A customer came to us looking for a unique solution to a unique problem – lighting the inside of a dry-aged meat cooler meant to display food products to customers. We were happy to rise to the challenge.

Meat Cooler Lighting Problems

The customer faced a few primary  challenges going into the project that needed workarounds. 

• The cooler is set to a constant temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit and an 85% humidity level – would the light fixtures work properly in such a low temperature and high humidity location?
• The cooler is for display purposes – how could the lighting be utilized in a way to make the meats look inviting and visually appealing?
• The relatively small size of the cooler (10′ x 6′) posed a challenge as well – how could the fixtures and wiring be tucked away so that customers wouldn’t see it?

Meat Cooler Lighting Solutions

Access Fixtures lighting specialists worked with the customer to find a suitable fixture for the job. We decided on the EPTA – an IP67 rated, extreme life linear fixture that would function perfectly in a cold, humid environment.

Next, we drew a diagram which can be viewed to the right of the text to show which fixtures would be used, and where. The final meat cooler lighting solution involved only three EPTA fixtures with the following specs:

• (2) EPTA 150’s and (1) EPTA 60 linked together end to end, with the EPTA 60 surface-mounted to the roof of the cooler and the two EPTA 150s surface-mounted to each side
• 3000K color temperature for a warm, inviting wash of light
• Extra cord length between the quick-connect ends in case the electrical connection needed to be made outside of the cooler itself
• 90+ CRI for superior visibility, visual detail, and color rendering of the dry aged meats in the cooler
• 0-10v dimming in case the light was too bright or in the event dimming was desired
• Diffuser optics to minimize glare and maximize overall light distribution

The final product with the EPTAs installed can be viewed in the image to the right. As you can see, the EPTAs are mounted out of sight so that all that is visible is amazingly even light (and delicious meats for purchase!)

Got questions about lighting a cooler? Call 800-468-9925 to speak with a lighting specialist today!