Street light / pole mounted fixtures

Street lights and parking lights are often equipped with photocells, to switch them on and off automatically depending on the hour.

• Photocells save energy, by ensuring that no lamps are left on accidentally during the day. 

• Many outdoor lights are used all year long, 10-12 hours per day, and their electricity cost is higher if they are not switched off early in the morning.

Depending on the product model, some parking lot lights are also compatible with motion sensors and dimmers.

There are street and parking lot lights with integrated LED arrays, and also retrofit kits for existing HID fixtures - both options can achieve energy savings of over 60%. Integrated LED fixtures are recommended in new constructions, while retrofit kits offer a lower cost upgrade option for existing installations.

Main Types of Street and Parking Lot Lights

Light fixtures for streets and parking lots can be classified by their housing shape, and the two most common types are shoeboxes and cobra heads.

As mentioned before, most street lights use HID or LED lamps. Both lamp types can produce a potent light output for outdoor areas, but LEDs offer energy savings of over 60%. At Lumenco, we offer LED alternatives for typical HID wattages:

• 175 W Metal Halide Equivalent

• 250 W Metal Halide Equivalent

• 750 W Metal Halide Equivalent

• 1000 W Metal Halide Equivalent

HID lamps can be classified into many subtypes, and metal halide bulbs (MH) have a clear white color that is suitable for parking areas and streets. However, MH bulbs normally need a replacement in less than 10,000 hours, while LED street lights are rated for up to 100,000 hours. To ensure that the rated service life is met, make sure you purchase quality LED fixtures with a dust-tight and weatherproof enclosure. They should also be covered by a solid warranty.

Street and parking lot lights with HID bulbs also have an operating disadvantage - they have a restrike time when they are switched off. This means you must wait several minutes before they reach full brightness again, and this can be dangerous when there are vehicles in circulation. On the other hand, LED fixtures can be switched back at full brightness with no waiting period.

LED street light costs are higher compared with those of HID fixtures. However, the extra cost is recovered multiple times in the form of power bill savings and avoided lamp replacements.

Glare Prevention When Using Street and Parking Lot Lights

Glare is the visual discomfort caused when human eyes are exposed to a concentrated light source that is much brighter than its surroundings. When a light source is extremely bright, glare can even be painful.

• Glare is very dangerous in areas with vehicles in circulation, since it increases the risk of accidents.

• You should use street lights and parking lot lights that are designed to prevent glare.

Lighting manufacturers use the BUG rating, which is not related to insects in spite of its name. Actually, BUG stands for backlight, uplight and glare. Each letter has a number from 0 to 5, which describes how light is emitted:

• The best possible rating is B0-U0-G0, which describes a light fixture that concentrates its beam towards the intended area. Backlighting and uplighting are eliminated, and glare effects are prevented.

• On the other hand, a fixture with a rating of B5-U5-G5 produces plenty of backlight and uplight, and the glare effect is significant.

The B0-U0-G0 rating represents ideal performance, and few light fixtures can achieve it. However, you can achieve good results by simply looking for a low BUG rating. For example, our 100W TCP street light has a rating of B2-U1-G2 - backlight, uplight and glare are minimal.

Advantages of LED Street Lights and Parking Lot Lights

LED lighting is the most efficient and durable option for most applications. LED street lights in particular also offer the following benefits:

• Thanks to their high lumen output and color rendering index (CRI), they improve visibility for vehicle drivers and they help prevent accidents.

• A long service life of 50,000-100,000 hours means that nobody will have to climb on street light poles and replace lamps in many years. For instance, if an LED street light rated for 60,000 hours is used 12 hours/day, it will last for more than 13 years.

• Unlike HID bulbs, which emit light in all directions, LEDs can concentrate their light output towards the intended area. Since the amount of light emitted horizontally is minimal, glare effects are prevented.

• LED street lights can be sealed more hermetically by manufacturers, since they don’t need frequent lamp replacements. This keeps bugs and other pests from entering their housings.

How are Street and Parking Lot Lights Installed?

Most street lights and parking lot lights are mounted on poles, which can have a round or square cross-section. There are also many mounting options to attach light fixtures, which include:

• Slip fitter

• Swivel bracket

• Extended arm

• Pendant mount

• Yoke mount

Bullhorn brackets can be used to install multiple street lights or parking lot lights on the same pole, and the following are some options available from Lumenco: