How to Choose the Right Parking Lot Pole

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Jennifer Castillo

Parking lots require high quality night-time illumination to remain safe and functional at night. That starts with choosing the right parking lot lighting pole – one that will ensure even, adequate lighting coverage.

When choosing a lighting pole, the following factors need to be considered:

Height
Lighting distribution
Material and construction
Wind rating
Fixture compatibility

There is a variety of lighting poles available on the market, so it may not be clear which is the best fit for your parking lot. This is where an experienced lighting company can provide expert help. Professional lighting installers know what types of parking lot lighting poles make sense for a particular project and can recommend the right option for a client.

4 Things Lighting Experts Consider When Assessing A Project For The Right Lighting Poles:

1) Height and Lighting Distribution

The height of the lighting pole is a primary factor in light distribution. The taller the pole, the wider the spread of illumination, so you will typically see the tallest lighting poles in the largest parking lots. Most parking lot poles range between 12 and 30 feet in height, but taller poles may be required for expansive parking lots.

The goal is to establish an even spread of illumination throughout the parking lot, as this promotes better visibility through the space. It also prevents hotspots or shadows, which can adversely affect motorist or pedestrian vision.

Lighting experts establish even illumination using photometric modeling software, which allows lighting designers to visualize the client’s space and simulate a variety of lighting solutions. It uses manufacturer data to simulate how a particular lamp emits light – its direction, and its intensity. With a bit of experimentation, lighting designers can develop a flawless lighting solution before mounting a single fixture – including identifying the perfect pole height and placement for the property.

2) Pole Material and Construction

Lighting poles are available in a few material choices – steel, aluminum and fiberglass are the three most common. Here is a quick comparison:

Steel (including galvanized steel) – Steel offers superior impact strength and is a good choice for parking lots that see heavy or commercial traffic. However, unalloyed steel is susceptible to rust and corrosion, which is why manufacturers use galvanized steel in their lighting poles. Galvanized steel is a zinc-iron alloy that features improved corrosion resistance, giving it well-rounded durability. Steel is also less expensive than aluminum or fiberglass, so it offers an upfront cost advantage.
Aluminum – Aluminum is the lightest of the three materials and is not quite as impact-resistant as steel. It can’t bear as much weight, either, but it is naturally corrosion resistant, so aluminum light poles tend to last longer than steel poles. Aluminum lighting poles are a good fit for parking lots located near the ocean, where airborne salts pose a constant threat of corrosion.
Fiberglass – Fiberglass is the most expensive lighting pole material and doesn’t last quite as long as aluminum, but it offers comparable durability, is corrosion resistant and doesn’t conduct electricity. Fiberglass can be used interchangeably with aluminum in most parking lots.

Ultimately, your parking lot’s location and the traffic it receives are primary factors in choosing the right parking lot pole material.

3) The Lighting Pole’s EPA Wind Rating

Every lighting pole has an EPA (effective projected area) wind rating that specifies the maximum wind speed that the pole is expected to withstand before there is a high risk of failure. EPA wind ratings are based on the pole’s wind-exposed surface area, so size and shape must be reconsidered from every possible angle. This can make calculating wind ratings a challenge, but the difficult math has already been done for property owners.

The U.S. is divided into several wind zones, each one defined by the maximum wind speeds that wind-exposed structures should be built to handle. Houston, for example, sits in Zone III, an area where lighting poles must be fortified for winds between 110 to 165 mph. Property owners and their lighting installers should select a lighting pole that meets or exceeds this threshold, paying close attention to poles located near schools or medical facilities. The lighting expert will also help determine whether anchor-based or direct burial of the poles is the best option. Keep in mind that your lighting fixtures are also EPA-rated, so they will also need to be rated for your property’s region.

4) Poles that are Compatible with LED Fixtures

While most lighting poles are LED-capable, it is still worth verifying before installing anything. More parking lot owners are choosing LED lighting for their properties. There are several reasons for this, including improved energy efficiency, extended lamp lifespan (which means less maintenance and fewer lamp replacements), better lighting performance, and expanded controllability. In nearly every category, LED lights now surpass metal halides, high pressure sodium and fluorescent lamps in most areas – offering better night-time visibility, improved reliability, and greater installation flexibility.

For instance, LED lamps are now available in several light distribution options. Type III and IV LEDs are popular choices for parking lot applications because they throw illumination forward from the lamp, instead of pooling it around the base of the light pole. This gives installers a bit more flexibility in how they position lighting poles, and it may reduce the overall number of poles you’ll need.

The takeaway here is that it is bet to choose a set of poles that can accommodate LED lights.

A Reputable Lighting Expert Can Help Choose the Right Parking Lot Lighting Poles

Parking lots require adequate illumination through the night-time hours. To establish high-visibility, reliable lighting for their parking lots, property owners need the right lighting poles for the space. An experienced lighting installer can help their clients identify which poles will work best and use photometric modeling to position those poles for optimal lighting.

