Lighting presents a unique challenge in cold storage applications. While it’s not typically considered a primary factor in operations—more like an inconspicuous necessity, that is, until something goes wrong—the right lighting can actually play a substantial role in facility safety, productivity and cost-efficiency.
Fluorescent fixtures have been a staple in refrigeration environments for years, favored for their relatively low cost of acquisition. However, as many facility managers can attest, this is essentially where the benefit ends. Despite their initial low cost, fluorescents are an ongoing maintenance nightmare, with bulbs and ballasts that are delicate and prone to failure. Part of the problem is the nature of fluorescent fixture design, but cold temperatures exacerbate the issue, causing premature failure, which turns these “inexpensive” fixtures into some of the costliest to maintain.