Parking Lot Lighting is a term to describe the outdoor lighting that is commonly mounted on poles and located in parking lots, pathways and driveways. This type of exterior lighting is generally used to provide illumination to areas for vehicle and pedestrian use, with the most frequent attribute being that the light fixtures are mounted to poles. It is not uncommon to see multiple fixtures mounted on a single pole, and the specific mounting methods may vary significantly. With the advent of solar we now have other options, Solar Parking Lot & Area Lighting the new revolution.

Below are a few image examples of outdoor lighting fixtures in Parking and Area Lighting applications that you may recognize. This is by no means representative of all the types of outdoor pole lights that exist, it is just a quick visual sample.

Solar Parking Lot & Area Lighting Solar Parking Lot & Area Lighting
Solar Parking Lot & Area Lighting Solar Parking Lot & Area Lighting
 
 
Most existing Parking and Area Lighting applications utilize High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps such as Metal Halide, High Pressure Sodium, and – if they are very old – Mercury Vapor Lamps.
 
 
Common Issues

All HID lamps have some inherent characteristics that can lead to issues for those managing exterior lighting for an organization or facility.

Energy Costs

Common (HID) Lamp consumption used for Parking lot and Area Light Fixtures range from 100 Watts to 1000 Watts. The higher the wattage, the higher the light output and also the more the light cost to operate. The function of the area being illuminated, combined with the quantity, spacing, and mounting height of the poles and fixtures plays a role in what size light is being utilized. A 400w or 1000w HID Fixtures are very common  for Parking and Area Lighting can cost up to $209 and $525 to operate per lamp, per year, in electricity costs alone.

Maintenance Costs

Maintenance costs are often a big concern for outdoor lighting applications such as Parking and Area light fixtures. In additional to the potential lamp lifetime concerns, Parking and Area Lights often require the use of a bucket truck or lift to change out a lamp or a Ballast, because they are often on poles in excess of 15 ft high. Many buildings and facilities do not own a bucket truck or lift, and as a result have to hire an outside contractor to maintain these fixtures. These expenses can really add up over the course of a few years. 

Lighting Performance

Depending on the type of HID Lamp your facility utilizes, the performance characteristics of your Parking and Area Lighting can vary significantly. For example, if you are using Metal Halide lamps you may see light that is bright white, but these types of lamps tend to have accelerated lumen degradation, meaning the light output of the lamps decrease quickly after initial install, and as a result the overall lifetime of the lamp decreases. If you are using High Pressure Sodium you may see longer “useful” life as these lamps see less lumen degradation than Metal Halide, but their fuel structure produces a very “Orange” light with a very low Color Rendering Index. Basically, you trade a longer life for a poorer quality light, in regards to visual perspective.

The Solution

Luminetworx has a solution to both your energy consumption and fixture life. Luminetworx has 100% solar powered parking lot & area lighting that require no wiring (eliminate trenching for cable installation), are lit by high efficiency LED’s that produce a whiter more efficient light and will last up to 55 thousand hours. For more information or to contact a local installer in your area please contact us at 702-602-7719

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