Advantages Of Using Fiberglass Lighting Poles

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Jennifer Castillo

Commercial lighting projects rely heavily on lighting poles to position the fixtures and ensure adequate light distribution. If a new commercial lighting project necessitates poles, you will have three primary choices in pole material – aluminum, steel or fiberglass.

The right material for your lighting poles will depend on the application and exact installation location. For many projects, fiberglass proves to be the best choice.

Three Advantages of Fiberglass in Lighting Poles

Fiberglass consists of a resin and glass fiber mix, offering an ideal combination of strength and flexibility, and here are three advantages of fiberglass lighting poles:

Durability and wind resistance – Fiberglass offers the best of the material characteristics of both resin and glass. Specifically, fiberglass can flex like resin while retaining the structural integrity of stiffened glass fibers. In effect, fiberglass poles offer excellent all-around durability that makes it a good fit in any application. This includes applications where large amounts of salt are suspended in the air – coastal regions, mainly. Fiberglass is inherently corrosion resistant and fiberglass lighting poles are finished with a protective coating that adds another level of durability. In this way, fiberglass is similar to aluminum in corrosion resistance.The modulus and flexural properties of fiberglass are somewhat akin to bamboo’s, which allows the material to give a little when subjected to high winds. Because this is plastic deformation, the fiberglass bends but does not break, returning to its original shape once the winds have stopped. Along coastal areas where winds can reach hurricane force, fiberglass poles are an effective counter to the extreme conditions.
With its excellent mix of impact, corrosion, and wind resistance, fiberglass requires minimal maintenance. It is standard practice to install these poles and expect 20 or so years of reliable performance before extensive maintenance or replacement is required.
Lightweight – Fiberglass is significantly lighter than steel or aluminum, while retaining an excellent weight-to-strength ratio. Its reduced weight means fiberglass is easier to handle and easier to install. With fewer equipment and labor resources needed to install fiberglass lighting poles, they are the least expensive option to install.
Insulated material – Fiberglass is an electrical insulator, unlike metal. In fact, it is used as a material in electrical isolators due to this property. In fiberglass lighting poles, insulator qualities make it a safer choice around electrical components, as it can reduce the likelihood of an unregulated electrical discharge.

If your lighting application demands maximum durability and cost efficiency, fiberglass is a frontline option.

The Different Types of Fiberglass Lighting Poles

Fiberglass poles are available in a full selection of designs and builds, appropriate for any lighting application. They include round and square poles, as well as tapered and straight light poles.

Since fiberglass lighting poles weigh less than metal poles, they can often be installed without an anchor base. An anchor base can be installed if desired, which can provide additional impact resistance and pole heights, but it is not necessary. In applications where direct burial is appropriate, fiberglass can save property owners a lot of money in installation costs.

The light weight of fiberglass is also an advantage in security lighting applications, as it can handle considerable weight. This means that there is plenty of room for surveillance cameras and motion sensors, so property owners have additional options when installing fiberglass poles for security lighting applications.

Pair Fiberglass Lighting Poles with Photometric Analysis for Optimal Results

Fiberglass lighting poles are a viable material option in the majority of applications. To extract maximum value from your new lighting solution, it is highly recommended for businesses to seek out photometric analysis first.

During photometric analysis, the lighting team diagrams the client’s project, going as far as developing a 3D model of the property. This is all done in specialized software.

Once the client’s space is modeled, various lighting fixtures can be placed inside the model and simulated using the fixture’s real-world technical specifications. These specifications are provided by manufacturers, so it is as close as you can get to seeing how the lights will look in action.

Part of this essential analysis is determining pole height. Fiberglass poles can be installed to nearly any height, so it is the application and setting that make the determination. Whether it is a pickleball court, a parking lot, an industrial complex, a beachfront boardwalk, or another application, photometric analysis will identify the most cost effective and best performing fiberglass pole arrangement.

Fiberglass Lighting Poles are a Proven and Effective Option

With the superior combination of durability, corrosion resistance, wind resistance, low weight nature and cost effectiveness, fiberglass lighting poles are a favored choice in all types of commercial lighting projects. No matter the scale or location of your project, chances are, fiberglass poles will provide the most cost-effective lighting solution.

What are the Different Types of LED Lights Available

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Jennifer Castillo

LED technology is taking over the lighting industry. There are many reasons why, including LED’s versatility. LED fixtures have been adapted for numerous applications, and this engineering evolution is still in progress.

In fact, there’s an LED light for nearly every use and setting. Residential, commercial, industrial, decorative, indoor, outdoor – LED bulbs can be used everywhere. Here, we’ll take a look at the wide world of LED fixtures, and the role they play in each application.

