LED buyer’s guide: High Mast Lighting
High mast lighting solutions, also known as HMLs, are typically used in large public or commercial areas like warehouses, shipyards, railway yards, highways, parking lots, stadiums, etc. These are a type of on-site lighting fixtures that are installed at significantly extended heights in order to illuminate massive spaces.
According to the top LED lighting manufacturers, using HMLs is one of the most preferred ways of illuminating big areas as they are capable of achieving a high space to height ratio. They are mounted on considerable heights, usually on sizable poles (12m to 30m) in order to illuminate large areas uniformly.
Moreover, they are controlled with a motorized mechanism which makes their installation and maintenance process easier. Here are some important points you should keep in mind before buying High Mast Lighting fixtures:
Energy Costs
Large commercial spaces require a higher light output in order to uniformly illuminate the area. Since light output is directly proportional to wattage (W), large areas require lights of higher wattage. Outdoor high mast lighting solutions conventionally used high wattage high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps or halogens that added figures to the electricity bills. However, the introduction of LEDs has brought a novel change and solved this problem efficiently. According to the leading commercial lighting manufacturers, though the initial cost of installing HIDs or halogens is comparatively low, LEDs prove to be more cost and energy-efficient in the long run.
Maintenance
High mast lighting solutions comprise of two different components i.e. the pole and the light panels that require regular maintenance and up-keeping. Since maintenance ease and cost are significant aspects of outdoor lighting solutions, it is important to take a decision keeping all the parameters in mind. High masts by Wipro Lighting are incorporated with motorized controls that easily lower down the luminaries for maintenance. Furthermore, installing LEDs could also bring down the maintenance cost as they have a longer life.
Performance
The performance of any commercial lighting solution is the supreme parameter that you need to consider before making a buying decision. In case of HML, LEDs are always a better choice than halogens and HIDs. Here are some key factors that make LEDs a better option than other lights:
- They consume lesser electricity and encourage energy efficiency
- They provide better and brighter illumination
- They don’t emit heat and infra-red (IR) light
- They have a longer life and can last for almost 50,000 hours
Apart from the lighting performance, it is also important to select poles of appropriate heights and supreme quality. High mast poles consist of various components including ropes, pulleys, winches, etc. and are installed in outdoor areas. This makes them vulnerable to malfunction, damage and corrosion. Thus, you should always ensure to buy products made of high-grade and preferably non-corrosive materials.
