Cold Stores

Cold-stores and freezers vary enormously in size from small walk-in units to bulk stores and freezing rooms where temperatures can go as low as –40°C. Lighting solutions for these areas must provide a long service life and low maintenance for minimum disruption and low glare for worker comfort.

Many cold stores have humidity control to maintain a high relative humidity to ensure the quality of the stored goods. In this application, luminaires with an IP rating of IPx5 or IPx6 is required to ensure that the luminaire is sealed and protected against moisture ingress.

Please contact your local sales engineer or the technical helpline to discuss specific applications.

For recommended lux levels please see CIBSE : SLL Lighting Guide 1 - The Industrial Environment (2012, updated 2018)

Illumination Levels

Application	Minimum maintained mean illuminance (lux)	Illuminance uniformity (minimum/average)
Goods storage where identification requires only limited perception of detail	100	0.40
Goods storage where identification requires only limited perception of detail	150	0.40
Continuously occupied storage areas where identification requires only limited perception of detail	200	0.40
Continuously occupied storage areas where identification requires perception of detail	300	0.60
Automatic high bay rack stores: Gangway: unmanned	20	0.40
Automatic high bay rack stores: Gangway: manned	150	0.40
Automatic high bay rack stores: Gangway: Control station	150	0.40
Packing and despatch	300	0.60
Loading Bays	150	0.40
Storage rack face*	200	0.40

* Calculation to be made on the vertical surface, portable lighting may be used.

Emergency Lighting

The performance of rechargeable batteries is compromised at low temperatures, so the preferred solution is to use a remote battery pack which is mounted outside the cold-room. Please contact your local sales engineer or the technical helpline for more information. SmartScan Emergency automates the testing regime, so maintenance staff do not need to spend time in the cold store performing manual tests.

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Low temperature LED luminaires

Low temperatures are not an issue for LED luminaires because LEDs do not face the same issues as fluorescent lamps at low temperatures. Many luminaires are suitable for temperatures down to -20°C, some as low as -40°C.

Many cold stores have humidity control to maintain a high relative humidity to ensure the quality of the stored goods. In this application, luminaires with an IP rating of IPx5 or IPx6 to ensure that the luminaire is sealed and protected against moisture ingress.