photography efficient and miniaturized.

So next time you pull out our camera or smartphone to capture a special moment this summer, keep in mind all the inventors who made modern photography possible.  The future of photography is certainly bright with many possibilities ahead.