Outdoor LED Commercial Lighting: Parking Lot, Wall Pack, Security and Sign Fixtures

In exterior commercial applications, LEDs are prized for their energy efficiency and excellent brightness. LED light bulbs generate high quality output that renders color well and distributes lumens evenly. This makes the technology an excellent choice for the following applications:

Parking lot lighting – LED parking lot fixtures offer excellent visibility at night and at long ranges – perfect for improving safety. Another big advantage: LED lighting is directional, so it can be distributed and aimed with precision. In fact, these lamps are available in several distribution patterns, so lighting designers can optimize ground-level lumens without any light trespass.Parking lot LEDs are available in several color temperature options, including warm, cool, and neutral white.
Wall pack fixtures – Wall pack LEDs function like other wall pack fixtures in that they’re mounted to the exterior facade of buildings, parking garages and other structures. From their elevated position, wall packs can provide an extra layer of illumination for general visibility purposes. However, they excel in security lighting applications. In this role, wall pack fixtures can be tied to occupancy sensors (motion or IR) and primed to illuminate when someone walks nearby. That’s ideal for general, safety, and security applications, especially if surveillance cameras are programmed to engage automatically when the security lights flash on.
Sign fixtures – LED lighting is an effective display option, too, and can be used to illuminate signage at night. Gooseneck fixtures, for example, are highly adjustable and have an eye-catching bend that stands out. LED gooseneck fixtures are mounted close to the target sign and fitted with an LED that distributes illumination like a spotlight. The result is bright, sharp and attention-getting.

Outdoor Venue Lighting: Sportslighters and Decorative Pole Fixtures

LED technology can be scaled up for the largest venues in existence, including professional sports stadiums, rodeo arenas, tennis courts and municipal parks.

LEDs can be integrated into the oversized displays you’ll see at professional sports venues. Most of them are LED video walls, which offer superior resolution and color richness, compared to Jumbotrons. Some large-scale displays are made with direct view LED panels, like microtiles. These direct view panels can be scaled up to nearly any degree, can be shaped or curved, and are easier to maintain.

In smaller venues, like neighborhood tennis courts, skate parks and the like, pole-mounted LED lights are a reliable choice. Quality lighting poles are made from galvanized steel, coated to protect against corrosion and available in several shapes, sizes and heights. With their design versatility, LED light poles can be adapted for any area.

For lighting park paths and neighborhoods, decorative poles and post top fixtures are a popular choice. LED posts are shorter than standard lighting poles and are ornamentally designed.

Landscape Lighting: Bullets, Floods, Bollards and Path Fixtures

LED bulbs have also been adapted for landscaping applications. Effective in residential and commercial settings, LED landscape lighting is available in several fixture designs. They include:

Bullet fixtures – Bullet fixtures function like spotlights in a landscaping setting. They fire a tight beam of illumination that’s ideal for lighting trees and building facades. Bullets are also easy to conceal, especially when they’re mounted on the ground close to the intended target.
Flood fixtures – Floods are the opposite of bullets. They cast a wide, short-distance beam that fills an area with bright light. Floods are ideal for illuminating a backyard and extending the home’s functional space at night. They’re also effective for illuminating entire building facades and other points of interest outside, like a garden or fountain.
Path fixtures – Path fixtures sit low to the ground – usually under 18 inches – and softly illuminate any adjacent path. They’re helpful for visually pointing out where walkable paths and landscaping are located. LED path fixtures are reliable, can run on low voltage (for better safety), and can be attached to photocells or timers for maximum efficiency. They’re also available in a huge number of designs, so they can be aesthetically matched to any property.
Bollards – Bollard lighting is named after the bollards you’d see at a dock or in a parking lot. They look like simple posts, ranging in height from a couple of feet to eight feet high. They serve the same function as path lighting, but are more appropriate for larger properties, given their larger size and visual impact.

Indoor Commercial Lighting: Bays and Linear Lighting Fixtures

For interior commercial applications, LED’s efficiency, low maintenance, and controllable design make it a cost saver for facilities.

When department stores, warehouses, manufacturing facilities and industrial facilities upgrade their lighting, they often do so with LED bays or linear fixtures. Bay lighting is either mounted to the ceiling or suspended from it, and it provides high-output general illumination for large interior spaces. LEDs have been adapted for both high and low bays, so they can be mounted to ceilings ranging from 12 to 45 feet. LEDs have also been adapted for linear (rectangular) and UFO (circular) fixtures. UFOs are more common, but linear bays are highly effective for illuminating long, narrow spaces like warehouse aisles.

LED linear lighting fixtures are also popular options in commercial applications, including office and retail applications. Linear LEDs are frequently used to replace fluorescent tubes, where they can provide more efficient and better-quality lighting.

