Parking lot lighting is one of the most important things when it comes to creating a safe workplace for customers and employees. As they move around your parking lot, employees and visitors are exposed to any safety or hazards. This can expose you to liability for accidents that happen in areas that lack adequate lighting. Dark parking lots can attract criminals. Proper lighting in parking lots is vital. You might be wondering how many lights you will need to transform your garage with LED lighting technology.
Pay Attention And Pay Close Attention To Footcandles, Uniformity, And The Ground
For lighting professionals, footcandles are the most common unit of measurement when measuring light levels in outdoor spaces. A foot-candle refers to the amount of light that can be emitted from a uniform lighting source onto a one-square-foot-wide surface. It measures the amount of light that is reaching a surface. One lumen is one square foot of light that falls from a candela source.
An adequate level of light can be determined by the area’s activity. On occasion, Sometimes 5 FC can be sufficient in areas with low activity, while 5 FC should be considered standard for areas with high activity. Low foot-candle levels in parking lots can cause poor visibility and appeal. For maximum visibility and appeal, professionals recommend a minimum of 1 FC in the desired area. However, 2 to 4 is better for visibility and appeal.
Lighting uniformity, or the perception by the human eye of how evenly the lighting is distributed within a parking area, is described as the maximum to minimum illumination level ratio (the lowest light level and the average light level in a specific area). The ideal ratio for outdoor parking lots is currently 3:1. LED technology is known for its excellent uniformity. It is common for lighting to lack uniformity due to the lack of space between the fixtures. It is common for other landscaping to get in the path of the fixtures, which can lead to a lackluster uniformity.
Height Of The Pole
This premium LED parking lot lights come in two types: pole-mounted or top-mounted shoebox lights. Their height ranges from 15 to 40ft. Your parking lot illumination quality is affected by how high the lights are mounted, where they are placed, how many lights there are, and what beam angles you choose. Before lighting your space, determine whether there are any height limitations in the area. This information is available for commercial property owners. Your business location also influences the height of poles. Consider the height of poles that are located adjacent to the property to minimize glare to neighboring properties.
The mounting height of parking lot lights can vary from 12-20 feet. However, in some cases, the poles can reach as high as 35 feet. The area of your parking lot will determine the height of your poles. For larger areas, taller poles are preferable and vice versa.
Use 2 To 4 Per Pole At 15 Feet
A 15-foot-long pole is used for type 3 lighting. This means that there are 2-4 light heads per pole. A 15-foot-long light pole combined with a three-light lighting pattern will provide ground coverage of approximately 15 feet along each side and 15 ft forward. Although these figures aren’t exact they will allow you to estimate your light heights as well as the coverage area when using the 3 light pattern.
After you’ve determined the mounting height, you can determine the spacing of the fixtures. This is where the rule of thumb applies: the higher the mounting height, need fewer poles. These spacing arrangements can be achieved using a 15-foot-long pole (assuming that your beam angles are correct).
150 Watts Are Standard For 60 Feet
The wattage of the halide lamps is used to convert old 400-watt HID parking garage lights to LED. LED parking area lights can have wattages from 100 W up to 450W. A 150-watt LED parking spotlight produces approximately 20000 lumens. A common spacing of 60 feet is used to produce average brightness. It is also commonly used in areas without optimal visibility. For lightly used back lot, this setup is essential.
At 40ft Spacing, 150 Watts Is Sufficient To Provide Brightness
Reduce the spacing between 150-watt light bulbs to around 40 feet and you will see a greater lighting coverage. The brightness also increases if the spacing is reduced. A brighter lighting scheme can add beauty and illumination to your home, as well as remove shadowy areas that could become black spots. Lighting overlap is reduced and visibility is improved by smaller spacing. A smaller-sized parking lot, such as one in a home or small retail establishment, might require such a configuration.
2 To 4 Light Bulbs Per 20-Foot Pole
A 20-foot pole will work well in a medium-sized to the large parking lot. Each pole can carry 2-4 light bulbs. The light is distributed further than a 15-foot-long pole at 20 feet. This makes it ideal to use in a larger lot. This height is commonly used for the following lights and spacing:
1. 300 Watts Will Suffice For Standard At 60ft
A 300-watt parking garage light fixture produces around 40,000 lumens. With 2-4 light bulbs 20 feet in height, a 60-foot spacing produces more brightness than a 150-watt light fixture. This spacing allows for optimal visibility and brightness in commercial spaces. The optimal view for each location, such as the car dealership yard, is essential.
2. 300 Watts Is Sufficient To Provide Bright Lighting At 40-Foot Spacing
This configuration reduces spacing but maintains the same height of each light fixture. It results in brighter illumination. Parking lot visibility has been increased and its appeal improved. It is perfect for medium-to-large parking lots, which require more brightness and appeal, such as large retail outlets. You can see more of the ground because there is lighter. This configuration can be found in most medium-sized to large-sized parking spaces.
3. 25ft–Try Using 4 Poles To Get The Best Deal
The best lighting design involves four fixtures within a pole. It provides cross-over lighting in multiple directions, decreasing shadowing and bright spots. They are 25 feet high, so only a few light poles are needed to illuminate large areas. Because of this, parking lot lights require less electricity, which in turn results in lower utility expenses.
At 60 Feet, 300 Watts Is Sufficient To Power Four Standard Lamps
This configuration has many parking lot lights, with some on tall poles. It is used in densely populated areas as well as in large commercial parking lots. It is affordable and only requires a handful of poles.
300 Watts Is Sufficient To Make Bright At 40 Feet. You Can Also Use 4 Of Them
The illumination is brighter, and visibility is better when the spacing between fixtures is reduced to 40ft. Each pole has four fixtures. It’s perfect for large commercial lots. It is necessary to have bright lighting in shops and on sports fields.
Verify Your Coverage
The most widely used parking lot light design is type III. This standard has been around for a long time. Even though it can be difficult to determine light coverage, uniform lighting must be provided. A professional is needed to design the lighting patterns. We can provide expert opinions on your parking lot lighting requirements.
Motion Sensors
Motion sensors are a great way of saving energy and improving security. A microwave-based motion sensor parking area light can be used up to 30′ from poles. For longer distances, you can use less than 22.
