Outdoor lighting that is specifically intended to illuminate parking lots, pedestrian walkways, and streets is known as parking lot lighting. The ideal parking lot illumination will engender a sense of security and comfort without ever putting too much pressure on the eyes. It’s essential to understand a parking lot light’s coverage area if you want to create a setting that is secure for customers, guests, and staff.
How Many Feet does a Shoebox Light Cover?
Parking lot lights should be mounted at a height of between 12 and 20 feet, while poles can occasionally reach heights of up to 35 feet. The height of the light poles is often based on the size of the parking lot.
How Many Lights Are Necessary for a Parking Lot?
It is recommended to use two 20,000 lumen LED parking lot lighting fixtures at a height of between 15 and 20 feet. Poles are normally spaced 20 feet apart in this area. However, you can concentrate on foot-candle and uniformity to figure out the ideal number of lights for your particular parking lot. The amount of light that reaches a surface is measured in foot-candles. The maximum to minimum illumination ratio is used to measure light homogeneity. Currently, a 3:1 ratio is advised for the majority of outdoor parking lots. Too much space between the fixtures is frequently the cause of uneven lighting. Alternately, additional characteristics like trees could make the consistency more difficult.
The amount of lights that should be employed can also depend on the sort of poles that cross your parking lot. The required height of your poles will often depend on the size of the parking lot. Tall poles are favored for larger regions and vice versa. It is advised that you choose the height of the pole to utilize first, then the distance between your fittings. Generally speaking, the fewer poles you require, the higher the mounting height!
Do LED Parking Lot Lights Cover More Areas?
No, even though LEDs may be brighter, they don’t always cover a larger area. You may create a scheme that delivers the best possible light coverage with the aid of LED lighting. When projected onto a surface or object, patterns on LEDs control how light from an illumination source is disseminated. This is referred to as reaching 50% of the luminous intensity of the fixture. These distributions are the best option to satisfy parking lot requirements.
Distributions of LED Shoebox Light Patterns
- Fixtures in the middle of a pathway benefit greatly from the wide, symmetrical light produced by a Type I design.
- Type II light fixtures are generally designed to be used along the side of a road or as street lighting since they produce a little lower distribution.
- Type III light distributions project light that is 2.75 times wider than the fixture’s mounting height.
- Asymmetrical fixtures are another name for Type IV light distribution lights. Like Type IIIs, they produce a beam of light that is 2.75 times wider than their heights, but because their distribution pattern is considerably more circular and pushes outward, very little light is shed behind the fixture.
- Omnidirectional fixtures are another name for Type V light distribution fixtures. Around the fixture, they disperse light uniformly or in a circle. Click for more details on Parking Lot Lights Lighting Distribution Types.
Charts for LED Parking Lot Light Coverage Area
T3, or Type III, is the parking lot light that is most usually selected. In the field of parking lot lighting, it has long been recognized as the de facto standard and an excellent option. The lighting type chart below shows some examples of measurements: That is roughly 46 feet broad and 28 feet front at 140 degrees wide, 90 degrees forward, and 20 feet height.
Additionally, the foot candles’ termination point is well evident. This aids in locating the location of the following light. To keep an even 8-foot candle along the side of the road in the example, the next light should likely be placed around 30 feet away at a 20-foot height. Moving the next pole 40–50 feet farther, if an alternate dark–light pattern is acceptable, would require moving from 7fc to 2fc and back to 7fc. It is generally not advised for parking lot lighting, although it is OK for back lots.
How is the area covered by parking lot lights calculated?
By dividing the parking lot’s square footage by the necessary foot-candle output, the coverage area of the lot may be quickly determined. For instance, 2,000 lumens will be needed for a parking lot measuring 100 square feet and requiring 20 foot-candles.
The lumens, wattage, and footcandle of an LED shoebox light
You must spend close attention to foot candles and wattage lumens. Shoebox lights made with LEDs produce more lumens per watt. This is what counts for illumination that is effective. It is preferable to seek an output of between 16,000 and 20,000 lumens if you need the lights to provide coverage between 15 and 20 feet. In contrast, 40,000 lumens should be adequate if you only need light cover 20 to 30 feet. Lumens, a unit of measurement for the brightness offered by the light, must therefore be your main concern while shopping for the best LED parking lot lights! Lumens are another factor that affects an LED’s brightness.
On the other hand, the most typical unit of measurement for determining light levels in outdoor areas is the footcandle. The brightness of a surface area of one square foot from a homogeneous source of light is known as a foot-candle. As a result, it is a measurement of the amount of light that strikes a certain surface. One lumen per square foot is the amount of light that a candle-lit source projects onto a certain surface. The key factors of a sufficient degree of light are an area’s form and coverage. Lighting professionals usually advise a minimum light level of 1fc throughout the intended area, with 2fc to 4fc being preferable for aesthetics and best visibility.
