An Extensive Guide to Parking Lot Lighting
Table of Contents
In today’s post, I have created this guide to help you choose the right lighting for a Parking lot.
We all know the importance of a parking lot lighting. I think everyone will agree without proper parking lot lighting no will feel safe. The parking lot lights illuminate the whole area, making it easy to see everything. Not only this, but it will enable people to see the road. Lighting will even help identify potential dangers.
Besides this, the parking lot lighting will brighten up space so the surveillance camera can pick up the face of the trespasser. Experts prefer using LED lights for parking lots. That is because they are flexible, long-lasting, and energy-efficient.
Parking Lot Lights- What it is?
The parking lot lights can be defined as outdoor/underground lighting that is, usually, mounted on walls or poles in driveways, pathways, and outdoor/underground parking lots. Such lights usually have a rectangular shape and are also known as shoebox lighting. This type of light is considered to be durable, energy-saving, and easy to install. That is why it is mostly used in commercial parking lots.
Kinds of Parking Lot Lights Available
There are various types of parking lights available on the market. You can invest in a light that suits your requirements the best.
- LED parking lot light
- Halogen parking lot light
- Fluorescent parking lot flood light
- Solar parking lot light
Choosing the Right Color Temperature for Outdoor/Underground Parking Lot Lights
Color temperature is a crucial factor to consider when buying parking lot lighting. The lights can be categorized into three ranges:
- 2800K to 3500K- it has a yellowish color
- 3500K to 4500K- provides natural white light
- 5000K to 6000K- bright and white-colored light perfect for outdoors.
Requirements for Parking Lot Lighting
When it comes to parking lot lighting, you can have to pay attention to lumens. It is advised to install LED lights with 20,000 lumens on a 15 to 20 feet high pole. The spacing between poles should approximately, be 20 feet.
This is the average lighting requirement. If you want to have a brighter and more welcoming space, you can go for more lumens.
Cost of Installing Parking Lot Lights
Here is the break down of the cost of installing parking lot lights.
- The initial installation cost of light for every pole is $500.
- The expected life of a lamp (hours) is 10,000.
- The lamp will be operational for 12 hours.
- The cost of replacing the lamp is $200.
Benefits of Investing in LED Outdoor/Underground Parking Lot Light
For a long time, people are shifting from traditional lighting options to LED lights. This is because it is cost-effective, highly efficient, affordable, and much more. I have listed some of the benefits of having LED parking lot lights.
If you are looking for quality LED lights, LEDLUCKY is a leading supplier and manufacturer offering an array of collections.
1. It Is Safe
One of the benefits of using LED parking lot lights is that it is safe for the environment. This is because LED light illuminates an area perfectly to make sure there are not attacks, accidents, and burglary. Since it provides bright light, the CCTV camera can capture everything clearly.
2. Performance of Light is Exceptional
The LED lights have bright light providing high efficiency. The distributed light is even and uniform, making it more efficient and lighting up the area perfectly. LED lights are flicker-free and glare-free, ensuring the vision of the driver or pedestrian is not compromised. Hence, the performance of LED lights is excellent.
3. Long Lifespan
LED parking lights are known to have a long lifespan compared to Halogen lamps or HID. The LED lights can last up to 45000 to 80000 hours, depending on the usage.
4. Reduce Maintenance Cost
Since the LED lights have a longer lifespan, the maintenance cost is decreased. You will not have to frequently change the LED lights; thus, it decreases the replacement cost.
5. Saves Energy
Another benefit of LED outdoor/underground parking lights is that it is energy saving. For instance, you are using 1000W LED light for the parking area and it is turned on 12 hours a day. The daily cost of the LED light will be:
1000W x $0.12 / 1000 x 12 hours = $1.44
While the monthly cost will be $43.2. Keeping this example in mind, you can say it is a better option as it will save energy and will reduce energy bills.
6. Can be Used Outdoors
The LED lights are versatile and can be used in all types of environments. This is because such lights are waterproof and can withstand harsh weather conditions. The LED parking lights have a water-tight structure, making them a suitable option.
Things to Keep in Mind When Designing Lighting for Outdoor Parking Lot
When you are planning the lighting layout for an outdoor parking lot, there are plenty of considerations. If the lighting is not suitable or dim, it might result in a lot of problems. It will increase safety risks for everyone. Here are some factors to consider when designing outdoor parking lot lighting.
1. Focus on Photometric Analysis
One of the first things you must consider is getting a photometric analysis. The lighting design and simulation will help in having the best lighting design, so the area is properly lit. Using the software, the parking lot lighting is arranged at different beam angles and powers. This utilizes the isoline graph and false color to determine the lux level.
You can contact the experts at LEDLUCKY and get a photometric analysis.
2. Color Temperature of the Light
Another thing you should consider is the color temperature. The parking lot lights can be yellow light or white light. The temperature of white light ranges from 5000K to 6000K. When it comes to yellow light, the color temperature ranges from 2800K to 3500K.
White light is brighter while the yellow light is good for penetrating fog.
3. Lux Required for Lights in Outdoor/Underground Parking Lot
The brightness (lux) for outdoor parking lot light is one of the most important aspects. This is because a dim light will increase the risk of accidents and the parking lot will not be safe. According to the standards, the parking lot light must at least 50 lux. However, for commercial parking lots, the light lux requirement is 200.
4. Must Be Anti-Glare
The parking lot lighting should be anti-glare. Most LED lights have a special lens covering the light to direct it to the desired space. This makes the light glare-free. Because of this, people can look directly at the light without being blind.
It is an imperative feature as glare can make the driver feel dazzled and put the safety of other drivers at risk.
5. Consider Standard of Uniformity
Another factor you must pay attention to is the standard of uniformity. This is a crucial aspect as the safety of drivers and pedestrians depends on it. The parking lot light must distribute uniform light. There should be no uneven distribution of light.
The uniformity can be measured through a ratio between minimum to maximum lux. Let’s say, the parking lot has 100 lux in the entrance and the parking area has 200 lux. So, the uniformity should be:
100/200 = 0.5.
Keeping this mind, we know the uniformity must between 0 to 1.
6. Photo Sensor of Parking Lot Lights
To avoid manually turning on and off of lights, photo sensors must be used in parking lot lights. Dusk-to-dawn photosensor will make sure the light is turned on when there is a decrease in light intensity.
7. Mounting Type of Light
There are different types of mounting for parking lot lights. Wall mount and slip fit mount is the most commonly used types. Many people prefer using a slip fit mount for a lighting fixture in a parking lot. This is because it will enable you to adjust the angle after installation is complete. On the other hand, you can adjust the tilting angle in wall mount light.
Depending on the parking lot, you should decide which is the perfect mounting type for you. Some people prefer a wall mount because there are no poles. For parking lots with poles, it is better to choose a slip fit mount.
8. Must not Pollute Parking Lot
Light Pollution is a common problem in outdoor/underground parking lots because attention is not paid to lighting design. If the light is projecting on an area where it is not needed, it is considered as light pollution. Since the parking lot is near the residential areas, the lights might be disturbing for them. In order to decrease the impact on surrounding residential areas, experts recommend adding a light shield. This will make the light dim and reduce light pollution.
Conclusion
I hope this comprehensive guide will help in selecting the best parking lot lighting. LED lights are an ideal choice to illuminate the parking space because it is energy-efficient, cost-saving, easy to install, and maintain. To have the perfectly lit parking lot, you must get professional help.
If you want to know more about LED parking lot lights, kindly get in touch with LEDLUCKY.
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