Installing or upgrading to LED lights for all your lighting needs is all the rave these days. Be it parking areas that are still under construction or old ones being renovated, one of the most crucial points to consider is the lights. Not only do they provide clarity for objects but also security as people generally tend to avoid dark lit areas, even security cameras can work their best only if the light is sufficient. Newer technology is taking over the old day by day and when it comes to lighting, there is nothing newer than LED lights. We generally tend to think that upgrading something new can be a very easy task, albeit LED parking lot lights are not very daunting, there are certain things that still need to be put under construction.
1. Light Pollution
The world we live in today is getting rather cautious about pollution every single day. From plastics to smoke people are coming up with ways to reduce pollution. Light pollution is also a part of that campaign. The misuse of any artificial light falls under the category of light pollution. This can be caused by an excessive or misdirected use of artificial lights. You need to consider the following factors that can cause this pollution before installing LED lights in your parking areas.
- Over illumination: Excessive use of lights.
- Glare: It is caused when lights are reflected off different surfaces causing light to scatter and creating problems with visibility.
- SkyGlow: Escaped light that is diffused in the sky creating a dome in the atmosphere
- Light Clutter: This is the excessive grouping of lights.
- Light Trespass: This happens when redundant light enters someone’s property.
You can check light requirements for your area before installing lights to ensure that your LED parking lot lights are not causing any light pollution.
2. The efficiency of the LEDs
This is a crucial factor that can help you with power control and lowering your electricity bills. The efficiency of light is defined as the ratio of watts consumed to light produced. Not only do they save you energy but they also produce less heat and can last up to 25 times longer than a halogen bulb. You should think carefully before selecting the right type of LED light for your parking lot. You would want one that will not only give the right amount of light but also can last longer as there is a cost associated with changing light fixtures. Two light heads of 20,000 lumens each is a good recommendation if your pole is 15-20 feet high. You can go brighter and higher if you need requires you to be.
3. LED Light Fixture Beam Angles
Luminaries can be Omnidirectional or directional. Omni-directional lights emit their light evenly in all directions while directional light sources have a focused beam. While selecting light fixtures for your parking lots, you would want lights that have a much-focused beam. Therefore, LED lights would be the choice to make as they are directional by nature.
Beam angle specifies the angle at which light passes out of the led. This can help you direct your lights and help illuminate your parking lot much more efficiently than other lights.
Like any other angle, beam angles are represented by degrees. This angle is directly related to the distance from the target, the farther the light, the smaller the angle. If you want focused lights, use LED light fixtures that have a smaller beam angle while fixtures with a larger beam angle will create a larger spread of light.
If your poles are closer to each other, it is better to use LED light fixtures with smaller angles, whereas use larger angles for poles farther apart.
4. LED Light Distribution for Parking Lots
Outdoor lighting requires a lot more science than choosing fixtures that are bright or affordable. When it comes to parking lot lighting you need to factor in what kind of light pattern will be created by the fixtures you use. The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America has categorized light distribution down into five types. The following three types are generally used for parking areas.
- Type III Light Distribution: This distribution casts light about 2.75 times wider than the elevation of the fixture. For this distribution, fixtures should be placed along the sides of the parking area for light to be projected outward.
- Type IV Light Distribution: This distribution of light is very much like that of type III except that it produces a more rounded pattern, pushing the light outwards with very little light falling behind the fixtures.
- Type V Light Distribution: This distribution is usually used for large parking areas as the fixtures distribute light evenly across all sides creating a circular pattern.
Our lighting experts here at Tetrus will create a lighting design that incorporates all the above factors while helping you choose the best-led lights for your parking lot. Contact us now at 1-855-583-8787