LED Lighting is Available in Nearly Every Form and Fixture

LED lighting offers a long list of advantages, including design flexibility. It can be incorporated into almost every lighting application possible and scaled up or down as needed for any setting.

LED lighting technology has come a long way in a short time. A decade ago, only the most plugged-in industry experts could have seen the rapid rise of LED fixtures. Now, the technology is poised to become the number one choice for every lighting application.

All About Light Pole Base Covers

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Jennifer Castillo

Many people don’t think about light pole base covers as they sit at the bottom and the light is at the top. It’s easy to miss the fact that the base cover is responsible for protecting the pole’s foundation, improving its appearance and enhancing safety.

We’re dedicating this FAQ to pole light base covers because there’s a lot to know about how pole lights work, and base covers are a big part of that.

Where Are You Likely to Find a Light Pole Base Cover?

Base covers wrap around light pole bases, so you’ll always find them at ground level around the bottom of the pole and right under the hand hole. They’re less than a foot high, so they’re compact in design.

A base cover can be used with just about any type of light pole, so the applications are endless. You’re likely to find them in a business parking lot, in a busy downtown district, or in an upscale neighborhood. In every instance, light pole base covers provide the same functions.

How Does a Base Cover Enhance Light Poles?

All pole light bases are subjected to unique hazards that the rest of the pole doesn’t have to deal with. For example, the base is what’s exposed to corrosive substances like dog urine and oil. When it rains, all of that water runs down the pole toward the base. If a stray shopping cart (or golf cart) runs into a light pole, it slams into the base.

Base covers shield the pole from this damage, protecting against water intrusion and providing a physical barrier for the fixture. The pole’s base is kept in place using long anchor bolts, and the base cover fits over these, providing them with protection.

Pole light base covers enhance the look of the light pole. Anchor bolts aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing thing to look at, and the base cover ensures they don’t become an eyesore.

They are made in a variety of colors and designs so they can fit in with any design style.

What Kind of Lighting Poles are Bases Used With?

Lighting pole base covers are intended for use with poles that are anchor-based. Anchor-based poles are attached directly to the installation surface, like concrete. Long anchor bolts are driven into the ground through a base plate, and it’s this base plate that the cover protects.

The other primary type of lighting pole is a direct burial pole. These poles are extended into the ground and buried without a base or base cover, as there are no anchor bolts to hold the pole in place.

How is a Lamp Pole Base Installed?

Compared to installing the pole itself, bases are extremely easy to manage. They come in two primary designs – either clamshell or drop-over. A clamshell base opens up like a clam on a set of brackets. To install it, the base cover is opened up, wrapped around the base and then closed using a threaded lock.

A drop-over base cover is one solid piece that is fitted over the top of the pole and slipped down to the base. Before a drop-over base can be installed, any light fixture, lamps or bulbs must first be removed. You may need to remove the pole caps as well.

What Are Base Covers Made From?

Most base covers are made from steel or ABS plastic, though some are also made from cast aluminum. Typically, the base cover material is matched to the material the pole is made from.

Steel bases are durable and sturdy, but like all steel components they will eventually rust. You can expect to get at least 15 years from a steel base cover before corrosion could necessitate a replacement, though some base covers can last upwards of 30 years before replacement is required.

ABS plastic is the primary alternative to steel and it doesn’t rust, so it works well in humid environments. Plastic also weighs less than steel, so an ABS base cover is typically easier to install.

What is a Powder Coat?

A powder coat serves as a protective layer over the light pole base cover giving it additional resistance to corrosion and UV radiation. You’ll usually find them on steel base covers.

Powder coats also protect the paint on your base covers, so they maintain their color longer.

Can Pole Lighting Base Covers Fit Any Pole Size and Shape?

Just as lighting poles come in a large variety of sizes and dimensions, so do base covers. There’s a base for every type of pole, ranging up to 6 inches in width or diameter. Pole bases are also compatible with both round and square-shaped pole fixtures.

What Colors are Available for Light Pole Base Covers?

Base covers come in a wide variety of colors, just like the poles themselves. Some of the most popular colors include:

Black
White
Bronze
Gray

If you can’t find a color you prefer, some brands of spray paint can be used to quickly customize your bases.

Are There Base Covers for Available for Residential Lamp Posts?

Residential lamp posts are also fitted with base covers, and they also provide additional stability and durability. They are built to fit a range of lamp post sizes and shapes. They’re also designed to match the classic lamp post aesthetic, so the lamp looks like one single piece.

Who Can Help Source the Best Light Pole Base Covers?

LED Spot offers a comprehensive selection of base covers and other lighting products including LED fixtures and lamps. If your pole lighting project is in the planning stage or already underway, our team can support you with everything needed to see that project to completion.

Category: Light Poles