Surface mounting LED High Bay lights from Menards

[69RT3X9]

Hi Guys,

I found these high bay LED lights at Menards that I really like their 15,000 lumen output and their looks. But, the box says not to surface mount. I am contemplating just buying them anyway, drill holes through the sheet metal, and attach them directly to the rafters of of my sheet-rocked and painted garage ceiling. My ceiling height is 12 feet.

Have any of you guys used these lights and surface mounted them? If so, how did you go about attaching them to your ceiling?

Lithonia Lighting IBH15LMV - 4000k LED High Bay Light with 15,000 lumen brightness. Dimensions 4.38" H x 22" W x 15.25" D

 

[jives]

Why would you surface mount them when the instructions are clear not to? Other than violating the warranty on a $200+ fixture, there could safety concerns, such as heat buildup.

 

[tfi racing]

Go ahead,kill the power supply or even better yet,set your building on fire.The nerve of the manufacturer trying to tell someone what to do,who do they think they are...

 

[benjamintmiller]

LEDs might seem to run cool, but they are very hot right at the semiconductor junction. This fixture is 15,000 lumens because it's pushing a bunch of LEDs right to their limits, and they need convective currents of air to cool them down.

If you surface mount the light, this will happen:
- You will certainly void the warranty
- You might scorch the drywall or start a fire
- The light will appear to work fine
- The light will have a dramatically lower lifespan, negating the value of installing an LED light

 

[69RT3X9]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the feedback. I don't have any experience with LED light fixtures so I wasn't sure if the "do not surface mount" was driven more by the high bay lighting classification category or by an actual "gets too hot" issue. Sounds like overheating is the #1 concern. The aesthetic appeal of surface mounting certainly isn't worth a fire risk.

I do appreciate the comments, especially since I haven't bought the lights yet. I will keep looking for better surface mount lighting options. It seems like a big trade-off between surface mounting and lumen output. Surface mount lights seem to have low lumens, thereby requiring more fixtures.

 

[nh_yota]

If you want to mount something flush to the ceiling I'd go with T8 fixtures which don't produce as much heat as T5 or LED fixtures. I'm sure one of our lighting gurus will chime in with ideas shortly.

 

[Big Daddy Chop Shop]

Personally, bang for your buck, go to 1000bulbs.com. Get the T5 highbay in 6 bulb configuration. Order bulbs. $100 per fixture including bulbs. Mount them with Gripple hangers. Done.